Monday 2nd October

Monday, 2 October 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Taxi fares in Somerset could soon rise as Somerset Council seeks to harmonise the cost of journeys across the county. Wincanton Transport has closed its depot in the town. A new Local Plan for Somerset setting out where new homes will be built will not be in place until 2028 at the earliest...and more.

Taxi fares in Somerset could soon rise as Somerset Council seeks to harmonise the cost of journeys across the county. Fares were previously set by district councils, resulting in variations in what passengers paid, depending on where in Somerset they were using taxis. Under the new proposals, drivers will charge £4.60 for the first mile, and 30 pence for every one-tenth of a mile, thereafter. It means a typical two-mile journey would cost £7.60.

After more than 70 years, Wincanton Transport has closed its depot in the town. The company says the cancellation of a contract with the food producer, Muller, had left the Wincanton depot without work.

Somerset Council says it is supporting local businesses with the ban on certain items of single-use plastic from this week. The use of plastic cutlery, balloon sticks, polystyrene cups and food containers is no longer permitted, however, containers, plastic plates and bowls can still be used provided they’re part of pre-packaged food.

A new Local Plan for Somerset, setting out where new homes will be built, will not be in place until 2028 at the earliest, according to Somerset Council. The Council says due to the amount of work involved and because of outstanding legal issues, the new Local Plan, which will also identify where new schools, doctors’ surgeries, railway stations and village halls are built, is unlikely to see the light of day for at least another four years,

A number of events are being held in Yeovil and Crewkerne during October to mark Black History Month. The Somerset African Caribbean Network says it’s to celebrate the contribution in the workplace and within local communities that the Windrush generation has made.

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Friday 7th March

The Leader of Somerset Council has repeated his call for a reform of the way that councils are funded. Crimestoppers is stepping up efforts to help tackle violent crime in Somerset. A new radar satellite is playing a crucial role in collecting data about flooding in Somerset...and more
Thursday 6th March

Somerset Council has approved a seven-and-a-half percent increase in council tax. People are being asked to return boxes of paracetamol bought from Boots Chemists in Somerset. It’s been revealed that five members of staff at Somerset Council are being allowed to work from home outside the UK...and more
Wednesday 5th March

Somerset Council has been told that hundreds of millions of pounds in loans taken out by former district councils, including South Somerset, have to be paid back. A Somerset charity says it needs more volunteers to help with research into new treatments for dementia. A local shop owner has welcomed Somerset Council’s decision to scrap plans to charge for parking after 6 pm...and more.
Tuesday 4th March

The population of Somerset has reached record levels with nearly one in ten born outside the UK. Stanchester School in Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been rated as ‘requiring improvement’. Experts have been called in to appraise a 15th-century piece of artwork in Sherborne...and more.
Monday 3rd March

A woman from Crewkerne has been fined £280 for assaulting two emergency workers. Plans have been announced to open new NHS dental surgeries in Chard and Crewkerne. A Yeovil man has been thanked for raising £10,000 for the cardiac charity Heartbeat...and more
Friday 28th February

A local man has been charged after allegedly driving a tractor while under the influence of alcohol. One hundred bikes, collected with household waste in Somerset, have been donated to charity. The junction of the A37 Ilchester Road and Stiby Road in Yeovil will again shut this evening for resurfacing...and more.
Thursday 27th February

Fourteen hundred people have added their names to a petition against Somerset Council's plans to scrap free car parks. St Margaret’s Hospice has won a share of £25 million of government funding. A man from Charlton Adam is preparing to visit Ukraine as an Aid Worker for a tenth time...and more
Wednesday 26th February

A local man has been charged with possessing an air weapon following an incident in Yeovil town centre. The Labour government has removed funding to the Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet that the previous Conservative government had allocated. Entries are now open for this year’s Minster Miles 10K fun run with organisers aiming to exceed last year’s number of runners...and more.