Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last inspected the Somerset Local Area in 2020, so another inspection is expected very soon.

They inspect how education, health and care services work together to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Somerset.

Somerset Council is raising awareness of private fostering and the support available to children, families and carers ahead of Private Fostering Awareness Day on 4 November.

Private fostering is when a child under the age of 16, or under 18 if they have a disability, is cared for by someone who is not their parent or a close relative for 28 consecutive days or more. Close relatives include grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and step-parents when married to a parent.

Somerset residents have praised free NHS Health Checks for their friendly staff, clear advice and welcoming venues.

One person said the check found they had high cholesterol. The result gave them a clear goal to improve their health.

Somerset Council is encouraging everyone who is eligible to book a free check.

The recommendations are in a report published today (28 October 2026) by the Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), setting out the findings of a Safeguarding Adult Review into the deaths of 3 men, known in the report by the pseudonyms Keith, Norman and Roland.

The review was commissioned after deaths involving severe self-neglect were referred to the Board while its earlier thematic review of self-neglect was under way. 

Somerset Council is supporting a national campaign calling for an end to gambling advertising and sponsorship in football, highlighting the need to protect children and young people from its influence.

Councillor Evie Potts-Jones and the Council’s Director of Public Health, Alison Bell, have signed the ‘Protect young fans’ petition, which calls on the Government to remove gambling advertising and sponsorship from the sport.

Community groups, schools, councils, farmers and land managers are being invited to apply for new funding to help nature recover across Somerset.

Somerset Council has launched the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) Community Seed Fund, with grants of up to £10,000 per project available for initiatives that support the priorities set out in Somerset’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Somerset Council will switch its electricity supplies back to renewable energy from April 2027 as part of its commitment to tackling climate change and becoming a net zero organisation.

The Council has selected a new “Clean Renewable” energy tariff, meaning the electricity it buys through its council contract will be specifically sourced from wind, solar and hydro generation.

Community champions from across Somerset have been recognised for their outstanding contribution at the Chairman’s annual Service to the Community Awards.

The awards were hosted by Somerset Council Chairman Councillor Mike Best at Taunton Rugby Club on Friday 16 October, celebrating individuals and organisations nominated by city, town and parish councils from across the county.

One of Bridgwater’s familiar landmarks looks set to take pride of place once again thanks to a partnership between Somerset Council and Bridgwater Town Council.

The Eastover Clock as it is known locally, was a gift to the town from a one-time major Bridgwater employer British Cellophane Ltd in the early 1960s.

With Halloween fast approaching, the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service is encouraging families to enjoy the celebrations safely, consider others in their communities and make choices that help reduce waste.

Whether you’re choosing a costume, carving a pumpkin, heading out trick-or-treating or welcoming children to your door, a little planning can help make Halloween safe and enjoyable for everyone.

National Highways is carrying out safety improvement works on the M5 between junction 25 (Taunton) and junction 26 (Wellington), starting on 2 November and continuing until July 2027. The existing central reservation barrier will be replaced with a new steel system, with a 50mph speed limit in place for the duration of the works.

Some overnight closures will be needed, with further occasional overnight closures as work progresses. Signed diversions will use the A38 through Taunton and Wellington, and drivers are advised to follow diversion signs. Most of the work will take place with lane 3 closed and lanes 1 and 2 remaining open.

Taunton Town Council, working in collaboration with the Taunton Branch of the Royal British Legion, Taunton Minster and Somerset Council, will host a series of events in support of the annual festival of Remembrance.

Remembrance commemorations are observed to honour the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars, and in later conflicts.

Think beyond your garden this fireworks season!

If you’re planning to have some fireworks at home, don’t miss this advice from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) to help ensure a safe evening for everyone.

Somerset’s Lord-Lieutenant Mohammed Saddiq is launching a campaign to get more people from the county nominated for national honours.

He is writing to every town and parish council and community organisation across the historic county of Somerset, from Bath to Taunton, from Weston-Super-Mare to Frome, with the message “Do something amazing for someone amazing.”