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News
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Ambitious plans to build 580 high-quality, energy efficient council homes over the next 5 years are at the centre of a new housing strategy for Somerset.
At today’s meeting of the Somerset Council Executive, members voted to adopt Homes in Somerset and Somerset Council’s first joint Social Housing Development Strategy, providing guidance and structure for the housing development programme of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).
The approach details the ambitious goal to build 580 new council homes by March 2031, with a spotlight on affordability, sustainability and meeting the needs of Somerset’s diverse communities.
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The result of the by election held on 7 May 2026 for the vacant seat in the two-seat Mendip Hills division on Somerset Council is as follows:
Sam Phripp (Liberal Democrat) – 1,534 (elected); Greg Stone (Reform UK) – 936; Nicola Perold (Conservative) - 724; Victoria Welsh (Green Party) - 330; Abi McGuire (Independent) - 107; Terry Ledlie (Labour) – 64.
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A new, 16-seat electric bus is taking to the streets of Frome to provide the town with the latest generation of passenger vehicles.
Somerset Council has launched its first public service electric bus with the 30 service in Frome.
The vehicle is low floor, easily accessible, wheelchair friendly and comes with zero emissions.
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A new fleet of food waste recycling collection vehicles has been introduced to the streets of Somerset.
SUEZ, in partnership with Somerset Council, is celebrating the launch of a new fleet of food waste collection vehicles, which marks a major milestone in the county’s journey towards a greener, more sustainable future.
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3 outstanding Somerset businesses have been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise (KAE), recognising excellence in innovation, international trade, and sustainable development.
The 2026 Somerset recipients are Nexus BioQuest, an immunology-focused preclinical research partner based in Portishead; Systems Engineering and Assessment, a world-leading defence technology company with offices at Beckington near Frome; and Paradigm Norton Financial Planning, a financial planning company with offices in Pill, North Somerset, helping people invest sustainably, live purposefully and create lasting impact.
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As part of Stop Loan Sharks Week 2026 (11 to 17 May), the England Illegal Money Lending Team has launched a new educational computer game to help pupils learn about the dangers of illegal money lending. Developed with Digital Arts Box, the game teaches players how loan sharks operate while also giving pupils the chance to edit characters, scenery and code.
Schools and colleges are invited to take part in a national competition, with prizes available for the best adaptations.
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