Monday 17th June

Monday, 17 June 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A man has been jailed for five years and eight months after pleading guilty to a series of burglaries across Somerset and Devon, including in Chard. Glenville Road Post Office in Yeovil could be converted into a house. If you’re not registered to vote in the General Election, you only have until midnight tomorrow in which to do so...and more.

A man’s been jailed for five years and eight months after pleading guilty to a series of burglaries across Somerset and Devon, including in Chard. Tyler Brown, aged 20, of no fixed abode, admitted to carrying out three burglaries on Brutton Way, Glynswood and Lower Touches in Chard. Exeter Crown Court was told that Brown had broken into 26 properties in total, mostly while people were asleep, to steal vehicles and other possessions.

Glenville Road Post Office in Yeovil could be converted into a house if plans are approved by Somerset Council. The site traded as a post office until 2023 which the owners say was only a small part of what is already a house.

Somerset Council's Executive has refused to make changes to the County’s nutrient neutrality policy, which could potentially have allowed for work to start building thousands of new homes. Plans to build around 18,000 new homes are currently at a standstill as a result of the phosphates crisis, with developers needing to secure additional mitigation to prevent any net increase of phosphates on the Somerset Levels and Moors. The Council's climate and place scrutiny committee held a special meeting on water quality in April, making several recommendations aimed at resolving the ongoing phosphate issue. But the Executive, on the advice of its planning team, refused to take the changes forward, citing a risk of legal action, inadequate evidence and a lack of staff resources.

A mother in Chard has set up a Somerset-wide parents group called Mums and Munchkins. Annie Tombs has five hundred parents taking part on Facebook, offering advice and support to one another.

Plans have been submitted to build a new arts hub in Ilminster. The proposal would involve converting 39 East Street into a studio space, gallery, workshop and office. The applicants say the building is unsuitable for modern usage other than storage but has the potential to provide an active use for the arts.

If you’re not registered to vote in the General Election, you only have until midnight tomorrow in which to do so. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is Wednesday, June 26th. Applications can be made through the Somerset Council website.

More from News

Monday 10th February

A dog, stolen in Norfolk seven years ago, has been found 200 miles away safe and well in Somerset. A man who lives in Seavington St Michael near Ilminster has been jailed after driving a car at police officers. One hundred new affordable homes could be built near Langport...and more
Friday 7th February

A Yeovil man has been fined £1,200 for sending hostile text messages to his ex-wife. A report into the performance of Avon and Somerset Police has found it doesn't answer emergency calls quickly enough. Twenty-two swimmers at the Trident Swimming Club in Chard have won places in this year’s Somerset County Swimming Championships...and more
Thursday 6th February

A man has appeared in court charged with murdering a one-month-old baby boy in Chard. Kingfisher Primary School in Yeovil has been highly praised by Ofsted. Somerset Council says it’s “extremely disappointed” after its bid to form a devolved Wessex group of local councils was rejected by the government...and more.
Wednesday 5th February

The Liberal Democrat Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans, says they had no choice but to ask the government to allow them to lift the 5 percent cap on raising Council Tax. Two teenagers have been released on bail following the stabbing in Yeovil. More than six thousand pounds has been awarded to local groups by Chard Carnival Committee...and more.
Tuesday 4th February

Somerset has been permitted to increase its Council Tax share by 7.5 percent. An Ilminster man, forced out of his house by last week's floods, says he doesn't know when he will be able to return home. Ilminster Literary Festival has launched its annual children’s writing competition, designed to encourage local children to write creative literature...and more.
Monday 3rd February

Five men have appeared in court charged with the murder of a man in Yeovil. A 16-year-old is the second person to be arrested in connection with a stabbing in Yeovil. Yeovil’s new outdoor entertainment space in Lower Middle Street has been officially opened by the town’s MP... and more.
Friday 31st January

A teenager has been arrested following a stabbing in Yeovil. Water bills in Somerset are set to go up on average by £123 from April. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance will officially open Yeovil’s new outdoor performance space later today...and more
Thursday 30th January

Lloyds bank is closing its branch in Chard. A Sherborne man has been jailed after defrauding a Yeovil woman of £40,000. A volunteer group in Chard is urging people to sign up to a flood victims register. A councillor in Shepton Mallet has become the first Reform UK member on Somerset Council... and more