Somerset Confidential

14/07/2025

James Garrett returns to the fray this week with a piece about another solar site proposal.
But as Somerset planners try and push the application through without a formal planning meeting, serious concerns are being raised.
This time it's not the loss of farmland that is causing eyebrows to be raised. Simply the (no doubt small) fact that the entire site is prone to flooding….

James Garrett notes, as another solar farm is proposed in Somerset, that this time it's not the loss of farmland, but that the entire site is prone to flooding, that is causing eyebrows to be raised.

03/07/2025

Yes we are a few hours early this week but we’re on holiday next, so here goes: MP Sarah D**e is getting stuck in to the issue of a Post Office for Somerton. The issue as Somerset Confidential® explains, is not a lack of willing volunteers….
We take a look at what happened after protesters plastered County Hallin red paint. Who is paying for the clean up?
Frome residents will be disappointed to learn the Public Inquiry into Selwood Garden Village is to be heard in Shepton Mallet. Somerset Council tell us why they made the decision.
NHS Somerset have turned down the chance to run a pilot for the Yeovil HASU which would have demonstrated whether or not their suggested solution actually works or not.
And as they do up the old Jolley’s store for a new tenant, we take a look at just how much of Bath City centre Bath & North East Somerset owns. And why?
And as yet another village sees its population sky rocket as a large extension is approved, we ask why?

The village set to grow by 25%, NHS Somerset says no to numbers, how much of Bath does B&NES own, MP commits to sorting Post Office and planning inquiry to be in Shepton.

27/06/2025

There’s been a lot happening this week and we start with the local government funding review. Somerset Confidential® talks to the leaders of the three Somerset Councils to get their take on it.
There’s a row in over the procurement of solar panels and a potato farmer pleads guilty in court to environmental damage.
Local people in are getting fed up with their leisure centre, so much so that local MP has had to intervene.
A positive development in err… development sees some much needed social homes approved in and gigabyte broadband installation is planned for the area.
And local MP **e offers a geography lesson.

In a busy week we have a Taunton farmer fined in court, a row over solar panels in Bridgwater, proposals for local government finance, unhappiness in Frome at the Leisure Centre and a geography lesson

27/06/2025

As the CQC identifies a failure of leadership at Yeovil Hospital paediatric services, we ask where does the buck stop? And with the release of the CQC report we look at what went wrong and ask why it took until 13 May for the unit to close.

The release of the full CQC report into Yeovil District Hospital's paediatric service is published today. It is truly shocking. Yet despite failings in leadership, there is no apology from the leaders

25/06/2025

Now that Somerset Confidential® has seen the full report of auditors SWAP we can add to the story of the Life Factory fiasco. There are many more details about what went wrong and worryingly, concerns are emerging about other projects in the Town Deal.

As the Life Factory saga continues, more information has come to light along with a new resignation. And two other projects in the Glastonbury Town Deal are graded as "red risk".

20/06/2025

This week as becomes the latest council to exit FixMyStreet, the portal for reporting potholes and other road related issues, we ask why?
And as the first woman ever to lead in is appointed, we look at who she is and ask why her appointment too so long? #
and move on to the next stage in the merger process, no doubt and will be watching with interest.
More Police are announced for Somerset and this time it looks as if we’ll get our fair share. Will this help solve the ASB problem?
Library cuts are back in the news, we look at how the three Somerset councils are approaching the issue. Not all councils are the same….
And there’s a meeting of without public questions – to discuss the accounts. Nothing to see here then!

https://somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-this-week-20-june-2025

17/06/2025

Somerset Council is short of cash.
But not so short of cash that they can’t afford to spend £3m on consultants.
This time for an evaluation of jobs, benchmarking pay and setting job descriptions.
Why are they not doing the job in house?
We take a look at the details.

Once again Somerset Council is preparing to fork out money that it keeps telling us it is short of, to pay for consultants to tell them what to do.

15/06/2025

That Minehead Council have paid out tens of thousands of pounds to one of their own councillors in 2022 is now well known. Mainly due to a Report in the Public Interest published by auditors PKF. But we have taken a longer look at what went on, read the Report in the Public Interest and asked some questions that have not been asked.
Did Minehead Council really contract for services with a dormant company?
Are there any councils from the debacle of 2022 still serving on Minehead Town Council today?
Could the poor quality of minute taken have hidden what was going on from the public?
And most importantly, are things better now?

How did a town council come to pay tens of thousands of pounds to a councillor? Now PKF report it should not have done. We look at the background and some of the questions that have not been asked..

13/06/2025

This week we have a brief update on the Life Factory - answer (sort of) some of our questions.
There’s a warning letter sent to a school and a fine example of a text scam doing the rounds.
Somerset Council seem determined to prevent the great unwashed from interrupting their meetings with odious questions – we take a look at what neighbouring councils do.
They also don’t seem to know the difference between the area served by Somerset Council and the historic county of – not the same things!
Rooftop solar, turned down in in January is now back. give us their thoughts.
We’ve also got a couple of special investigative pieces on the way in the next few days for our paid subscribers – so keep your eyes peeled…..
And an over hasty MP is left with a little egg on his face

This week: a brief update on the Life Factory, an employment scam, how easy it is to speak at council meetings across Somerset, a warning letter for Taunton's Pyrland school and hello rooftop solar!

09/06/2025

As a new owner takes his place at Yeovil Town, we take a look at the state of regulation of owners of football clubs and look into the business background of Mr Srinivasan.

As Yeovil Town welcome their fourth new owner since 2019, Somerset Confidential® wanted to find out a little more about the man who will have the future of the club in his hands.

06/06/2025

This week we take a look at how ended up with no money from the Government’s £16bn transport hand out.
We update residents on the switch to digital phone lines and what it means for those, mostly elderly residents, using telephone based alarm systems.
There’s an update on the Life Factory confirming our story from last week, and a resident is apparently no longer considered a nuisance by Somerset Council.
An MP says rural Policing is understaffed, but the and Home Secretary don’t seem to agree.
Town Council takes on more services from , at an annual cost to Yeovil residents of a cool £860,0000.
And finally the bells of St Andrew’s will ring out after almost a century of silence.

This week: no transport money for Somerset, Glastonbury Life Factory update, the analogue switch off, a resident is declared not a nuisance after all, Yeovil takes on more and rural policing...

04/06/2025

Somerset Spotlight - No 2
Frome FM's Sam Saunders and Somerset Confidential editor Andrew Lee are joined by Somerset Cllr Helen Kay and Frome Town Cllr Steve Tanner to discuss the Selwood Garden Village proposal
This is the long form podcast of the Somerset Spotlight broadcast on Frome FM.

Frome FM's Sam Saunders and Somerset Confidential editor Andrew Lee are joined by Somerset Cllr Helen Kay and Frome Town Cllr Steve Tanner to discuss the Selwood Garden Village proposal