Wednesday 9th October

Wednesday, 9 October 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A decision on building 46 new homes at the southern edge of Castle Cary has been delayed. A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with using racially aggravated abuse towards a police officer. A teacher in Chard has been awarded a top prize at the National Special Educational Needs awards... and more.

A decision on building 46 new homes at the southern edge of Castle Cary has been delayed to clarify the potential impact of the development on the local landscape and the town's conservation area. Somerset Council’s Planning Committee South voted to defer an application by Castle Cary LLP to build the houses on land between Cockhill Elm Lane and the cemetery until later in the year to allow further information to be gathered by planning officers.

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with using racially aggravated abuse towards a police officer. Sam Burden of Marl Close also faced a charge of possessing cocaine when he appeared at Yeovil Magistrates Court. Burden was fined £80 for the drugs offence and £80 for the racially aggravated offence along with a £72 victim surcharge and £40 costs.

A hospice offering end-of-life care in Somerset says it now raises more money through its charity shops than it receives from the government. Dorothy House Hospice Care says it's facing the worst funding crisis in 20 years. It's one of more than 200 charitable hospices in the UK calling on the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to provide help for the sector in this month’s Budget.

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, Clare Moody, is holding a public forum in Yeovil this evening. It’s your chance to influence the future of policing and meet with members of the Yeovil Neighbourhood Policing Team. The forum is being held in the Alex Stock Lounge at Yeovil Town Football Club’s ground, Huish Park, starting at 6 pm and is open to everyone to attend.

A lack of planning officers and getting rid of phosphates are behind the huge backlog of planning applications, according to Somerset Council. Developers say they are unable to meet the government house building targets because of the long delays in getting planning applications approved. Lib Dem Lead Member for Planning on Somerset Council, Mike Rigby, says they're working hard to resolve the impasse, but the situation is complicated.

A Somerset teacher has been awarded a Teacher of the Year prize at the National Association for Special Educational Needs awards. Clare Brun, a special educational needs coordinator at Holyrood Academy in Chard, was nominated for her "incredible skills" as a teacher and the way in which she has supported other staff to better understand students with additional learning needs.

More from News

Friday 20th December

Somerset Council is pursuing a less ambitious plan for redeveloping Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre. Yeovil MP Adam Dance says he hasn’t given up on trying to keep open the town’s hyper-acute stroke unit. Yeovil’s new outdoor performance space in the Triangle in Lower Middle Street will open for public use early in the New Year...and more
Thursday 19th December

A Somerset pensioner has criticised the government for refusing to compensate women who claim they were not given adequate warning about changes to the start date for receiving the state pension. Parents are being asked to check their children have been vaccinated against measles following a rise in cases. The use of energy-saving light bulbs is greater in the South West than in any other region in England.
Wednesday 18th December

The Unite union says it is becoming ‘increasingly anxious’ about a delay in awarding Leonardo in Yeovil a multi-million-pound contract to build a new medium-lift helicopter for the RAF. The government has set Somerset a target to build 3,700 new homes next year. A boxing glove once worn by Muhammad Ali is being auctioned in Chard today...and more
Tuesday 17th December

Emergency teams are still working across Somerset to remove trees damaged in last week’s Storm Darragh. Crewkerne Town Council has been asked to ban the Seavington Hunt from gathering in the town centre on Boxing Day. The London Standard newspaper has named the Lord Poulett Arms in Hinton St George as its "Country Pub of the Week"...and more
Monday 16th December

The government says it won’t intervene in the decision to close the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Police are asking for witnesses to an accident in Yeovil in which a man suffered a broken leg. Shepton Beauchamp Church of England Primary School has been rated as good by Ofsted...and more.
Friday 13th December

Somerset-based social housing provider, Stonewater, is urging caution over plans by the government to relax the planning rules. The Samaritans in Yeovil are gearing up for their busiest time of the year. The curtain goes up today on this year’s Yeovil panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Westlands Entertainment venue...and more.
Thursday 12th December

Farmers from Somerset were amongst the hundreds of others from across the UK who gathered in London yesterday. Avon and Somerset Police is trialling a new way to find people with dementia when they are reported missing. A cake designer from Yeovil has been crowned Best Cake Designer in the South West...and more.
Wednesday 11th December

An open letter has been sent to NHS Somerset asking for a revision of the decision to close the emergency stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Somerset residents, whose lives and property were impacted by Storm Darragh, could be entitled to compensation. Haselbury Mill, near Crewkerne, has been sold for an undisclosed price...and more.