Monday 6th November

Monday, 6 November 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Plans by Somerset Council to sell £220 million of commercial properties could take up to two years to complete. Ninety per cent of care home residents in Somerset have received a Covid-19 jab. Ilchester Football Club is seeking financial help following damage to its ground in last week’s torrential rainstorms. A mother from Somerset has been talking to Princess Anne about how hard it is to be a parent carer...and more.

Plans by Somerset Council to sell £220 million of commercial properties could take up to two years to complete. The portfolio of properties includes shops like the Marks and Spencer store and former Wilko store in Yeovil, offices and other buildings both in Somerset and other parts of the country, The buildings are currently valued at substantially less than what was paid for them with Somerset Council facing a £70 million loss on the sale. This week, the Council is expected to declare a financial emergency as it battles to sort out its spending to stave off bankruptcy.

Ninety per cent of care home residents in Somerset have received a Covid-19 jab, according to NHS Somerset. 128,000 Covid-19 vaccinations have been given since the winter campaign was launched in Somerset in September.

A mother from Somerset has been talking to Princess Anne about how hard it is to be a parent carer. Tina Amery was presented with an OBE by the Princess Royal for her services to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Tina says the Princess listened very carefully to all her points.

Ilchester Football Club is seeking financial help following damage to its ground in last week’s torrential thunderstorms. The club says its pitches and the clubhouse were left waterlogged when the River Yeo burst its banks. A GoFundMe page has been launched asking people to contribute towards getting the Club back up and running again.

A Somerset man who is planning to build a house says he is "confused" and "frustrated" by river pollution rules that are preventing him from starting work. Tony Fuller wants to build the house in Winsham, near Chard but has been told by planners that he needs to spend £55,000 on environmental credits or his planning application will be refused. Mr Fuller says the longer the delay goes on, the more it will cost him to build the house.

The go-ahead has been given to build a new care home in Yeovil. The 66-bedroom care home will be built on a vacant plot on Highfield Road, off St Michael’s Avenue. Planning permission had previously been granted to build 14 new homes on the land.

More from News

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