Monday 29th January

Monday, 29 January 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Play areas in Yeovil will not get any new equipment installed for the next twelve months as part of spending cuts at Somerset Council. A Milborne Port man has been jailed for six years after being found in possession of £17,000 worth of class-A drugs. The owners of the former Oscar Mayer factory in Chard have yet to submit a planning application to develop the site, two years after it closed...and more.

Play areas in Yeovil and across South Somerset will not get any new equipment installed for the next 12 months as Somerset Council seeks to cut its spending by £100 million. The Council says the pause on buying new kit will save £168,000 and claims it will not put children and young people at risk.

The Chief Medical Officer for Somerset, Doctor Bernie Marden, says he understands people’s concerns about closing the emergency stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Despite strong objections, NHS Somerset has decided to downgrade the unit, with people who suffer a stroke in Yeovil being taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. The changeover will take about eighteen months to implement. Doctor Marden claims it will lead to better outcomes for stroke patients.

A Somerset man has been jailed for six years after being found in possession of £17,000 worth of class-A drugs. Matthew Appleyard, of Combe Hill, Milborne Port pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine at Taunton Crown Court. It’s estimated that Appleyard’s criminal activity netted him around £250,000. A hearing will now be held under the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure he profits from his activities.

Somerset Council says the owners of the Oscar Mayer site in Chard have yet to submit a planning application to develop the site. The former ready-meal factory in Furnham Road remains untouched, two years after it closed. Somerset Council says it’s keen to see the site used for a business, rather than housing.

A cheque for £2,300 has been presented to Yeovil Hospital by Milborne Port Sports and Social Club. The money, given to the Oncology and Haematology Day Unit at Yeovil Hospital, was raised at events held by the Club last year.

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Monday 5th October

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Friday 2nd October

An investigation's underway after two people died in a collision near Taunton. A Somerset-based charity has warned of the risks of fuel poverty this winter. A Somerset healthcare service has been recognised with a national award.... and more.
Thursday 1st October

765 new homes have been given planning permission on the edge of Yeovil. Somerset Council’s Executive will meet to consider new parking charges. Four of the county’s best military cadets have been appointed as Lord-Lieutenant cadets... and more.
Wednesday 30th September

Police are appealing for a missing 17 year old from Castle Cary. A registered sex offender has been sentenced to 9 years in prison. A former Chard student who is one of six writers in the running to win this year's Booker Prize has paid tribute to his childhood teachers... and more.
Tuesday 29th September

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service say this summer saw record-breaking levels of demand. The charity that runs the Brewhouse Theatre has confirmed that it will definitely close. A Chard charity has launched a minibus service to improve community transport... and more.