News in Shepton Mallet

In a bid to raise money to build a new swimming pool at the Mendip School in Prestleigh, the staff at the Horse and Jockey, Binegar, and The Barber Company in Midsomer Norton are taking on a 26.2 mile challenge.

With almost a year of closure and missed fundraising opportunities, the staff and customers at the Horse and Jockey are supporting the appeal to raise £1.1 million for the new swimming pool at the special school. The appeal is close to landlady Nikki's heart as Jack, her son, attends the Mendip School.

Following the sad news yesterday (April 9) that His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, has passed away, Shepton Mallet's MP James Heappey has paid tribute to him.

Mr Heappey said: "The death of His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, is a moment of great sadness for our country, as well as a personal moment of sorrow for Her Majesty the Queen.

Shepton Mallet residents should make sure that they are registered to votes ahead of ballots on May 6.

Voters were due to go to the polls in a matter of weeks to vote for who would represent them on Somerset County Council for the next four years.

The Eastern Somerset Councils of Mendip and South Somerset are working collaboratively to launch a week full of business support activity to help businesses grow through the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Recover, Restart and Grow programme is now live, and will kick off on Monday March 15. Aimed at local businesses, the week is open to everyone who is seeking to get insights, intelligence and a mix of support, ideas and connections to help grow their business.

Shepton Mallet's MP James Heappey has hailed the recent announcement which has handed Mendip District Council and Sedgemoor District Council the opportunity to invest in local infrastructure thanks to two funding streams.

Both council areas in Somerset will receive £150,000 of funding as part of the Levelling Up fund, which was announced at the Spending Review.

The Somerset County Council elections due to take place in May have been formally postponed as the government begins a public consultation on proposals for new unitary authorities.

Voters had been due to go to the polls on May 6 to vote for county councillors who could represent their interests for the next four years.

Avon and Somerset Police will get critical funding for 70 new officers after a revised budget was agreed at the eleventh hour.

Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said a vote by councillors to veto her original proposals had damaged staff morale and sparked claims they were playing politics.

Somerset County Council has rejected calls from opposition councillors for the county to take part in a future trial of universal basic income (UBI).

UBI entails paying every individual of a given state or local area a fixed amount on a regular basis, replacing existing benefits such as housing benefit or universal credit.

As we start the February half term, a time when many of us would usually have been looking forward to a short-break away, the impact on the industry and the economy from the loss of tourism again comes into sharp focus.

Shepton Mallet residents will see sharp rises in their council tax bills as their local authorities seek to balance their budgets and recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Somerset County Council and the four district councils – Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West & Taunton and South Somerset – have all published their annual budget proposals, which will be approved by councillors before the end of February.