Local News Friday 21st October

Friday, 21 October 2022 06:00

People in Somerset are being offered extra help to keep warm this winter. Councillors have been told that a private developer is being lined up to take-over ownership of Boden Mill in Chard. A shoplifter has been jailed for stealing from supermarkets in Yeovil. Work has re-started building a new seventy-four-bed care home in Wincanton. A new report says it may be another two years before work starts building the planned Chard Eastern Relief Road...and more.

People in Somerset are being offered extra help to keep warm this winter. County Councillors have voted through a 700 thousand pound package including providing warm places where people can meet like libraries and schools, help with food banks and more mental health support.

Councillors have been told that a private developer is being lined up to take-over ownership of Boden Mill in Chard. South Somerset District Council had planned to upgrade the Grade II listed building as part of the Chard regeneration scheme but was forced to scrap the plan due to a lack of funding. The district council says it’s in discussions with a private developer about taking over the site.

A shoplifter has been jailed for stealing from supermarkets in Yeovil. Billy Chapman, of no fixed address, received a one-year prison sentence at Yeovil Magistrates Court. The court was told that on four occasions during September and October, Chapman had stolen cleaning products and alcohol from two stores in Yeovil.

Work has re-started building a new seventy-four-bed care home in Wincanton. Work stopped in February building the Cornerstone Healthcare Care Home following construction firm Midas going into administration. The Markey Group successfully tendered to take over the project. Once completed, the care home will create up to 140 new jobs in Wincanton.

A new report says it may be another two years before works starts building the planned Chard Eastern Relief Road. The need for the road was first highlighted in the Chard Local Plan seven years ago but despite new housing developments in Chard work on the road has yet to start. The relief road that will stretch from the A358 Tatworth Road to the A30 Crewkerne Road, taking pressure off the existing ‘Convent Link’ junction.

Next year's Taunton Marathon and Half Marathon have been cancelled. Organisers say they’ve been struggling to attract enough runners to cover their costs and that the event is no longer viable.

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