Local News Friday 7th July

Friday, 7 July 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

People in South Somerset whose homes and businesses were hit with flash floods may not have to pay any council tax for the rest of the year. A Somerset man has been sentenced for his part in digging up a fox and throwing it to a pack of hounds. Ticket offices at all of Somerset's railway stations will close by the end of next year if plans by train companies go ahead...and more.

People in South Somerset whose homes and businesses were hit by flash floods may not have to pay any council tax for the rest of the year. A major incident was declared on May 9th when heavy rain caused flooding in North Cadbury, Queen Camel and surrounding villages. Somerset Council has announced a support scheme for those affected, allowing people to waive their council tax for up to one year. Residents and business owners who vacated their homes and premises for more than three consecutive days will receive one hundred per cent relief on their council tax bills.

Avon and Somerset Police are claiming success following a major clampdown on organised drugs gangs. The force says ‘Operation Scorpio’ resulted in three-hundred-and-twenty-five million pounds worth of cannabis being seized, and twenty people linked to the cultivation of the drug arrested, including in South Somerset.

Ticket offices at all of Somerset's railway stations will close by the end of next year if plans by train companies go ahead. Unions have described the proposals as catastrophic for elderly, disabled and vulnerable passengers. From Great Western Railway, Dan Panes says keeping ticket offices open doesn't make sense when so many people buy their tickets online.

A Somerset man has been sentenced for his part in digging up a fox and throwing it to a pack of hounds. Aaron Fookes of Townsend Green in Henstridge had previously pleaded guilty to fox hunting and causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. Fookes was fined eight-hundred-and-thirty-three pounds, given an eighteen-month community order and told to complete two hundred hours of unpaid work when he appeared for sentencing before magistrates in Swindon.

The company behind a proposed solar farm near Crewkerne is holding a series of public consultations. Greentech is inviting the views of local residents on plans to build a solar farm on fifty-seven acres of farmland off Chard Lane at Wayford. The plans can be viewed at Clapton and Wayford Village Hall next Wednesday, July 12th, and the following Tuesday and Wednesday, July 18th and 19th.

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Friday 25th April

Police are investigating the theft of a motorbike in Ilminster. Tributes have been paid to the former Yeovil Town player-manager, Cecil Irwin, who has died aged 83. Town criers from across the South West will be in Yeovil tomorrow competing for the loudest voice in the Yeovil Town Crier Competition 2025...and more
Thursday 24th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in which a child was struck by a car in Yeovil. This week, a planning inquiry is being held into plans to turn a Somerset shopping centre into a retirement complex. A Somerset woman is planning to walk the 70-miles of Hadrian's Wall to mark her 90th birthday...and more.
Wednesday 23rd April

Tourism bosses in Somerset say they feel confident the County will have a good summer for visitors this year. A group representing care providers in Somerset is warning that some residential homes are at risk of going out of business due to rising costs. A Somerset animal charity has taken into care, three orphaned badger cubs...and more.
Tuesday 22nd April

The Care Quality Commission has given two GP practices in Yeovil a 'good' overall rating. According to insurers, AXA, thefts at commercial premises in Somerset are on the rise. Bus users in Somerset could see changes to the frequency of services when the new West of England mayor takes office. Martock is to host its first Pride event in June...and more.
Thursday 17th April

The father of a one-month-old baby boy in Chard is to stand trial for the murder of his son. New figures show that just under 1300 crimes were reported to the Police in Yeovil during the final quarter of last year. A night in a prison cell is offered at Shepton Mallet Jail to those who want to be alone this Easter...and more.
Wednesday 16th April

Big changes are being made to where taxi ranks in Yeovil are located. Farmers are being told to keep an extra lookout for people acting suspiciously following the latest livestock theft near the Devon and Somerset border. Channel 4’s Location Location Location is coming to Somerset, with anyone looking to buy a property locally invited to apply to be in the show...and more
Tuesday 15th April

A 36-year-old man remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual assault in Yeovil. Yeovil Labour Club has had its drinks licence revoked. NHS Somerset has been taking its physiotherapy team around the county to cut waiting times for patients. A men-only cooking course has been launched in Sherborne with all ingredients and equipment provided free of charge...and more
Monday 14th April

A new banking hub has opened in Crewkerne. South Western Ambulance is asking people to only dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency over the Easter weekend. £1.8 million is being spent improving walking and cycling routes around a major new housing development at Up Mudford in Yeovil...and more