Advance works are taking place from Monday 19 January at the M5 J22 Edithmead roundabout ahead of a major improvements scheme later in the year.

Funding for improvements to the A38 between Burnham-on-Sea and Barrow Gurney – a joint project with North Somerset Council (NSC) – was given the green light by Government last year, subject to a Final Business Case which is being submitted in the summer.

Work starts next month to repair a section of the A396 Cutcombe Hill in Exmoor.

The road will be closed overnight between 7pm to 7am each weekday from 9 February. It will be open during the daytime and at weekends.

The closure will be in place for approximately 3 weeks.

Somerset Council’s Public Health team has opened a survey which will help to build a picture of the food habits of residents in the county.

The results of the survey will help to the team to plan future projects, including how best to support our communities to live healthy lives.

This forms part of wider engagement with residents and professionals involved in the Somerset food system, aiming to understand local food habits.

A new Council housing development – the first in West Somerset for a generation – has been officially opened.

All 54 of the eco-friendly homes in Rainbow Way, Minehead, a mix of 33 flats and 21 houses, are let and occupied by local people with strong connections to the area.

Somerset Council is taking part in a national Holocaust Memorial Day initiative that marks both the 80^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and Birkenau, and the 30^th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust selected 80 organisations across the UK to take part in its “80 candles for 80 years” initiative. We were honoured for Somerset to be chosen and worked with a local artist to create a handcrafted willow candleholder to accompany the memorial candle.

Somerset Council’s Tenant Social Value Group is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to making a difference in the wider community, and the group’s latest project is already boosting positive change for the Conquest Centre in Norton Fitzwarren near Taunton.

Conquest Centre is an independent charity established in 1965. Having operated as an RDA (Riding for the Disabled) centre for many years, it has evolved in response to changing client needs and funding requirements.

Somerset Council has adopted a new Volunteering Policy and Framework, celebrating the incredible contribution of the more than 1,400 volunteers who give their time across Somerset every year.

Volunteers support council services in more than 70 different roles, working with 22 teams and service areas: from libraries and countryside services to public health, culture, and supporting children and young people.

NHS Somerset is reporting an increase in norovirus cases across the county. Norovirus is highly contagious and can cause sudden vomiting and diarrhoea. To protect yourself and others, NHS Somerset is urging residents to follow simple steps to stop the virus spreading.

How to protect yourself:

• Wash contaminated laundry at 60°C and keep it separate from other washing.
• Disinfect surfaces using bleach‑based cleaners, especially toilets, taps, door handles and food prep areas.
• Stay at home if you have symptoms and remain off work or school until you’ve been symptom‑free for 48 hours. Do not visit loved ones in hospital while unwell.
• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water – alcohol gels don’t kill norovirus.
• Call NHS 111 for advice if you’re worried about your symptoms or someone else’s.

For guidance on when and how to seek help, visit 111.nhs.uk.