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News roundup
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Somerset Council is warning that it will have to draw on reserves for the second successive year to fund the rising cost of both Adult and Children’s social care.
Papers published ahead of a meeting of the Council’s Executive next week (Sept 6) describe the council’s financial position as “stark and challenging”. The warning comes as other councils in the UK are raising concerns that their budgets are unsustainable.
The papers reveal that the Council drew £18 million from reserves last year to fund spending beyond the 2022/23 budgets in Adult and Children’s care services.
Image courtesy of Blood Pressure UK
Somerset Council’s Public Health Team and NHS Somerset are encouraging Somerset residents to get their blood pressure checked for ‘Know Your Numbers’ week.
The awareness week, coordinated by Blood Pressure UK will be held between 4 and 10 September and is the UK’s biggest blood pressure testing and awareness-raising event.
This year the theme is ‘Make the time, ease your pressure’.
The national campaign aims to raise awareness of high blood pressure (hypertension), encouraging all UK adults to check their blood pressure at home over a week.
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Image courtesy of HMRC
With the new school term starting, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding families to open a Tax-Free Childcare account today to save up to £2,000 per child on their yearly childcare bills.
Families can use their Tax-Free Childcare account to pay for any approved childcare including holiday clubs, breakfast and after school clubs, child minders and nurseries.
The scheme provides working families, with children up to the age of 11, or 16 if their child has a disability, up to £2,000 a year per child or £4,000 a year if their child is disabled. For every £8 paid into a Tax-Free Childcare account, families automatically receive the government top up of £2. Families can save up to £500 every 3 months for each child or £1,000 if their child is disabled.
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Somerset Council and Taunton Town Council will be showing their support for the Emergency Services by holding a flag-raising ceremony on Monday, 4 September.
The service will be hosted at County Hall in Taunton by the Chair of Somerset Council, Councillor Mike Best, and the Mayor of Taunton, Councillor Nick O’Donnell.
The Emergency Services Day Flag will be flown at all Somerset Council’s main offices leading up to National Emergency Services Day on Saturday, 9 September.
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A giant puppet measuring a whopping 13-feet in height is set to wow audiences in Yeovil at the town’s Super Saturday on 16 September.
The company responsible for the creation, Autin Dance Theatre company, will be performing “Out of the Deep Blue”, a story specifically for family and festival audiences and tells the magical story of Eko, a sea giant who rises from the deep ocean and who encounters, on the shore, a courageous little girl called Violet.
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Somerset Council will host its Christmas market in Wells on Saturday, 16 December – so save the date!
The traditional ‘Christmas in Wells’ Market, run by the Council’s Mendip Markets team, will operate from 9am to 3pm and will welcome more than 100 stalls to the Market Place and on the Bishop’s Palace Green.
Visitors will be treated with seasonal gifts and local food and drink in the beautiful city centre and can embrace the holiday season with live music and entertainment.
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Following the success of previous national initiatives, the Somerset West Lottery is taking part in the new bolt-on prize draw – the Super Draw which will take place every month.
Everyone who signs up to buy one or more tickets between now and 30 September 2023 will be in with the chance to win a £1,500 IKEA gift card to give their home an autumn makeover whilst supporting their favourite cause.
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