Thursday 2nd November

Thursday, 2 November 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

There's major disruption across Somerset this morning caused by Storm Ciaran with schools closed, and roads and train lines flooded. Somerset Council says it will shortly publish details of how it plans to control spending to prevent the authority going bankrupt. An auction of the fixtures and fittings at Dillington House near Ilminster held on Monday earlier this week raised more than £100,000...and more.

There's major disruption across Somerset this morning caused by Storm Ciaran with schools closed, and roads and train lines flooded. Rail operators including GW, Cross Country, and South Western Railway are all reporting cancellations. The Environment Agency has issued seven warnings and eight alerts for local flooding.

Somerset Council says it will shortly publish details of how it plans to control spending to prevent the authority from going bankrupt. Auditors have warned of a potential £130 million overspend in the next two years, with the Council facing a budget gap of £80 million in the 2024-25 financial year, and another £50 million in 2025-26. The Council says a doubling in the cost of providing adult and child social care is largely to blame for its financial problems.

A public inquiry is to be held into plans to build one hundred new homes in South Chard. An application to build the homes on land between Perry Street and Factory Lane in December 2021 was refused. Now, the developers, The Crossman Group, have lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate in a bid to overturn this decision, with a public inquiry expected to be held early in the New Year.

The number of councillors on Somerset Council could be cut by the time of the next local elections. The Council currently has 110 members which is the third highest of any upper tier or unitary authority in England. Now, the Local Government Boundary Commission is to hold a review and has indicated the number of seats on Somerset Council could reduce to between 70 and 90 by the time the next local elections in May 2027. The review will also look into the boundaries of the existing council divisions and may rename some divisions to reflect their local character.

An auction of the fixtures and fittings at Dillington House near Ilminster held on Monday earlier this week raised more than £100,000. Dillington House which had been a conference and wedding venue run by Somerset Council closed in September. Of the 500 lots sold, a Waterford Crystal chandelier fetched the highest price at £3,700.

Volunteers and community groups in Chard are working together to collect Christmas presents for families in need. The Forefront Community Centre, Lord’s Larder Foodbank, Chard Community Hub, and South Chard Church are asking for new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children, who might not otherwise receive a Christmas present. Items can be dropped off at Forefront Community Centre, Chard Community Hub, and South Chard Church, up to Friday, November 29th.

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Thursday 17th April

The father of a one-month-old baby boy in Chard is to stand trial for the murder of his son. New figures show that just under 1300 crimes were reported to the Police in Yeovil during the final quarter of last year. A night in a prison cell is offered at Shepton Mallet Jail to those who want to be alone this Easter...and more.
Wednesday 16th April

Big changes are being made to where taxi ranks in Yeovil are located. Farmers are being told to keep an extra lookout for people acting suspiciously following the latest livestock theft near the Devon and Somerset border. Channel 4’s Location Location Location is coming to Somerset, with anyone looking to buy a property locally invited to apply to be in the show...and more
Tuesday 15th April

A 36-year-old man remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual assault in Yeovil. Yeovil Labour Club has had its drinks licence revoked. NHS Somerset has been taking its physiotherapy team around the county to cut waiting times for patients. A men-only cooking course has been launched in Sherborne with all ingredients and equipment provided free of charge...and more
Monday 14th April

A new banking hub has opened in Crewkerne. South Western Ambulance is asking people to only dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency over the Easter weekend. £1.8 million is being spent improving walking and cycling routes around a major new housing development at Up Mudford in Yeovil...and more
Friday 11th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in Yeovil in which a man riding an e-bike was injured and later died in hospital. Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says the number of false alarm calls it receives is on the increase. A new micro-pub opens in Chard next week...and more
Thursday 10th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for more targeted support for schools in Somerset. Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident near Wells in which a cyclist died. Plans have been approved to convert a former care home in Yeovil into a house of multiple occupation...and more
Wednesday 9th April

A man from Yeovil has been jailed for stabbing another man in a pub in the town. Work is underway to help minimize the flood risk at Chard Reservoir. Plans have been submitted to build thirty-six new homes at Sparkford. A new Town Crier is needed in Glastonbury...and more
Tuesday 8th April

Work is underway to demolish the Glovers Walk Shopping Centre in Yeovil. A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with drink driving for a third time. Somerset Council has paid £35,000 in compensation for failing to deliver the right support to children with special educational needs. Another shop in Yeovil town centre is closing for good today...and more