Tuesday 26th September

Tuesday, 26 September 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Somerset woman, who has Multiple Sclerosis, is calling on the government to overhaul the assessment process for claiming disability benefits. Somerset Council has been fined £1,000 after a stroke patient was left without care for long periods. A Consultant Urologist in Somerset says men need to be made more aware of the early signs of prostate cancer...and more.

A Somerset woman, who has Multiple Sclerosis, is calling on the government to overhaul the assessment process for claiming disability benefits. Ten years after the government brought in Personal Independence Payments or 'PIP' as it is better known. A survey conducted by the MS Society shows that nearly two-thirds of people think going through the PIP process has a negative or very negative impact on them.

Somerset Council has been fined £1,000 after a stroke patient was left without care for long periods. The patient went without care on various dates between May and December 2021 after his provider missed visits and subsequently withdrew their support. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman have ordered Somerset Council to apologise and compensate the man for the distress caused.

A Consultant Urologist in Somerset says men need to be more aware of the early signs of prostate cancer. Over 52,000 males are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK every year. Doctor Jon McFarlane says men who show early signs need to get checked quickly.

Highways officials say repairs to a road connecting Somerset with Devon will be completed before Christmas. Since July 2021, motorists traveling on the A30 between Chard and Yarcombe have been delayed by temporary lights at Crawley Farm. The lights were installed following damage to an embankment caused by a landslip. Work to repair the embankment begins on October 14th with the road reopening at the end of November.

A Chard author has had his first novel published. Garry Sweetland’s book ‘Narcissus’ tells the story of deadly happenings in the world of art. Garry is launching his new book with a party in Chard on Friday, October 6th when an auction will be held to raise money for the Alzheimers Society.

More from News

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.