Yeovil Town Council has defended its decision to increase its share of the Council Tax by an average of £80. A man who drove an e-scooter in Yeovil while disqualified from driving has been jailed for six weeks. According to new data, the Yeovil driving test centre is the 12th easiest in the UK to pass a driving test...and more
Somerset's Town Councils have been defending big increases in their share of council tax bills. The increases, which come into force in April, range from as little as £4 in Minehead to £51 in Burnham and Highbridge, with one of the biggest hikes in Yeovil, where the Town Council is putting up its share of the Council Tax by an average of £80. Town Councils like Yeovil say the increases are necessary to pay for running services they've taken on from Somerset Council to avoid Somerset Council going bankrupt.
A man who drove an e-scooter in Yeovil while disqualified from driving has been jailed for six weeks. David Bailey, of no fixed address, appeared before local magistrates and was charged with theft from a Tesco Express. Bailey was also given six points on his licence but was let off paying for the stolen items due to his lack of means.
Somerset Council says it’ll be another two months before work starts properly demolishing buildings in Glovers Walk in Yeovil. The Council says work clearing the site is being concentrated at the moment on internal demolition, with hoarding put in place to make the area safe and access to the bus station from Middle Street closed off to the public.
There’s good news for anyone planning to take a driving test in Yeovil. According to new data, the Yeovil driving test centre is the 12th easiest in the UK to pass a test. Figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency for the final quarter of last year, show the average pass rate in Yeovil was 61 percent, compared to the national average pass rate of 48 percent. Dorchester Driving Test Centre was fourth on the list for having the highest pass rate.
A Somerset dental surgery has come top at the 2024 Loo of the Year Awards. Trust Dental Practice in Street won the Best Loo Award in the Healthcare sector for having the best loo nationally. Owner of Trust Dental, Doctor James Main, says the win is extra special as they are the first dental practice in the UK to win a Best Loo Award.
South Western Ambulance Service is struggling to cope after a surge in 999 calls during the hot weather. Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke says a shortage of rental homes is making it harder for rural employers to attract workers. The National Trust is warning that changing weather patterns are making it difficult to maintain the Cerne Abbas Giant... and more
People are being asked to take extra care in parks and open spaces as high temperatures and dry conditions increase the risk of fire. Plans to build hundreds of new homes in Yeovil can now go ahead after a High Court challenge by Mudford Parish Council was dismissed. A Somerset bakery chain has sparked a reaction after it stopped making iced buns... and more
The UK Health Security Agency has increased its heat health alert for Somerset to amber. Trading Standards officers have shut down three shops in Taunton after illegal cigarettes and vapes were discovered on the premises. Bridgwater Town Council is considering running its own bus services...and more
A Martock agricultural machinery business has gone into administration, putting around thirty jobs at risk. A new sensory room has opened at a Yeovil schook to support neurodiverse pupils. The headteacher of a Chard primary school is stepping down... and more
The National Farmers Union in Somerset has welcomed the government’s new trade deal with six Gulf countries. Campaigners say Somerset’s canals and locks are in urgent need new investment. The Liverpool comedian John Bishop is heading to Somerset later this year...and more
Police are being asked to cut the time the M5 is closed following accidents. Plans to build a major solar farm near Chard have been thrown out. Aldi is asking shoppers to help find locations for new stores in Somerset...and more
People in Somerset are being encouraged to get their cholesterol checked to cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes. A Chard man has appeared in court charged with using threatening behaviour. A gardener from Somerset has won a silver award at the Chelsea Flower Show... and more
A Somerset car boot business says it will no longer accept twenty-pound notes after being handed counterfeit notes.Taunton Flower Show is warning this year’s event could be its last. Numatic, makers of the Henry vacuum cleaner, have invested one-and-a-half million pounds installing new solar panels at their factory in Chard... and more