A planning expert has criticised Somerset Council for wanting to shut all council-run public toilets to save money. Two people from Somerset have become the first in England to try a new weight loss treatment that can cut body weight by up to 15 percent in four months. A Yeovil apple grower has won a top prize for the quality of the apples he produces...and more
A planning expert has criticised Somerset Council for planning to shut all council-run public toilets in Somerset, to save money. Somerset Council needs to cut its spending by £100 million or risk going bankrupt and is hoping that town and parish councils will take over running public conveniences in their areas. Clara Greed, a Professor in Urban Planning, says it would be wrong to close public toilets as they are an essential public service.
Two people from Somerset have become the first in England to try a new weight loss treatment that can cut body weight by up to 15 percent in four months. The treatment involves using an expanding water-filled balloon positioned in the stomach before people undergo weight loss surgery.
There’s a warning that pharmacists in Somerset are operating at a loss and that some may be forced to close. The issue was raised in the House of Commons by the Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome, Sarah Dyke. In response, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said the government was investing in pharmacies by giving them greater healthcare responsibilities.
A Yeovil apple grower has won a top prize for the quality of his apples. James Pullen from Perrins Hill Farm was presented with the ‘Thatcher’s Apple Growers of the Year Award’ at the company’s annual Wassail event. Pullen’s operate a seventy-five-acre orchard in Tintinhull and have supplied Thatchers with apples for thirteen years.
A workshop is being held in Chard for people to learn about the town’s listed buildings. Chard has one-hundred-and-thirty-three listed buildings, each with a fascinating history and background. The event – which is free to attend - takes place at Chard Guildhall on Thursday, February 15th, between 10 am and 3 pm.
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.