Tuesday 26th November

Tuesday, 26 November 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Somerset councillor has criticised government plans to relax the planning laws. A new group has been formed in Somerset aimed at cutting the number of motorcycle thefts. A retired Royal Naval Reserve Officer in Somerset has set a new Guinness World Record...and more.

A Somerset councillor has criticised government plans to relax the planning laws. The government wants to make it quicker and simpler for developers to get their applications approved. But, Martin Wale, who represents Chard North on Somerset Council, claims rushing through applications will lead to homes being built without the infrastructure in place, like schools and GP surgeries, needed to support the new homes.

A new group has been formed in Somerset aimed at cutting the number of motorcycle thefts. The launch of Bikers Against Theft in Somerset, known as BATS, follows a spate of motorcycle thefts in the County.

The RSPCA in Somerset says it dealt with 300 abandoned animals last year, making it the worst year on record for abandoned pets. The charity is warning that Christmas is likely to see another increase and is asking anyone who finds an abandoned pet to take it directly to a local vet or rescue centre.

Leonardo in Yeovil will be flying drones over its airfield today. The company says it’s a test exercise with the drones operated by authorised personnel.

A retired Royal Naval Reserve Officer in Somerset has set a new Guinness World Record for being the longest-serving member of the Royal Navy. Commander Suzanne Clark's Royal Navy career spans 45 years and 107 days of service, beating the previous record by 283 days.

A minute’s silence will be held at Chard Town FC’s home game on Saturday in memory of long-serving club stalwart, Colin Dunford. Colin, who has died aged 79, served as chairman, secretary and treasurer of Chard Town, as well as manager of the Chard Town Ladies team.

More from News

Friday 17th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has backed calls for a cap on heating oil prices. Invitations are being sent out to those in Somerset eligible for the latest Covid vaccine. A pub near Chard has closed just four months after reopening... and more
Thursday 16th April

Wessex Water has been told to pay £300,000 after a sewer spilled into the River Yeo killing dozens of fish. The Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton has been given a grant of half a million pounds. Today marks the official opening of the new visitor centre at Ham Hill... and more
Wednesday 15th April

Yeovil College has been upgraded to a Defence Technical Excellence College. Somerset Council is taking legal action against a housing developer that owes £35,000 in contributions towards local services in Broadway. An Ilminster couple have covered the first 400 miles of their epic walk around the coastline of mainland Britain... and more
Tuesday 14th April

Avon and Somerset Police has launched a new five-year plan to tackle anti-social behaviour. Additional GP appointments will soon be available at three local surgeries, following a £1 million investment to upgrade NHS facilities in Somerset. A Stoke-sub-Hamdon couple whose daughter died of cancer have raised £128,000 in her memory... and more
Monday 13th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for better support for survivors of domestic abuse living in rural communities. The RSPB in Somerset is urging people to stop feeding birds to prevent the spread of disease. Yeovil Town Football Club says an issue that had threatened it with removal from the register at Companies House has been resolved... and more
Friday 10th April

Maternity services at Yeovil Hospital will reopen on Tuesday April 21st. A Somerset woman, who relies on a wheelchair for mobility, has criticised changes to the Motor Motability scheme. Somerset Freemasons have presented a cheque for forty-three thousand pounds to Young Somerset, a charity that supports young people in the county... and more
Thursday 9th April

Yeovil Town Football Club has received a warning that it could be struck off the register at Companies House. Somerset Council has been given £22 million to provide assistance to people facing cost of living pressures. Members of 1st Ilminster Scout Group have spent a night sleeping outdoors to experience the challenges faced by homeless military veterans... and more
Wednesday 8th April

A Yeovil school teacher has been banned from teaching for sharing inappropriate details about her private life with pupils. A Stoke-sub-Hamdon woman has been given a 17-month driving ban. A Yeovil woman who survived bone cancer is raising is running the London Marathon... and more