|
News
roundup
|
 |
|
|
|
Cllr Wilkinson (left) and Cllr Revans on A30 Hendford Hill
Somerset Council’s Highways teams are fighting back against the pothole pandemic caused by one of the wettest winters on record in the South West.
Extra teams and machinery have been mobilised in the early part of 2026 to deal with the huge increase in potholes and other defects during the winter.
Somerset Council has announced that there will be no recycling or rubbish collections taking place during the upcoming Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, 25 May.
Collection days will change across Somerset following the bank holiday.
All collections will be 1 day later than the usual schedule:
 Waste collections in Somerset will begin from 6am next week, from Tuesday 26 May as temperatures are expected to climb.
The early starts are to help crews impacted by the hot weather and help to minimise any chance of disruption to recycling, rubbish or garden waste collections across the county.
|
|
Tables, chairs, sofas, and much more could now be rehomed thanks to a reuse initiative from Somerset Council and their collections partner, SUEZ.
Joining forces with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) means that reusable and unwanted large items can get a second life.
Rather than being recycled, suitable items are now taken to the SUEZ depot in Bridgwater, where they are assessed before being passed on for re-sale at BHF’s Taunton store.
|
Somerset Council needs to replace ageing traffic signals either side of a narrow bridge crossing over the River Parrett on one of the County’s key roads.
The lights in Burrowbridge on the A361 are near the end of their working life at over 30 years old and need to be replaced before they fail, causing long-term disruption. The road around Burrow Mump will also be resurfaced as part of the scheme.
|
Somerset Council’s essential scheme to replace 6 sets of traffic lights on the A39 junction with Clarks Village in Street, has been completed on time and on budget.
The lights spanning the junction needed renewing as they were more than 30 years old and near the end of their working life.
The work involved significant excavation as all the old ducting and wiring as well as the traffic light heads had to be removed from the ground and replaced.
|
Speed limits are now in place along the A361 at Frome and at its junction with the A362 as part of measures to help improve safety on the major road.
Somerset Council has been working on proposals to reduce the chance of serious and fatal road collisions on the stretch of road, including junction resurfacing works to improve the quality of the road surface, the introduction of a 50mph speed limit on the A361 and 40mph on the A362 approach, and central hatching along the bypass.
|
The A30 Hendford Hill will be fully closed to traffic from 26 May while urgent work is carried out to repair damage caused by Storm Chandra earlier this year and ensure the road can be reopened both ways.
Somerset Council estimates the closure will last for up to 2 weeks to allow heavy machinery and work teams to undertake repairs safely. Diversions will be in place.
|
Somerset Council is supporting a powerful new initiative during Mental Health Awareness Month 2026, with the ‘Speak Their Name Memorial Quilt’ set to be displayed at Deane House between Wednesday 20 May and Friday 29 May.
Led by Somerset Suicide Bereavement Support Service, the project invites people across Somerset who have been bereaved or affected by suicide to create a personalised fabric square in memory of a loved one, or to share a message of hope.
|
Somerset Council is inviting anyone looking for more information about health and social care to come to a free event at Martock Parish Hall on Friday 22 May. This event is open to the public and will be from 10am to 3pm.
Attendees will be offered mini health checks courtesy of Symphony GP surgery as well as advice and information directly from Somerset Council Adult Social Care Practitioners and Social Workers. There will also be District Nurses from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust present on the day to help answer queries.
|
Residents in Wellington are being encouraged to take a simple step towards better health this spring, with free NHS Health Checks now available locally every week and with appointments filling quickly, early booking is recommended.
With spring in full swing, it’s the perfect time for a reset. Local people aged 40 to 74 are being invited to book a free check and get a clearer picture of their health.
|
|
|
|
Image courtesy of Youth Unlimited CIC
16 young carers as young as 5 years old, who are supported in their schools through the Young Carers in Schools (YCiS) project, have come together to produce an inspiring, awareness-raising video featuring their own lived experiences as young carers.
The film project, funded by Somerset Community Foundation, is a collaboration between Youth Unlimited, Somerset Schools’ Young Carers’ Leads network and Boom Satsuma’s Create Agency.
|
|
|
|
