The Somerset Leveller - Issue 162

The death of Kelly Faiers rocked the Minehead community. Will the discovery of suspect Richard Scatchard’s body mean her family finally gets some answers? Meanwhile...

Knife Angel brings a serious message

A GIANT, knife-wielding figure loomed over crowds in Taunton this week - to raise awareness of violent crime.

They had gathered in the county town for the unveiling of the Knife Angel outside Market House, as part of a nationwide anti-violence tour.

The 27ft-tall statue, which aims to raise awareness of the negative effects of violence and aggression, weighs 3.5 tonnes and is made out of 100,000 knives and blades retrieved from amnesty bins from 43 UK police forces.

It was designed by artist Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre and will be in Taunton until the end of the month.

To mark the unveiling, a short ceremony took place, hosted by Edward James Allen, Vice Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, with Cllr Nick O’Donnell, Mayor of Taunton, and Cllr Mike Best, chair of Somerset Council.

There were speeches from Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Somerset Council’s executive member for communities, housing and culture, Cllr Tom Deakin, leader of Taunton Town Council, Adam Fouracre from Stand

Against Violence and Emma Webber, from the Barnaby Webber Foundation.

After a minute’s silence, the ceremony closed with attendees being invited to tie a Ribbon of Reflection to the railings surrounding the Knife Angel as a mark of their support.

Cllr Smith-Roberts said: “The Knife

Angel is not only a stunning piece of art, but also a powerful symbol of hope and healing. We hope that the 30-day campaign will raise awareness about anti-conflict with schools, community groups and local businesses.

“The sculpture reminds us that violence is not inevitable, and that we can all play a role in preventing it and supporting its victims.”

Cllr Deakin added: “Taunton Town Council is proud to support the bringing of the Knife Angel to the town centre.

“Our hope is that its presence in such a prominent location will start conversations across our community raising awareness of the impact of aggression and violent crime.”

Adam Fouracre from Stand Against Violence and Emma Webber from the Barnaby Webber Foundation, whose son barnaby was tragically killed in a knife attack in Nottingham, also addressed the crowd to share their personal stories.

The sculpture will move to Westonsuper-Mare on April 30, to be hosted by neighbouring North Somerset Council throughout May.

Catem elisqua sperit qui dunt quis assuscil magnis doleseni omnihilia volupta nus audi dolum

Barn fire appeal

POLICE are investigating a deliberate fire which destroyed a barn in Wiveliscombe.

The blaze happened at a farm off Taunton Road some time between midnight and 12.15am on

Sunday, March 17.

The damage to the barn and its contents is estimated to be around £100,000.

“If you saw anyone acting suspiciously in this area around the time, or have information on who may be responsible, then please contact us,” an Avon & Somerset Police spokesperson said.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5224068762.

In court over theft

A 24-YEAR-OLD man has appeared in court charged with burgling a house and stealing a car in Wookey.

Anthony RodriguezTaylor, from Sea Mills, Bristol, appeared at South Somerset Magistrates’ Court on April 3, and was remanded in custody to next appear at Taunton Crown Court on May 7.

The charge comes after thieves gained entry to a house in Wookey in the early hours of February 22.

While the household slept, the burglars took car keys in order to steal a black Land Rover Discovery.

The vehicle has not been recovered.

Charity is losing town home

NEED a drill? A trestle table? A smoke machine?

Well, a charity ‘library of things’ in Frome can provide them for a small fee - but it needs your support.

SHARE Frome was the first of its kind in the UK, set up in early 2015, giving people the opportunity to borrow, rather than buy, items they may not use regularly.

experienced significant financial hardships in recent years,” a spokesperson said.

and repair services.”

They said the charity has seen a surge in demand in recent months from those in need.

Concessionary membership - for those on low incomes - has risen by 280% since March 2022.

It estimates that it has prevented more than 102,000kg of new items being used, through more than 3,500 items loaned to 865 members, saving them around £120,000 on purchases.

However, despite rising demand, the charity could be facing closure amid the cost-of-living crisis.

The independent charity, owned and run by the community, has warned 2024 could be the last year it runs.

“Sadly, SHARE, like so many other charities, has

“Their running costs have risen by 290% in the last 12 months and there have been greater demands on their time to meet with trading standards legislations.

“And on March 18, SHARE was given the devastating news that they will be losing their free premises on Frome High Street, which means they now need urgent support from businesses, individuals and organisations in the community to ensure they can find a new home and continue delivering their borrowing

Now, a web page is being created at www. sharefrome.org/sharetogether giving people all the information they need to help.

As well as donations, it will detail other ways people can help keep the charity going.

Community meetings throughout April are also planned, to explain how people can help and answer questions.

“Your support, no matter how small, is vital and will make all the difference,” the spokesperson added.

For more information, and for meeting dates as they are confirmed, log on to sharefrome.org.

Wanted man responds to police appeal description of his ‘receding brown hair’

IF police post a wanted poster, you would imagine the person featured would want to keep a low profile.

But it would appear that is not the case for one Yeovil man, who responded to a police appeal on Facebook.

On March 29, Avon & Somerset Police posted details of 28-year-old Daniel Kellaway, who they want to speak to in connection with a number of investigations, including driving offences, criminal damage and threatening behaviour.

Alongside an apparent mugshot, the police described Kellaway as having “receding brown hair”.

Amazingly, someone claiming to be Kellaway then responded ot the appeal in the Facebook comments, complaining about the description.

“It’s my birthday today so you could you update the post at all?” a Dan Kellaway wrote in reply.

“I’m 29 now and my hair is shaved ready for the transplant.”

Police say Kellaway is known to have links to the Henstridge, Glastonbury, Milborne Port, Templecombe, Wincanton and North Dorset areas.

“If you see him, we’d ask you to call 999, giving reference 5224065547 and not approach him, or 101 with other information,” a spokesperson said.

As well as “receding brown hair”, he is described as being white, about 5ft 9inches tall, of average build, with brown eyes and facial hair.

Pro-Palestine group targets County Hall in Taunton with blood protest

APRO-Palestinian group said it daubed County Hall in Taunton in red paint in protest over a council investment.

Palestine Action says it carried out the act of vandalism at the offices, in The Crescent, in response to Somerset Council’s investment in a commercial property leased to a firm believed to supply the Israeli armed forces.

At around 7am, a group turned up at the site before spraying red paint on the exterior walls on the iconic frontage, before lying down in protest.

Police said they made four arrests –two women and two men – at the scene of “significant damage” at just after 8.15am, on suspicion of criminal damage, before further arresting them for locking on to a person.

Previously, the council has agreed to dispose of the investment.

But the group posted on social media on Thursday (April 4) lunchtime, saying: “Only comment to the police is we’re doing this for the Palestinian people.

“Somerset Council has no right to

by PAUL JONES paul@blackmorevale.net

make residents complicit in genocide by leasing property to Israel’s biggest weapons firm.”

It is understood the protest group is referencing the council’s investment in property at Aztec West 600, near Bristol, where Elbit Systems is a tenant.

Defence contractor Elbit supplies equipment to the Israeli armed forces.

The incident came after a previous act of vandalism on the County Hall complex, which also involved graffiti.

A council spokesperson said: “A further attack and criminal damage has been made against public property which will inevitably result in additional costs at the public expense.

“We believe this incident relates to a legacy commercial investment which we have already agreed to dispose of.”

At a meeting of the council in February, a protestor interrupted proceedings over the council’s investments, prompting a delay in the

gathering.

Then, leader Bill Revans (Lib Dem, North Petherton) said he was happy to meet with the protestor and said the council was addressing the issues raised.

Woman punched in the face outside Weston Tesco

A WOMAN was punched in the face outside Tesco in Weston super Mare.

The incident happened at just after 6.30pm on Saturday, March 23, as the victim, aged in her late 30s or early 40s, was hit while sitting on the ground outside the Station Road store.

She suffered minor injuries which did not require hospital treatment, Avon & Somerset Police said.

The offender is described as white, aged in his 40s, of skinny build, approximately 6ft 1ins tall and with a grey beard. He was wearing black jeans, a grey hoodie, a black coat, grey shoes and a black baseball cap at the time.

“Two people intervened and we would urge them to come forward and speak to us,” a police spokesperson added.

Contact police on 101, reference number 5224075365.

Police made four arrests after the paint was thrown over County Hall in Taunton

Quick news...

No banking hub

BANK customers in Ilminster will not get a new hub to carry out face-toface transactions, it is understood.

The Silver Street branch of Lloyds will close in August and Ilminster Town Council said it has been looking at ways to bring about pressure to keep it open, or at the very least, for a banking hub to be located in the town.

However, the council said it has been informed Ilminster does not fulfil the criteria for a hub, as there are not enough people living within 1km.

The council says it is carrying on work to keep banking facilities in the town, and will meet MP Marcus Fysh (Con, Yeovil).

Work to start on new police station

WORK is set to begin on a new police station in Minehead after a building was bought for the purpose.

Avon and Somerset Police has completed the purchase of the former Seahorse Centre, in Stephenson Road, pictured, from Somerset Council and will be refurbishing the building for the new station.

The premises will include an enquiry office, the Neighbourhood Policing Team, as well as providing touchdown desks for response officers.

Work is expected to start in May, ready for officers and staff to move in to by late autumn 2024.

Temporary Chief Inspector Rebecca Wells-Cole, said: “This is great news that we’re excited to share with the community of Minehead.

“Our existing station in

by PAUL JONES paul@blackmorevale.net

Minehead on Townsend Road is oversized, in need of refurbishment and is no longer suitable to meet the needs of modern policing.

“This new station will be much more efficient to run and allow us to continue to

provide a policing service in Minehead for many years to come. The new station will house an enquiry office to enable people to come and speak to us directly.

“It will also be the new home of our Neighbourhood

Policing Team, who will continue to provide a visible policing presence in Minehead, working proactively to solve problems and support our community.”

Part of the new building will be leased back to Somerset Council, to deliver training to health and social care staff as part of a government’s Levelling Up programme to develop a Somerset Academy for Health and Social Care.

Cllr Ros Wyke, Somerset Council’s lead member for economic development, planning and assets, said: “With the police now owning the building, and the forthcoming Somerset Academy annexe being planned, this move shows continued public sector commitment to Minehead and its surrounds.”

Lib Dems win Somerton by-election

THE Liberal Democrats have continued an impressive run of election victories in Somerset - with a win in a Somerton by-election.

The poll, for the Somerton ward on Somerset Council, was called after the sad passing of Cllr Dean Ruddle.

The seat will now be filled by Stephen Page, who came out on top of a vote on Thursday (March 28).

Full results were:

Gregory Chambers - Labour: 174

Matthew Geen - Green: 154

David Hall - Conservative: 878

Stephen Page - Liberal Democrats: 1212

Turnout on the day was 27.98%, with 12 spoiled ballots.

Speaking after the result was announced, fellow Somerton councillor Tim Kerley (Lib Dem, Somerton), welcomed his new colleague.

“A huge congratulations to Cllr Stephen Page who is now my new co-councillor for the Somerton Division on Somerset Council,” he said.

“This result is a huge vote of confidence in the Lib Dem administration - despite all the difficulties we’re facing in local government.”

“With 50% of the votes, this is a

Advice when you need it

Evening adviceline: Thursdays 4.00pm – 7.30pm

Adviceline Freephone

0808 278 7842

Self-help using our website

www.citizensadvicesomerset.org.uk

Community Access Points in the area

Monday: Yeovil, Petters House, Petters Way, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Tuesday: Martock Parish Hall, 10.00am – 1.00pm

Wednesday: Crewkerne Town Hall 10.00am – 1.00pm

Wednesday: Yeovil, Petters House, Petters Way, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Wednesday: Chard, Forefront Centre, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Wednesday: Highfield House, Shepton Mallet, 10.00am – 3.00pm

Thursday: Wincanton, The Balsam Centre, 10.00am – 2.00pm

Thursday: Street, The Crispin Centre, 10.00am – 3.00pm

fantastic result, a huge thank you must go out to the campaign team as well as the voters of Somerton and surrounding villages for continuing to put their trust in the Liberal Democrats.”

The Citizens Advice in Somerset free phone Adviceline and email advice services are live Monday to Friday 10.00am – 4.00pm with a full team of advisers on hand to help you with your problem.

Man jailed over OAP stabbing

JAMES O’Connor has been sentenced to an indefinite period in hospital after he admitted killing Glastonbury pensioner, Frederick Burge.

O’Connor admitting stabbing 89-year-old Fred at his home off George Street on February 26 last year.

The 45-year-old, from Hilltown, Dundee, Scotland, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility at Bristol Crown Court on February 8.

charged on March 8, last year.

The investigation led officers to Scotland where they tracked down O’Connor. Medical evidence was then taken into consideration ahead of the sentencing.

Frederick, known to his loved ones as Fred, was described as a “loving, kind and charming man” who was the “best dad, grandad, great-grandad and great-great-grandad in the world”.

“I feel like my life ended that day. I am not the same person I was before my dad’s death, and it has affected my relationship with my entire family. My wife lost her husband that day as every day is a struggle and I feel it is a battle. I am not sure I am ever going to get over this loss.

“My dad was loved by his family and his death has left a huge hole in our hearts.

loved by us all.”

Today (March 26), he was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after he confessed to the killing.

An investigation into Frederick’s death was launched by the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) and, following a thorough investigation, O’Connor was

Speaking following the sentence, his son, Kevin, said: “Finding my dad had been killed in his own home was the worst day of my entire life. It has caused me so much upset and distress.

“I cared for my dad over the past few years and caring for my mother who passed away six months previously.

“Although O’Connor was sentenced today, this will not bring my dad back. Today, we stand together holding our head’s high knowing that we have closed this chapter and got some justice for my dad.

“Now, we need to try and move forward with living our lives without him and learning to live with the loss.

“We are hoping that he is proud of us all in the way we are trying to cope with losing him. Dad is truly missed and

Fred’s daughter, Sylvia, added: “Now this part of the journey has come to an end, as a family, we can start to heal and try to move on and dad can now sleep peacefully.

“Our family would like to thank the police for their continued help and support.”

MCIT Senior Investigating Officer, Det Supt Gary Haskins, said: “The death of a loved one is heartbreaking, but for Fred to be taken from his family in such a violent way makes it all the more painful, and I would like to share my continued thoughts and condolences with them.”

Sixty years of creating a Wilder Somerset

Somerset Wildlife Trust has been protecting wildlife for sixty years.

With your support, we will continue to create more space for nature across Somerset. A gift in your Will can secure a greener future for wildlife and a legacy to your family and friends.

To celebrate, our partnered solicitors are offering sixty free Wills to our supporters. For more information, please visit somersetwildlife.org/legacy or call 01823 652441

Help us create a Wilder future for the next generation.

James O’Connor has been jailed for murdering Fred Burge, below

Festival meeting leads to Tor challenge

ANNIE Maw - the long-serving former Lord Lieutenant of Somerset - is preparing to scale the Glastonbury Tor for the first time ever.

Mrs Maw is patron of the Festival Medical Services (FMS) charity, which provides medical support at events including the Glastonbury Festival, at nearby Pilton.

She has never been to the top of the 158-metre (518 foot) iconic landmark – even before she had her horse-riding accident in 2002 which led to her becoming a wheelchairuser.

But on Saturday, May 4, she aims to change that, using a specially-adapted chair to climb the Tor in an event billed as AAA – Annie’s Assisted Ascent.

The climb is a challenge as the route to the top of the Tor is steep and the terrain is rocky and bumpy.

But Annie says she is determined to succeed – both to support other wheelchair-users who face challenges in everyday life and to raise money for FMS, which has organised the effort.

FMS intends to give the sponsorship money Annie raises to two other medical charities, continuing a tradition throughout their 45-year existence, raising nearly £1.5 million for medical projects in the UK and around the world.

This time the money will be split between Motivation and Humanity & Inclusion.

Motivation is an international disability and inclusion charity, based in Bristol, which provides wheelchairs, training and support to empower disabled people in Africa and India to gain independence, improve their confidence and transform their own lives.

They are providing the all-terrain wheelchair that Annie will use on May 4.

Humanity & Inclusion works alongside disabled and vulnerable people around the world – particularly in countries affected by conflict, natural disaster and poverty.

Former nurse Annie said: “I’m taking on this terrific challenge for two reasons.

“Firstly, I want to highlight that being a wheelchair-user can bring many difficulties in getting around to places that able-bodied people take for granted – but we must keep pushing the boundaries and proving there is more and

more we can achieve.

“Secondly, I’m doing it to highlight the hugely important work undertaken by Festival Medical Services as they head into the festival season in 2024.

“Of course, everyone who goes to Glastonbury or Reading Festival, or any other of the many outdoor events they cover, plans to have a marvellous time and never need to see a doctor or a nurse, but life isn’t always like that.

“And what is so wonderful is to know that if you do fall ill or have an accident, these great people are there to help you and give you an amazing standard of care – the same as you will receive in any hospital or surgery – just in the middle of a field – it’s incredible.

“It worries me that not enough people know about them and what they do, and that’s why I’m hoping this challenge will raise profile for them as well as money for the two charities they are currently supporting, Motivation and Humanity & Inclusion.”

FMS chair, Nich Woolf, said: “We are calling the event AAA for Annie’s Assisted Ascent, but in the world of music festivals it stands for ‘Access All Areas’, so we thought they mirrored each other nicely.

“Annie already commands the respect and affection of people throughout our county from her time as Lord Lieutenant, but we think she will win even more admirers for taking on this dauntingly tough challenge – and rightly so. We are extremely fortunate to have her as our

patron.”

Mrs Maw’s relationship with FMS goes back to the incident which left her requiring a wheelchair, in 2002, when she fell from her horse on the Mendip Hills - but she didn’t know it.

In 2021, she visited the Glastonbury Festival to formally present FMS with the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

At the presentation, paramedic Mike Gray approached her and introduced himself as the first person to give her care on the day she fell.

The pair had not met since the day of the accident, and both found the reunion a very emotional experience.

Mrs Maw said the event was “the best thing I did” as Lord Lieutenant and led to her becoming an FMS patron.

She has spoken of how grateful she had been for receiving the best possible emergency medical care at the scene of the accident, which saved her life.

“I am well aware that I am only alive because of the advances of modern medicine and that if I had had my accident in some other parts of the world, then I would not have survived,” she said.

“I have got my life back because of the type of care I received and now I want to spend my life giving back.

“Festival Medical Services was born in Somerset and is head-quartered here – it is something Somerset can be really proud of.”

To sponsor Annie’s climb up the Tor, visit https://www.justgiving.com/ campaign/access-all-areas.

Annie Maw at the Tor and inset, FMS volunteers at Glastonbury

Newest deputy lieutenants of Somerset

THREE new deputy lieutenants have been appointed for Somerset.

The role supports the lord lieutenant, the King’s representative in the county, in their duties.

Suresh Ariaratnam, from Bath, Jennifer Duke, who lives on Exmoor, and Sheila Wheeler, who lives on the Quantock Hills, have been made deputies.

Suresh, who worked in the publishing industry for more than two decades, said: “Serving the people of Somerset, and supporting the diverse communities within our county as part of the Lieutenancy is both an honour and a privilege.”

Jennifer, MD of an IT consultancy, said: “Having served as High Sheriff of Somerset in 2022, I am delighted and honoured to be offered the opportunity to continue some of that work as one of our county’s Deputy Lieutenants.”

And Sheila, a former finance director of the London Symphony Orchestra, added: “I am delighted, honoured and humbled to be asked to support the Lord-Lieutenant in his role across Somerset, my adopted county.”

Welcoming their appointments, sanctioned by His Majesty The King, Somerset’s Lord-Lieutenant, Mohammed Saddiq, said: “Jennifer, Suresh and Sheila bring wide and diverse experiences to the Lieutenancy and I am sure will do much to help the Lieutenancy celebrate all that is good in our county.”

n Suresh Ariaratnam DL

Suresh was born in Cornwall and grew up in Bath. He worked in the book industry for more than 23 years, primarily as a literary agent, focussing on representing authors from minority ethnicities. He remains involved in helping to ensure the equitable treatment of marginalised people in the creative economy and more generally.

He is a non-executive director for NHS Somerset and NHS Dorset HealthCare and also serves as a trustee of Literature Works, the Theatre Royal Bath, and the Trussell Trust.

n Jennifer Duke DL

Having been brought up in the north of Scotland, Jennifer has lived on Exmoor for the past 26 years.

She is managing director of an IT

consultancy, which delivers solutions and services to financial markets and industry.

Jennifer worked in Singapore for the British Council and then joined Longman as a Book Editor in Melbourne, Australia.

On returning to the UK she became a commissioning editor for Heinemann.

Since moving to Exmoor, Jennifer has held the position of Church Warden in Luxborough.

n Sheila Wheeler DL

Sheila was born and grew up in Ireland. Following a degree in English and Theology, she moved to China to teach in a university. Later she retrained as an accountant in London and spent much of her career in the public sector.

Married to Martin, they have four adult children.

Clarification

Apology over Wells Cathedral admission story

IN our piece last month on the introduction of entry fees at Wells Cathedral, we incorrectly stated adults would be charged £18 to get in.

As the story made clear, adults would be charged £8 admission, with familt tickets available, as well as residents’ passes.

We apologise for the confusion and are happy to clarify the plans. See

Somerset deputy lord lieutenants Jennifer Duke Suresh Ariaratnam Sheila Wheeler Pictures: Somerset Council

CCTV appeal over Frome arson

POLICE have released CCTV images of a person, right, they want to trace in connection with an arson attack in Frome.

The incident unfolded at around 5.45am on Wednesday, March 13, when a person walked to a bike and bin store in Sunnybank Court and is believed to have set light to it.

“The fire subsequently damaged the store which will cost several thousands of pounds to repair,” an Avon & Somerset Police spokesperson said.

“Officers believe the man in the footage may have information which can aid their enquiries.”

He is described as white, of average build, with short, dark hair. He is shown

carrying a cross body bag and wearing cargo trousers and a jumper.

“If you have any information which could help, or recognise the man in the video, please call us,” the spokesperson added.

Anyone with information, or who recognises the person in the video, should contact police on 101, reference 5224064599, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Bridgwater assault near pub

POLICE have issued a CCTV image of a person they would like to speak after an assault in Bridgwater.

The incident, which saw a man hospitalised after being attacked by two others, happened in an alleyway behind the Blake Arms, in Penel Orlieu, between 1am and 1.30am on Sunday, December 17, last year.

Avon & Somerset Police believe the person in the image may have witnessed the assault, which saw a 20-year-old man punched, kicked and stamped on, leaving him requiring hospital treatment.

A 22-year-old man and two boys, aged 16 and 17, were arrested as part of police enquiries and have since been released on bail.

"The pictured man, described as white and aged in his 20s, is believed to have intervened in the incident and

we are keen to speak to them as a potential key witness in our investigation," a spokesperson said.

"If you know them, or have any other information, please contact us."

Anyone with information, or who can identify the person pictured, should call 101 and give the reference number 5223308660. They can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

New Yeovil bar and eatery set to open in former bank and coffee shop

BAROLO Lounge – Yeovil’s newest bar and eatery – is due to open this week.

The venue, at 17 and 18 High Street, is the latest opening for the Bristol-based Loungers UK.

It has seen the former TSB and Cafe Nero premises completely refurbished.

And a Loungers spokesperson said staff were excited to welcome Yeovil drinkers and foodies from Wednesday, April 20.

“We’re so excited to be opening up in Yeovil,” a spokesperson said. “Our Lounge will be a home-fromhome, the perfect place for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks in a relaxed and welcoming setting.”

Plans for the venue said it is set to be a “popular destination for locals of all

ages, encouraging social interaction within the community” and will “complement the existing character of the area”.

“The Lounge café bar will

be open throughout the day and into the evening, will be food led and will have a particular appeal to families – ‘vertical drinking’ is not encouraged,” it went on.

The Loungers chain also operates the Cosy Club, in Taunton, as well as venues in Street, Wells, Weston and Clevedon, along with Wimborne in Dorset.

The former Caffe Nero and TSB premises in Yeovil High Street have been converted

Mysteries and anger continue over the tragic death of Kelly Faiers...

In October last year, Minehead was left devastated after news of a death in the community - and the launch of a murder inquiry. PAUL JONES looks at the mystery that unfolded...

AT JUST after 4am on the morning of Sunday, October 15, 2023, Minehead was waking up to a chilly, winter-like morning.

In leafy Blenheim Road, the morning sun was illuminating the nearby park, as people began to stir, ready for a restful day.

But it was to prove far from restful, as police officers arrived at the home of Richard Scatchard.

The 70-year-old had called an ambulance to his home in the street, with the desperate pensioner telling the call handler his partner, Kelly Faiers, who had been at the property with him following a date the previous night, was seriously ill.

The pair, who are understood to have been in a relationship after meeting on a dating app, had enjoyed a night out in the town, including drinks at the Duke of Wellington.

What happened when they returned to the property in Blenheim Road, we may never now know.

Paramedics, sadly, declared Ms Faiers dead at the scene as the sun rose that Sunday morning.

Police officers, called to the address by the ambulance crew, spoke with Scatchard, before leaving.

They would not get a chance to reinterview him.

The following day, October 16, they returned to the property in the hope of

asking him some questions, and getting some answers on what happened to Kelly.

He had gone.

A months-long search began, with regular sightings reported - it is understood there were more than 100 in total, all in West Somerset - CCTV images released, as police tried to find Richard Scatchard.

More details about his background emerged; he was a convicted sex offender, who previously used drugs to commit crimes against women he had formed relationships with.

In the aftermath of 61-year-old Kelly’s

death - which was being treated as suspicious, despite inconclusive tests to establish the cause - Avon & Somerset Police said Scatchard was a “risk to the public”, particularly women.

The National Crime Agency was involved in the search, as it was feared he may have travelled to another part of the country.

It would appear, he hadn’t.

In January, Ms Faiers’ family had reached breaking point.

They went public with their concerns over the Avon & Somerset Police investigation into their “loving” mother’s tragic, untimely death.

Kelly Faiers, left, died after a night out with Richard Scatchard, right, who was later found dead in a caravan near Watchet Pictures: Avon & Somerset Police

A formal complaint was submitted against the force, claiming they had been let down and received a lack of support, including as one of Ms Faiers’ daughters was living alone at her mother’s home, in Weston super Mare - which Scatchard had previously visited.

“The police failed to inform us the death was suspicious and put me at risk for four days, while leaving me living on my own at my mother’s address, while knowing his criminal past and that he had been to the address on multiple occasions,” her daughter, Jazmin, told the Independent.

She said despite numerous police appeals to find Scatchard, she was not told of his criminal past.

“It took me searching his name on Google to find out his criminal history,” she went on.

“We’re the victims, but the system has made us feel like criminals.”

When a police force has had previous contact with someone involved in an incident such as this, it often refers itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The IOPC will investigate the actions of officers and deem if any decisions over investigations - or lack of - were taken correctly, and the correct procedures followed.

Avon & Somerset Police did not, initially, refer itself over the Scatchard case.

But should it have?

“Police forces must refer the most serious incidents to us, whether or not someone has made a complaint,” the IOPC says.

“For example, if police action results in a member of the public being seriously injured or dying: while in custody; after they’ve had contact with the police; as a result of a police shooting; in a road accident involving the police.”

Police, it would appear, had not had previous contact with Ms Faiers over the behaviour of Scatchard.

But should it have referred itself after not acting when officers spoke to Scatchard on October 15 - and for the way the family was treated in the aftermath?

Ms Faiers’ family - also including daughters Tania Jackson, Laurie Perry and son, Michael - certainly thinks so.

They said the decision not to refer itself was “an insult to the family”.

On January 14, Avon & Somerset Police confirmed it had referred itself to the IOPC after a complaint from the Faiers family on December 20, 2023.

“Voluntary referrals to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) can be made under certain circumstances, including the receipt of a public complaint, should the criteria for a

mandatory referral not be met,” a spokesperson said.

“Having received a complaint from Kelly’s family last month, we voluntarily referred it to the IOPC on Thursday, January 4, and told her family within 48 hours.

“Our Professional Standards Department were notified of the incident and our response during the early stages of the inquiry, and we will do all that we can to assist the IOPC.”

It is also understood the force has referred itself t the IOPC following the death of Scatchard.

Meanwhile, the search for Scatchard continued, with a £10,000 reward being offered for information leading to his apprehension.

Around 5ft 11inches tall, with a Scottish accent, police said he had again been caught on CCTV, this time in Watchet, a small town near Minehead.

But they could not trace him.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Gary Haskins said at the time: “Ultimately, the best chance of us apprehending Scatchard is by a member of the public calling in with key information about his whereabouts.

“This may be through a chance sighting or even someone who has previously been reluctant to come forward – either way we’d please

encourage those people to call 999.

“And if Scatchard sees this appeal, we’d urge him to do the right thing and to hand himself in.”

Scatchard did not. And the police did not find him.

But Det Supt Haskins was right about one thing - the public did find him.

On Thursday, April 4, Nicky Kieley-Shier, from Taunton, went to install solar panels on her caravan, near Cleeve Hill, Watchet.

The 66-year-old will never forget what she found.

As she opened the door to the van, she was overcome by a foul smell.

Richard Scatchard’s body was inside - and had been there for “some time”.

“I just can’t stop getting flashbacks of his head. It was horrible,” she told the BBC.

She had last visited the caravan on October 8 last year, she said, meaning it was empty for some six months.

Scatchard was found in the caravan, which had no power and no gas, surrounded by cushions.

A forensic examination of his body has since proved ‘inconclusive’ in determining his cause of death, just as it had with Kelly Faiers.

As with so much in this tragic case, that rocked a rural community, questions remain unanswered.

But one thing is clear, Ms Faiers’ family feels let down.

“We feel let down and angry with the police that they have played down their role in letting him go and that the subsequent press coverage has been diluted to avoid focus on their actions and errors,” they said.

“As a family we want justice and answers that the police have promised us but so far have failed to provide.”

“That poor family,” Ms Kieley-Shier added.

“They’re not going to have any sort of justice, are they? Apart from he looked like he might have suffered.”

In this mysterious saga, everyone has suffered.

Analysis

Why is child poverty rising - and what can we do about it?

New Government figures show more than 4 million UK children are living in poverty.

But how has this happened? And was it really worse in the 1970s?

PAUL JONES looks at the figures - and the causes...

“I DON’T believe all this poverty nonsense. Go in a time machine back into when I was growing up in the 70s. That was real poverty.”

So said then-deputy chair of the Conservative Party and now Reform MP, Lee Anderson (Reform, Ashfield), in October last year.

It’s a belief commonly heard when discussing the current levels of poverty in the UK.

But as so often with comments from Mr Anderson, the reality is actually very, very different.

Last month, the Government released data the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) branded, “grim”.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures in the Households Below Average Income report showed 4.3 million children were classed as living in poverty in the year to April 2023 - an increase of 100,000 on the prevous 12 months.

That means 30% of all UK childrenthree in 10 - live in poverty.

That’s not spin, that’s not a conclusion from ‘lefty lawyers’, ‘the mainstream media’, or the EU. It’s Government data.

And to put that in further context, in 2010/11, that figure stood at 3.6 million.

But anyway, let’s jump in that time machine as Mr Anderson recommended, and have a look at poverty in the UK compared to the 1970s...

In January, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) released it’s latest report into poverty in the UK.

It’s fair to say, you get a rather different picture than that presented by the Nottinghamshire MP.

“Before 1979, levels of poverty had been broadly flat, at around 14%,” the report said.

“In the 1980s, under the Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher, there was then an unprecedented rise in poverty, even at a time of high income growth, due to the very unequal incomce growth over this period.”

And the report - UK Poverty 2024says that surge in the poverty rates has “not been reversed”.

The JRF says poverty levels are “around 50% higher than they were in the 1970s”.

Poverty levels 50% higher than the “real poverty” of the 70s mentioned by Mr Anderson.

Perhaps it’s his new-found MP salary - and £100,000 a year from GB Newsthat makes Mr Anderson unable to comprehend poverty in modern Britain.

The JRF report is frightening. But it’s not alone.

The DWP figures themselves also detail how almost seven out of 10 children in poverty live in working families. These are not ‘work-shy’ families, or ‘benefit scroungers’ - these are working people, working hard to provide for their families.

Mel Stride (Con, Central Devon), the work and pensions minister, said the Government had overseen “significant falls in absolute poverty

since 2009/10”, with “1.7m fewer people in absolute low income”.

In his Commons statement, Mr Stride did not mention child poverty.

But too often it seems, working hard just isn’t enough to pay the bills.

In February last year, thenenvironment secretary Therese Coffey hit the headlines when she suggested families struggling with rising food costs and energy bills could simply “get a higher income”.

“Of course, we do know that one of the best ways to boost their incomes is not only to get into work if they’re not in work already, but potentially to work some more hours, to get upskilled, to get

a higher income,” she told the Commons.

The new figures would suggest it’s not as easy as Ms Coffey thinks.

Alison Garnham, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group and vice-chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition, said: “In a general election year, nothing should be more important to our political leaders than making things better for the country’s poorest kids.

“But child poverty has reached a record high, with 4.3 million kids now facing cold homes and empty tummies.”

One measure often cited when exploring why more children are being plunged into lives of poverty is the two-child benefit cap.

Introduced in 2017, the measure meant families could only ever claim child tax credits, or universal credit, for two children.

Previously, these benefits would increase for each child.

related to the number of children in a household - and “none as low as the UK”.

The Resolution Foundation think tank estimates families miss out on around £3,200 each, per child, above two as a result. That’s a lot of money - more than £250 a month.

Barnardo’s chief executive, Lynn Perry, said the two-child limit was “one of the biggest drivers of child poverty”.

“The majority of families receiving universal credit are in work, and many are struggling for reasons beyond their control - such as a family break-up, the death of a partner, or someone losing a job amid the cost-of-living crisis,” she added.

And the DWP figures indicate she is right.

Research by academics from the universities of York, Oxford and the London School of Economics (LSE) concluded the two-child benefit cap was costing affected families up to £3,235 a year, with the number of affected groups rising each year.

The research concluded the cap hit “households that are less able to increase their income through employment, particularly single-parent households and families with younger children” hardest.

The cap, combined with “wider cuts to social security benefits for families with children”, meant families were being hit hard, even though the number of working parents is increasing.

The academics said there was no equivalent of the cap in other EU countries, bar Denmark, with only three imposing a cap on financial support

It said the policy penalised “families in certain situations and create incentives for families to behave differently: to work more hours and, in the case of the two-child limit, influence fertility-making decisions”.

“However, our research found no evidence (the) policy meets its behavioural aims and, in some cases, has had the opposite effect,” the study added.

The policy is not achieving what it was supposed to - encouraging parents to return to work, work more, or as Ms Coffey advised, to “get a higher income”.

Labour leader, Sir Kier Starmer, the favourite to become prime minister after the next general election, has ruled out scrapping the cap if his party comes to power.

If we want to fewer children in poverty, something needs to change.

But it looks like the cap is not going anywhere.

“We know that change is possible but we need to see a commitment from all parties to scrap the two-child limit and increase child benefits,” Ms Perry, of Barnardo’s, added.

“Anything less would be a betrayal of Britain’s children.”

A betrayal brought about by, in the case of Lee Anderson, a denial. For Mel Stride, the facts were ignored.

For a Government keen on lambasting others for not having “a plan”, there is a distinct silence on how they intend to raise our children out of poverty.

A betrayal, indeed...

n Read what Somerset politicians had to say on the issue on pages 30 to 32

Child poverty in Somerset

32.4% of children in Bridgwater and West Somerset were in poverty in 2021/22 - 7,307 children

29.2% of children in Yeovil were in poverty in 2021/22 - 6,536 children

26.3% of children in Taunton Deane were in poverty in 2021/22 - 6,558 children

26.2% of children in Wells were in poverty in 2021/22 - 5,484 children

26.1% of children in Somerton and Frome were in poverty in 2021/22 - 5,904 children

Figures for 2021/22 from Action For Children

MP Lee Anderson is paid £100,000 a year to host his ‘Real World’ show on GB News

Man, 29, guilty of Weston sex attack

FLORIN Griu has been found guilty of the attempted rape and sexual assault of a woman in Weston super Mare.

The 29-year-old, of Orchard Street, Weston, was found guilty by a jury at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday, April 4, after an incident in the town centre on April 21 last year.

The jury heard how Griu approached the victim and attempted to rape her before the victim cried out, causing him to flee the scene.

In a personal statement, the victim said: “I would describe myself as a bubbly person and like to think that I get on with most people.

“After this incident, I became totally withdrawn. I felt embarrassed that this had happened to me.

“I see his face everywhere I go and look at men, thinking it is him. I wake up in the night crying having dreamed about it.

“I try to black out thinking about this man and what he did to me that night. I never want to be near him again.

“I hope he is punished for what he has done to me. If it happened to me right in

front of a camera, it could happen to anyone else.”

Detectives investigating the case worked with colleagues at North Somerset Council to carry out extensive CCTV searches.

As a result, they were able to track Griu’s movements as he left his home address, committed the offence and then returned home.

He was identified and arrested on April 25 and charged the following day.

Speaking after the verdict, Detective Inspector Claire Millington, said: “This is a horrific offence against a vulnerable victim who I cannot praise enough for having the strength and courage to come forward.

“Florin Griu chose to target the victim, saw an opportunity to meet his own depraved needs and showed no care or concern for the impact his actions would have.

“Griu has continually denied responsibility for his actions and it is the tireless work of the investigating officer, DC Venetia Kelly, and the support and bravery shown by the victim which has resulted in today’s conviction.

“CCTV played a vital role in this investigation and allowed us to track Griu’s movements, identify him and bring him before the courts and I would like to thank our colleagues at North Somerset Council and businesses in the community for their support throughout this investigation.”

Griu, pictured, has been remanded into custody and will appear at Bristol Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, May 31.

Man due in court over fatal A30 crash

A MAN was due to appear in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving after an incident near Sherborne that tragically took the life of Charlotte Avis.

The incident, on the A30 between Sherborne and Yeovil, happened at around 4.50pm on Thursday, December 2, 2022 and involved three cars – a silver Ford Zetec, a blue VW Passat and a silver Vauxhall Astra.

Sadly, 30-year-old Charlotte, from Milborne Port, died at the scene.

A young child from Milborne Port was also taken to hospital for treatment to serious injuries.

As part of the investigation by the Serious Collision Investigation Team, a 55-yearold man from Yeovil was

arrested on suspicion of driving offences but later released without charge.

However, a 40-year-old man from Yeovil was been issued with a postal requisition to appear at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, April 10, for offences of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

n Get the latest updates online at somersetleveller. co.uk

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New assistant chief of police

A POLICE officer has returned to the area where he grew up for a new role.

Jon Cummins has been appointed Assistant Chief Constable for Response and Neighbourhoods with Avon and Somerset Police.

He joins from Dyfed-Powys Police, having previously worked for the Metropolitan Police and South Wales Police during his 19-year policing career.

Jon was appointed following a rigorous selection process involving several high-calibre candidates and began his role on April 1.

“I’m delighted to join Avon and Somerset Police, an organisation I’ve long admired,” he said.

And he revealed a personal connection to the force area.

“This role holds personal significance for me, connecting me to where my late father lived for over 30 years and where I spent my formative years,” he said.

“I’m honoured by my appointment and excited to start to make a difference.

“I’m looking forward to meeting

colleagues, partners, and communities across the force in the coming weeks and building strong relationships.”

Jon’s policing career began in 2005 at South Wales Police,

where he took on roles in response, neighbourhood policing, local investigations, and the Roads Policing Unit. In 2009, he transferred to the Metropolitan Police, undertaking frontline operational roles within three inner-city London Boroughs and participating in the public order response to the 2011 London riots.

He joined Dyfed-Powys Police in 2014, where he served as a Basic Command Unit Commander, Head of Specialist Operations, and Head of Uniform Policing with responsibility for local policing, before more recently

taking on the role of Head of Criminal Justice and Custody.

Jon is currently an accredited Gold Commander across disciplines including specialist firearms, public order, and multi-agency incident command.

Chief Constable Sarah Crew said: “I’m really pleased that Jon will be joining us and I look forward to working with him.

“His values closely match ours and that, combined with his significant experience across several police forces and passion for policing, will be a real asset to us in Avon and Somerset.”

New 20mph speed limits across Somerset

by PAUL JONES paul@blackmorevale.net

NEW 20mph speed limits are being proposed in 15 Somerset communities.

Somerset Council has proposed the new limits for drivers after requests from residents.

Last year, the council said there were a number of requests from across Somerset for either 20mph or 30mph limits amid concerns over safety on roads.

In response, the council invited communities to apply for a 20mph speed limit if they were willing to fund the design and implementation and they are in line with Department for Transport (DfT) criteria.

The proposals are now moving forward and the Traffic Regulation Orders are currently being advertised.

During a 21-day consultation period over the proposed schemes, which closes in the week of April 8, people have the chance to comment on the new plans.

Anyone wishing to discuss the speed limit within their community should

contact their town or parish clerk.

The new limits are proposed in:

• Cannington

• Castle Cary and Ansford

• Chard

• Chewton Mendip

• Crowcombe

• Ditcheat and Alhampton

• Ilchester

• Monksilver

• North Petherton

• Othery

• Otterford

• Pilton

• Ruishton

• Trudoxhill

• Wincanton

Lead member for transport and digital, Councillor Richard Wilkins, said: “We are always ready to support communities who wish to fund discretionary works

such as the introduction of speed limits where appropriate.

“This initiative is very much driven by the communities themselves – this is not about imposing measures people don’t want.

“In all cases the call for a 20 mph or 30mph limit has come from local people, for very valid safety reasons.

"We’re really pleased to be able to support this.”

The village of Pilton is among those set to get a 20mph speed limit

New multi million-pound tech centre opens at Firepool in Taunton

TAUNTON’S eagerlyawaited, multi million-pound digital innovation centre at Firepool is set to officially open its doors.

The purpose-built Firepool Centre for Digital Innovation (FCDI), owned and operated by Somerset Council, has already held a number of events, giving previews of the facilities.

More than £7m of external funding – including from the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund (£1.69 million) – was secured for the project, as well as £5.45m from the Government’s Getting Building Fund and Growth Deal funding (£235k).

Somerset West & Taunton Council, before the merger to become Somerset Council, invested £3.6m in the scheme.

The FCDI will offer “grade A office suites, co-working, collaboration and event space over four floors”, a council spokesperson said.

Cllr Ros Wyke, lead member for economic development, planning and assets at Somerset Council, said: “FCDI forms part of our

£40 million network of innovation centres across the county, delivered largely through external funding and operated at nil cost to the council.

“The fact that we have, once again, successfully secured such significant external funding underlines our commitment to supporting

a dedicated audio-visual podcast room, ultrafast broadband and video conferencing.

It also acts as a conference venue, and has already welcomed events including a cyber security conference hosted by the SW Cyber Resilience Centre, the SW Infrastructure Partnership’s

innovation in Somerset’s key growth sectors.

“The centre will drive innovation-led growth in the digital sector, create and safeguard jobs, and provide small and medium sized businesses with the right support to grow their businesses in Somerset.”

FCDI will offer businesses an array of facilities including

annual conference and a Tech South West AI network evening.

Dan Pritchard, founder of Tech South West, said: “Our recent AI South West event at The Firepool Centre for Digital Innovation worked really well.

“There was a great energy, the set up was ideal for networking and lightning

talks. Being right next to the station was good, especially when we had people from across the region attending.

“It’s bang in the centre and has a great open space, good tech – it’s all kitted out. It’s a good location for events and I’m sure for innovative companies looking for a home and hub to be part of.”

FCDI sits on the northern edge of the landmark Firepool site, pictured inset.

Somerset Council have now awarded a contract to develop the land immediately adjacent to FCDI – known as the Northern Boulevard – with work due to start this month.

The work will include the boulevard alongside FCDI from Trenchard Way to Canal Road, public realm around the existing buildings/plots and linking the new Trenchard Way junction to Canal Road.

Towards the end of April there will be a number of tours so that prospective tenants and anyone interested in using the centre can view the facilities.

For more information, visit www.fcdi.co.uk, or email fcdi@somerset.gov.uk.

The FCDI is on the landmark Firepool site in the heart of Taunton Picture: Somerset Council

Toiletry firm makes anniversary pledge for good causes

anniversary. The Somerset Toiletry Co, in Clutton, is marking the quarter-century landmark in 2024, owner and founder Sakina Buoy has announced the 25 for 25 campaign, a series of charitable initiatives. Over the course of the year, staff across The Soap Bar Cafe, the head office, warehouse, and factory teams, will undertake 25 acts of kindness, ranging from charitable donations to community projects.

In recent years, the

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company has given homeless charity BillyChip space to grow and has also become a corporate friend of SWALLOW, which supports individuals with learning disabilities.

Sakina said: “We are immensely proud to celebrate 25 years of serving our

customers, and we recognise that none of this would be possible without the support of our incredibly talented team.

“With refreshed branding, 2024 has started with a bang: being ranked 14th in Elite Business’s Top 100 SMEs and winning the Sustainability of

The Somerset Toiletry Co HQ in Clutton, Somerset

the Year Award presented by the City of London.

“As we reflect on our journey, we are humbled by the opportunity to give back and make a positive impact within our community.”

The first events as part of the 25 for 25 initiative included dog walking for local dog rescue, Mutts with Friends, fundraising for Prickles Hedgehog Rescue in Cheddar, donating toiletries to various Bristol communitybased organisations and providing hot meals for Lizzie’s Soup Run, in Bath.

The company is also inviting customers, partners, and community members to join them in spreading kindness and making a difference.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, The Somerset Toiletry Co will also be releasing limited-edition soaps and hosting events at their cafe in Clutton.

The Somerset Toiletry Co has been creating luxury bath and body products since 1999 and was awarded Best Newcomer Manufacturer 2023 for UK soap production. The company produces its own branded toiletries and private-label products for leading retail groups worldwide.

For more details on the company and the 25 for 25 scheme, visit thesomersettoiletryco.co.uk.

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Quick news...

Woman in court over A303 crash

A 20-YEAR-OLD Warminster woman has been charged in connection with a fatal collision on the A303.

Jessica Higgs has been charged with two counts of causing death by driving without due care while over the limit for a specific controlled drug.

The charges relate to a crash at Camel Hill on the afternoon of Monday, May 15, following a collision between a car and a van.

Tony Mist, who was driving a Fiat 500, and passenger Thelma Huse, both 69, sadly died.

Higgs was due to appear before Yeovil Magistrates Court on April 3 to answer the charges.

‘Prolific’ Frome shoplifter banned from certain shops

A “PROLIFIC” Frome shoplifter has been handed an order banning him from certain shops.

Magistrates in Taunton granted a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) requested by Avon & Somerset Police against 33-year-old Joe Steel, of Vallis Road, Frome.

The application detailed 31 thefts, including four carried out at the same store in a single day.

The order prevents Steel, pictured, from:

Remaining on a business or retail premises, or public and private grounds, when asked to leave by staff, the owner, occupier, police, or council appointed officials

Entering any business or retail premises from where

he’s been given a verbal warning or written banning notice

Entering or loitering outside any Marks & Spencer stores, including car parks or petrol forecourts

Entering or loitering outside any Co-op store, including car parks or petrol forecourts

Following an increase in incidents involving Steel since the begging of 2024,

officers from the Frome Neighbourhood Policing team worked with the Anti-Social Behaviour Team to obtain the order to help stop the offending.

PCSO Kris Seviour, of the Neighbourhood Policing team, said: “This defendant’s offending is having a significant impact on businesses in Frome, so it’s important we use all the tools at our disposal to prevent any further offences being committed.

“If the CBO is breached then this could result in up to five years’ imprisonment.

“We’re committed to targeting the prolific and habitual offenders whose behaviour is causing misery in our local communities.”

New £225m deal for county roads starts

A NEW company will now be carrying out highways work in Somerset as part of a £225 million deal.

Somerset Council's new contract with Kier started on April 1, with the firm taking on highways maintenance in the county.

It covers key maintenance works on Somerset’s 4,172-mile road network, including road repairs, drainage, verge cutting and winter service, such as gritting and other emergency functions in adverse weather.

Kier put in a successful bid for a contract following a comprehensive tendering process, the council said, scoring highly for value for money, innovation and environmentally-friendly practices.

Many of the staff currently operating under the previous contract have transferred to Kier.

An induction event was held this week at Bridgwater’s Canalside centre, where the council’s lead member for transport and digital, Cllr Richard Wilkins, was formally introduced to the Kier team.

"We’re really delighted to have Kier as our new partner maintaining our network – they have some exciting proposals about taking the service further in terms of flexibility and efficiency while delivering carbon reduction and maximising social value for our communities," he said.

"This is a major refresh of our network

Radstock appeal

maintenance services.

“We are committed to building in resilience to climate change, ensuring a safe, serviceable and sustainable network that is fit for purpose for all users and supports the growth of the local economy.

"It’s really vital we have a service that is cost effective, as well as being flexible and agile, attracting the best people and embracing new technologies to enable innovation."

Allan Rigby, general manager at Kier Transportation, said: "Following our appointment in October, we have been working hard to mobilise the contract so

that we can deliver a first-class road maintenance contract from day one.

"We look forward to seeing how we can bring added value to the area, through our carbon reduction plans and delivering social value for our communities.

"This will be through us supporting the local economy by using local supplies and SMEs, as well as providing career opportunities for those in the area."

Four other multi-million-pound contracts covering resurfacing, surface dressing, new assets and lighting have also been awarded by the council.

If you were in the area or have any dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage, contact police on 101 and quote reference number 5224080355 to the call handler.

Kier and Somerset Council officials at the launch of the new contract Picture: Somerset Council

Walkers return to coastal path after stability surveys

A COASTAL path that has been closed for more than a year has been reopened to walkers.

The Cleeve Hill B3191 cliff top road was shut in January 2023 amid concerns about the stability of the cliff. It has been shut ever since.

However, after a specialist report commissioned by Somerset Council, the route was reopened to pedestrians on Good Friday, with further work planned for the coming weeks to enable the access to be shared with cyclists.

The road will remain closed to motor vehicles, including motorbikes, on safety grounds.

Since the 2023 closure, the council has been working with Watchet Task Force, representing Watchet Town Council and Chamber of Trade, to minimise the impact. Measures have included

ongoing surveys of the cliff and road to see if access for pedestrians could be safely provided, and on the back of a report by geological consultants Geckoella following months of careful monitoring, Somerset Council has concluded access for walkers could be allowed.

“We’re delighted this is now happening. It means holiday makers and residents affected by the closure can now leave their cars and walk into town in a matter of minutes – it’s great for tourism and for local businesses.”

However, the report found the road cannot be opened to motor vehicles due to concerns about weight issues and the proximity to the cliff edge.

Motorcycles cannot safely use the route either as the plan is for it to be a dedicated route only for walkers, cyclists and mobility scooter or wheelchair users.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and

digital, said: “This is fantastic news. We know the closure of the Cleeve Hill road was extremely difficult for the community in Watchet and has caused a lot of concern.

“The council has been working with Watchet Task Force to minimise this, and our consultant has been looking whether some kind of access was possible.

“Providing access to walkers, and eventually cyclists is going to be hugely beneficial for Watchet and the nearby holiday parks towards Blue Anchor.

Cllr Sean Terrett, chair of Watchet Task Force and a town councillor, added: “On behalf of the Watchet Task Force I would like to express my gratitude to Somerset Council’s Highways Team as well as the consultants at Geckoella for their hard work in making this possible.

“I am sure that our town’s many visitors, residents and businesses will be very excited to see this popular walking and cycling route restored and reconnected to the tourist hotspots located within the Cleeve Hill area.”

Yeovil Town fan who collapsed during a match on the mend

A FAN who fell ill at the Weymouth v Yeovil Town football match on Monday, April 1, is on the mend.

The National League South game was called off after the air ambulance was called to help look after Hayley Singleton, who became unwell in the second half.

However Hayley, a Yeovil Town fan, was back at the Bob Lucas Stadium in Weymouth on Thursday (April 4) with husband Scott, to thank the club for their help and support on the day.

“A special guest today. Hayley Singleton sadly fell unwell at our game on Monday, leading to an air ambulance having to be called,” a Weymouth Town spokesperson said.

“She joined us with her husband, Scott, and their son to thank everyone involved for the care she received at the match.

“She is recovering well and hopes to be back to watching football from the

stands soon.”

Meanwhile, Yeovil Town has announced there will be collections for the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance at future home games.

“We are delighted to announce that there will bucket collectors around Huish Park to help raise money for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance,” a Glovers spokesperson said. “As a football club, we are pleased to be able to support the

charity after the events of Monday that lead to the abandonment of the Weymouth fixture.

“We are also ecstatic to hear the news that Hayley Singleton, the supporter who fell ill, has now been released from Dorchester Hospital. We are very grateful to the medical staff who have looked after one of our own.”

Weymouth were 1-0 up in the 75th minute when the game was called off.

THE POLITICAL DEBATE

THE latest Department for Work and Pensions figures showed 100,000 more UK children were living in poverty in 2023 when compared to 2022.

In 2021/22, on average, 28% of children in the five Somerset constituencies (Taunton Deane, Yeovil, Bridgwater & West Somerset, Wells, and Somerton & Frome) were defined as living in poverty.

Why, in 2024, are children in Somerset living in poverty – and what can be done to bring that number down?

We put that to local leaders - and here’s what they said...

‘The

Government’s short-term fixes

haven’t stopped incomes of poorer households being swallowed up...’

What a sad position to be in. I was looking at this data myself and I do feel that the full scope of the data has been under-reported.

To have an increase of 300,000 children plunged into absolute poverty in a year under this government is wrong.

The annual poverty figures published confirm this Government failed to protect the most vulnerable from the cost of living crisis.

Absolute poverty, the Government’s preferred measure of poverty, has risen for the second year in a row.

This is as big as we have

by LEIGH REDMAN Somerset Council and Bridgwater Town Council member for the Labour Party

seen for 40 years.

Absolute poverty refers to when a person or household does not have the minimum amount of income needed to meet the minimum living requirements needed over an extended period of time. In other words, they cannot meet their basic needs.

The Government’s short-term fixes, that have been introduced, haven’t stopped the incomes of our poorer households from being swallowed up by soaring essential living costs.

This is despite the Chancellor speaking of his commitment to protect the most vulnerable in his Autumn Statement back in 2022.

These results show just how far away our social security system is from adequately supporting families and individuals who have fallen on hard times.

The prospects for people on the lowest incomes should be top priority for every party as we head towards the general election.

The figures show that around 300,000 more children were plunged into absolute poverty in a single year.

At the height of the cost of living crisis, amid soaring levels of hunger and food bank use, we must target more support to protect these families.

Poverty rates are expected to rise further in coming years as more families are affected by the Tory policy setting the two-child limit, which only applies to children born after

April 2017.

It is not a popular statement but, I believe to bring people out of poverty, we must find ways to get money to them, either supporting childcare to a realistic level so that parents can go back to work, and channelling benefits so that these families can afford to live.

We must help to feed and home children and their families. It frustrates me that we are in a time where young lives are wrecked before the child is able to speak, we know that a child’s life is often decided before they reach the age of three.

It is well documented that a strong foundation helps children develop the skills they need to become wellfunctioning adults.

In particular, the time between birth and age three is a period of rapid brain development, when billions of connections between individual neurons are established, but the environment they are brought up in is as definitive in their future, so we must give children the best start in life.

This can only be done well by pulling them and their families out of poverty.

Child poverty reaches further than Somerset.

This is a shameful, national issue that this government has done nothing to address.

In my opinion, the only way forward is a new government, with a plan to help bring those most in need back from these depths.

‘Creating high-quality, highly-paid jobs will lift families out of poverty’

Often distilled down to simple dogmatic arguments, it is however very complex as to why child poverty continues to rise.

Twenty five years ago, in April 1999, the first minimum wage legislation was introduced, setting the level at £3.60 per hour.

On April 1 this year, the national living wage was increased to £11.44, a yearly increase of 9.8%, with an overall real increase since it was introduced of 72% and yet there is still poverty within the country and of most concern, within Somerset.

Some would argue the introduction in 2017 of two child-only limits on benefits has countered many of the benefits. Others would say the

by DAVID FOTHERGILL

Conservative Group leader at Somerset Council and councillor for Monkton & North Curry

impact of inflation, particularly over the past few years, has had a disproportionate impact on those at the lower end of the earnings scale who spend more of their money on food, housing and fuel.

And then there’s the Government’s own policy of freezing tax thresholds which has also brought an increasing number of people into the tax system.

Of course these are interesting debates but the real driver on poverty is the quality of jobs available in an area and the rates of pay

which they deliver.

Somerset has traditional been a low wage economy (with some notable exceptions of course) and this has exacerbated the impact of those factors outlined above.

However, there are some gleaming beacons which I and many others believe will significantly increase the wage economy of the county and therefore begin to lift families above the poverty line.

Two of these beacons of hope are of course, Hinkley Point C and the 300-acre Gravity development site at

Puriton. While the longerterm employment opportunities of Hinkley Point C are well rehearsed, those of Gravity are less so.

The new, £4 billion gigafactory being built by Agratas, part of the Tata Group, will deliver 4,000 new green technology jobs, with thousands more created in the local supply chain.

A good friend of mine was heard to frequently recite the mantra, ‘economic growth pays for everything’, and it is only by delivering new economic opportunities like these that we will raise the aspiration of many, increase the economic worth of the Somerset jobs market and finally begin the reduce poverty among families in the county.

‘This should be at heart of all we do’

This question should lie at the heart of everything politicians think and do, but I fear none of us are doing enough and these latest figures from the DWP are the proof.

I recall a colleague saying something to me, as we considered the impact of increasing inflation and higher interest rates on council budgets. He made the simple point that inflation doesn’t affect everyone equally; it favours the wealthy and impacts really badly on those with lower incomes, especially our children.

With the weekly increase in Universal Credit being taken away post-Covid, just at the time that inflation got its grip on the UK and then interest rates started rising, many households were bound to be affected badly.

by LIZ LEYSHON

Lib Dem councillor for Street, deputy leader of Somerset Council and lead member for resources and performance

We may welcome the news that inflation is dropping, but a 4% increase still means prices rising - and they’ve risen plenty already.

If you have savings and a home that’s already paid for, then you’re in a much better position to ride out the effect of increased energy and food costs.

None of that helps people who live with the effects of poverty, and often debt.

If your weekly income is taken up by rent and utilities, that leaves yet another family or individual dependent on a foodbank or food pantry, vulnerable to loan sharks with outrageous interest rates

quoted weekly not annually.

I spend my days looking at the Somerset Council budget, which has seen costs increase at a much greater rate than income.

We are already concerned about the cost of our Council Tax Reduction Scheme that supports the lowest income households.

It is agreed and in place for 2024/25, but it must be affordable and agreed by Full Council each year.

It seems we have a desperate and inherent unfairness in society now, and the inequality will take many years to reduce.

Actions of the current

Government, where “mates’ rates” now mean greater not lesser costs for the rest of us, feel so wrong, yet a new Government will be not able to sort this out quickly.

The society we have built up since the end of the Second World War seems to have stalled.

We must invest in new technologies – particularly in energy production – and we also need to invest in the education and skills that will enable our young people to grow into jobs in those industries.

The challenge is too great for there to be any easy answers. The next Government needs to start work as soon as possible and have a really clear understanding of the challenges ahead, particularly for the next generations.

Politics

‘Rural areas can fare worse on poverty’

It is often assumed that poverty and disadvantage are products of the urban environment, but we increasingly see that rural areas can fare worse in terms of deprivation, especially in times of austerity.

Somerset is no exception.

The reasons for families in poverty are well documented.

Even in a time of low unemployment, many families are struggling to secure enough income to pay the bills.

The increase in energy prices and high mortgage rates have hit the low-waged particularly hard.

We hear numerous examples of parents having to choose between heating and eating. Like the return of rickets, this is a phenomenon few of us thought we’d encounter in the 21st century.

It would be easy to criticise the government for this

by MARTIN DIMERY

Green Party Somerset Councillor for Frome West and Parliamentary Candidate for Frome and East Somerset

marked increase in child poverty.

Some of the reasons relate for the unforeseen crises of Covid and the Ukraine War, but as a society we have left ourselves ill prepared to deal with such eventualities.

Over the last 14 years we have seen the safety nets that used to catch the more deprived children in our communities reduced to a frayed collection of interconnected holes.

Cuts to NHS provision and the reduction of school budgets all affect the general welfare of children.

The most deprived are more likely to be overlooked.

In Somerset, cuts to Sure Start centres, youth centres, and the limits of nursery provision, leave the poorest

with fewer options to fall back on.

The county has also suffered from a lack of public transport. This may go some way to explain why West Somerset has the lowest social mobility among young people in the UK.

As the safety net gathers more holes, many more are falling off the tightrope.

We have seen an increase in recent times of children in care. Many are fostered by wonderful people, but this all comes at a cost for their maintenance.

Specialist schools have been closed over the years and pupils in need are often transported to expensively maintained centres some distance from home, often in different counties, perhaps by

taxi, at great cost.

For the most severe cases with serious psychological needs, some pupils need round the clock boarding provision, offered in a small number of UK-wide centres at the cost of around a million pounds per year, per pupil.

Running down services to breaking point only exacerbates matters, creating greater long-term problems.

Child poverty can be caused by irresponsible parenting and may never be eradicated, but in most cases, it is the result of unavoidable circumstance.

To help mitigate against these circumstances we need a government able to lower living costs and willing to invest in public services.

Although most political leaders won’t want to admit it, that means raising taxes paid by those who can afford it most.

Lib Dems win by-election in Somerton after sad passing of Dean Ruddle

THE Liberal Democrats have continued an impressive run of election victories in Somerset - with a win in a Somerton by-election.

The poll, for the Somerton ward on Somerset Council, was called after the sad passing of Cllr Dean Ruddle.

The seat will now be filled by Stephen Page, who came out on top of a vote on Thursday (March 28).

Full results were:

Gregory Chambers - Labour: 174

Matthew Geen - Green: 154

David Hall - Conservative: 878

Stephen Page - Liberal Democrats: 1212

Turnout on the day was 27.98%, with 12 spoiled ballots.

Speaking after the result, fellow Somerton councillor Tim Kerley (Lib Dem, Somerton), said: “A huge congratulations to Cllr Stephen Page who

Stephen

is now my new co-councillor for the Somerton Division on Somerset Council.

“This result is a huge vote of confidence in the Lib Dem administration - despite all the difficulties we’re facing in local government. With 50% of the

votes, this is a fantastic result, a huge thank you must go out to the campaign team as well as the voters of Somerton and surrounding villages for continuing to put their trust in the Liberal Democrats.”

Page with MP Sarah Dyke after his win and inset, Dean Ruddle, who passed away in January

MPs’ Views from Westminster

Pets, industry and education on menu

It is clear that across Taunton Deane we are great pet lovers. Certainly, my own two fine cats have a special place in my heart and have taken on an even more meaningful role in my life since my children have left home and my husband died.

People often share their pet stories with me, and some have recounted tragic experiences having inadvertently purchased a puppy online, only to discover it was smuggled into this country.

That’s why I am backing the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, sponsored by Selaine Saxby MP, which seeks to tackle the unlawful dog, cat, and ferret smuggling trade.

Heavily pregnant dogs and puppies often endure long journeys, many with mutilations such as cropped ears, to be sold in this country as pets.

by REBECCA POW Conservative MP for Taunton Deane

The Bill will also increase the minimum age that puppies and kittens can be imported to six months and limit the number of animals that can be imported in a single vehicle, as well as prohibiting the importation of dogs and cats in later stages of pregnancy.

On a totally different note, on International Women’s Day I joined a group of professional women, many being lab technicians, at technology-based business Novanta, in Taunton.

The company is a global leader in the manufacture of highly engineered ‘mirrors’ used largely in the medical field. Historically, women are underrepresented in the engineering sector and it’s good to see Novanta changing

the dial on this. There are many routes into engineering whether at degree level or in-work apprenticeships. As a Conservative, I am totally committed to gender parity across the board in our society and remain steadfast in my determination to ensure equality of opportunity for all.

In a similar vein, huge congratulations to the University Centre for Somerset on their Queens Award for Excellence for their nursing degrees and other nursing-related courses which are enabling many students to reach their full potential Somerset is increasingly being recognised as an attractive location for hightech enterprises, which will only increase with the recent investment in the Gravity site, which is already spawning other businesses and industries in the area. And building on the successful skills and training model

already being successfully delivered by our University Centre I will be helping ensure further training opportunities are developed here for this new electric battery revolution.

With a growing work force required in the local area it makes the case for our Wellington rail station even stronger. The Prime Minister himself recognises this. I’m pleased to report the draft full business case is being finalised with a view to submitting it to the Department of Transport at the end of the month.

Finally, it was a great honour to welcome Ian Robinson, CEO of Selworthy Special School, to the Local Community Education Champions reception at 10 Downing Street to thank Ian for his hard work and dedication and to celebrate the tremendous news that Selworthy is to be upgraded.

Keeping new station plan on the rails

Iam delighted to have been asked to contribute to The Leveller and would like to use my inaugural column to discuss a campaign I have been working hard on since being elected as the MP for Somerton and Frome last year.

The Somerton and Langport area has been without a train station since the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, but the Langport Transport Group have been working tirelessly to restore a station to the Somerset Levels. In June 2020 the group submitted a proposal to the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Restoring Your Railway Fund and were successful in receiving £50,000 to develop a Strategic Outline Business Case. Somerset County Council (now Somerset Council) agreed to commission the

by SARAH DYKE

Lib Dem MP for Somerton and Frome

business case and it was submitted in February 2022 but, disappointingly, there has been no substantive response from the Government since.

I recently took the opportunity to use my first Prime Minister’s Question to interrogate Rishi Sunak about the lack of engagement from the DfT and asked for a commitment that the Langport Transport Group’s work would not be in vain

Unfortunately, the Prime Minister failed to engage with my question, making reference instead to train stations some considerable distance from Somerton and Langport. However, he did

state money would be available for local transport projects and local leaders would be able to decide where it was best spent.

I then pressed the Minister for Rail and HS2 on the Prime Minister’s comments that funding was available, but he conceded that the money was primarily for the Midlands and the North. Thankfully, the Minister eventually confirmed he would provide me and the Langport Transport Group with an update after a wait of almost two years. I will keep him to this promise.

The arguments for opening a train station in the Somerton and Langport area are well-defined. 53,000 people live within 10 km of Langport and Somerton but have to travel 24 km to access the rail network at Taunton or 25 km to Castle Cary. The opening of

a train station would benefit residents, encourage people to leave their cars at home and bring further economic development opportunities to the region.

Rest assured I will continue to campaign for a train station for the area to improve our woeful public transport infrastructure and will work hard to ensure the Government fully engages with Somerset.

For anyone who would like to support a new train station in the Langport and Somerton area, please sign my petition at www.sarahdyke.uk/ campaigns/new-train-station

Thank you for reading my contribution and, as always, if there is anything I can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me at sarah.dyke.mp@ parliament.uk.

Does Adam Dance have what it takes to be Lib Dem heir-apparent in Yeovil?

With talk of a Conservative collapse at the next general election topping the agenda, is the famous Somerset constituency formerly represented by Sir Paddy Ashdown and David Laws set to return to the Lib Dems? ALEX LOFTUS went to meet the man hopeful of re-turning the seat yellow...

BEFORE his campaign has even begun, it seems inevitable the parliamentary career of Adam Dance will be overshadowed by the memory of Paddy Ashdown.

Even David Laws, who managed to get himself a seat in the cabinet, wasn’t able to build a legacy to rival the former leader’s.

His work was less inspiring and his scandals were less enthralling - affairs will trump expenses after all.

But this doesn’t seem to trouble the 31-year-old councillor, he doesn’t boast a high-rolling corporate background to qualify him for office, but an arsenal of council services he’s delivered at the parish, district and county level.

“He’s not like other politicians,” Elaine Morris, his campaign manager, said. “He wasn’t born with a silver spoon.”

Although a cliché, she has a point, Dance would be the first MP in the constituency’s 106-year history to not have attended private school.

Ashdown was born in the Raj, attended Bedford School, worked for MI6, and eventually decided to stand for office in his wife’s hometown.

Laws grew up in Surrey, studied economics at Cambridge, became managing director of Barclays and was handed the safe Somerset seat.

Marcus Fysh attended Winchester College and Oxford University before working in asset management with a focus on investments in the Pacific.

Dance became chair of his parish council at 19, earned a spot on the district council in 2015, and won a county council seat from the Conservatives in 2017.

This is his biggest asset; a demonstrable commitment to improving standards of public life within the constituency.

For all the cynicism in modern

politics, only a genuinely empathetic person - or an admin-loving, narcissistic warmonger - would commit their entire twenties to unpaid or badly paid debates full of nasty clashes over paltry issues.

He joined politics because his local youth centre (“I was severely bullied and it saved me”) was being closed thanks to major national cuts.

David Laws heard about his efforts to keep the doors open and put his support behind the campaigner, and soon after, Dance joined the Lib Dems.

While this humble story depicts a degree of altruism, it also reveals his key weakness - a lack of ideological clarity.

Although he would argue otherwise, if in a twist of fate the local MP who helped his youth centre happened to be part of the Labour party, Dance would be too.

He is a Liberal Democrat because he believes in “social justice, fairness, tolerance, equality and supporting everyone”, words which are all found verbatim in the Labour constitution.

His three main policies are lowering

business rates, improving NHS dentists and GPs, and introducing free school meals for all primary school children.

Jonathan Reynolds, shadow business secretary, wants to abolish the whole business rates system and start from scratch.

Labour also plans to improve GP access and reform the NHS dental contracts system, while Sadiq Khan has already introduced free school meals for all state school children from reception to year 2 in London.

In short, Dance is not a political theorist but a wellintentioned political opportunist.

He opposes the Conservatives and believes local people should be trusted to solve local problems through public services, and the Lib Dems present the best strategy to achieve this in Yeovil.

But for many, this will not be a bad thing.

For those frustrated by the passivity of politicians, the factionalism of parties and the detachment of Westminster, this opportunism will be seen as much-needed pragmatism.

Dance values Yeovil more than he values the Lib Dems; for all the goodwill Paddy Ashdown earned, it is not an indictment you can give the former leader.

There may be similarities between the Lib Dems and Labour, but what the former has which the latter does not, is a candidate in Yeovil.

Will he contribute to the study of classic liberal ideology, alongside the likes of Immanuel Kant, Milton Friedman, and even David Laws? No.

Will he usher a new era of Lib Dem support, building on the legacy of Paddy Ashdown? Time will tell.

Will he be a committed constituency MP, with the people of Yeovil firmly in his heart, their plight understood and their grievances felt?

Almost certainly.

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Events

Camp or visit weekend festival

THE Cheddar Vale Lions Club is presenting its third Annual Country Music Festival.

The event, at the Petruth Paddocks Campsite in Cheddar, will run across May 18 and 19.

“We have some amazing acts on stage,” a spokesperson said. “You can dance, you can watch the Westerners Show team give shootout displays.

“Visit our food and drink outlets, shop with our specialist traders or just relax and listen to the music.”

Organisers thanked sponsors Cheddar Spirit, Petruth Paddocks and Gregory’s, for supplying the stage.

People can camp for the weekend (Friday to Sunday), or visit for either day.

A limited number of half-price day tickets for locals are available for £6 a head, and £3 for 10 to 16-year-olds (under 10s are free).

For full details, log on to www. cheddarvalelions.org.uk, or email country@cheddarvalelions.org.uk.

New market in Shepton this month

SOMERSET’S newest market launches in Shepton Mallet this month.

The new Shepton Mallet Sunday Market aims to showcase the best produce and makers the south west has to offer.

Around 60 hand-picked stalls are set to set up for the first event on April 28, offering a diverse mix of produce.

Shoppers are being told to expect a mix of vintage, designer-makers, food, antiques, home and gardens and art alongside live music and DJs,

workshops and family activities including Sing-a-Ling, a children’s music and singing workshop, across the town centre.

Running from 10am until 3pm on the last Sunday of the month, four markets are planned for April 28, July 28, September 29 and November 24.

Pitches are free of charge for the first year, organisers said, with the market expanding to 10 events in 2025.

Shepton Mallet Sunday Market is being run by

Black Sheep Events CIC, a team of residents and business owners “working to put Shepton back on the map”.

Art club exhibition

DRAYCOTT Art Club is holding an exhibition at the Wells and Mendip Museum from May 14 to 25.

The club, a non-profit run by members, for members, wll stage the free display, featuring paintings, drawings, prints and more.

The art group meets at Draycott Memorial Hall each Thursday.

Historian discussing Second World War

POPULAR county historian Jack Sweet will take a personal look back to the Second World War in Yeovil at the May meeting of Yeovil Archaeological and Local History Society.

The illustrated talk will take place at 7.15pm on Friday, May 3, at Holy Trinity Church, in Lysander Road, Yeovil. There is a £2 charge to non-members of the society.

* sheelanagig

* BREABACH

* SAM SWEENY BAND

* GNOSS * SUNTOU SUSSO

* THE HAAR * THE FUGITIVES

* REG MEUROSS+COHEN BRAITHWAITE-KILCOYNE

* Th e RIN TINS /* GOOD HABITS *

* USHTI BABA * BLACK UMFOLOSI * GRANNY'S ATTIC

* MATCHUME ZANGO BAND * FILKIN'S DRIFT

* ALDEN+PATTERSON * ELLIE GOWERS

An d MANY MORE ! ! ! ! Workshops, SESSIONS, CEILIDHS, DANCE FESTIVAL, childrens' FESTIVAL AND THE FRINGE

Tickets AND INFO FROM www.priddyfolk.org

The Langport Saturday Markets

Local Food - 4th M ay and the first Saturday of every month until Dec Vintage - 11th May and the second Saturday of every month until Dec Artisans (New) - 18th May and the third Saturday of every month until Dec

‘It is time to become one - let’s get it done’

Imagine, if you will, an area cleaved into two parts – one part is in the middle, where everything happens, and the other part is a much larger surrounding area that used to be more rural.

As time has passed, the population in the middle area has stayed the same, but the population in the surrounding area has doubled and then doubled again.

Hundreds upon hundreds of new houses have been built.

The two areas are completely interwoven – everyone uses the same shops, the same schools, the same surgery, the same roads, the same everything.

Yet, due to some bizarre historical anomaly, these two areas are governed separately.

Because most of the problems that each council confront are the same, the two councils have joint committees. A joint committee for governance, another for traffic and transport, a further one for leisure and entertainment.

Senior members of each council attend each-others main council meetings.

It is obvious to almost all, that rather than two unnecessarily separate councils, and their various joint committees, that this one area should be governed by a

Battle of the

VIEW FROM LANGPORT

by SEAN DROMGOOLE

single council.

This is the dilemma that faces Huish Episcopi and Langport.

One single council will be faster,

cheaper, and much more responsive. Everything will be in the same place, and there will no longer be the lazy option of blaming the other council for various historic woes.

It will place our area, at a time when the other level of local government is weakening, on a par with Somerton and Martock. It will simply be much better for the people here.

Among those few against it (less than 20% according to our recent HELP survey) there is concern that it will dissolve Huish Episcopi. It won’t. Huish Episcopi will be a village, just as it is now.

Others claim that it is “Langport taking over”. In fact, it’s the other way around. Huish will shortly have three times the population of Langport and nine times the land area. It is more truthful to suggest that that Huish is absorbing Langport. Others suggest, inaccurately, that the new council will be named “Greater Langport”. It won’t. the name hasn’t been settled on yet, but the front runner is currently “Huish and Langport”.

Fortunately, a mechanism exists to bring this unity about, called a Governance Review.

In order to initiate this, we need 187 signatures from residents of Huish Episcopi and another 187 from residents in Langport. We will be collecting those signatures shortly.

Then, the Election Department of Somerset Council will look at the case for unification and as part of this review they will poll the electors of both parishes and by simple majority decide if or not we proceed to unification.

The final decision will be made by the 2,700 souls of Huish Episcopi and the 1,000 souls in Langport.

It is time to become one, lets get it done.

bands for Somerstock opening slot set to take place at Parish Rooms on Friday

MORE events have been added to the programme for the Somerton Music & Arts Festival - including this week.

A special event is being held on Friday (April 19) at 7.30pm in the Parish Rooms, where three bands will battle it out for the chance to open Somerstock on Friday, July 12.

The winner will be chosen by the Somerstock judges in combination with the audience vote on the night.

• Vetna: Vetna are a car crash between different genres and eras, in a comfy, compact format for your own post-modern, liquid entertainment. This act proposes a bold experimentation, beginning with alternative rock and post-rock, with an unmistakable 90s and 00s imprint

• Absolute Zero Formed in 2022 with a combined age of just

32, Absolute Zero have been wowing audiences with their youthful energy and awesome ability beyond their years. In 2023 they recorded their first EP. Despite their size it is clear these guys are going to be a huge success

• Junebug A fantastic up and coming band from Strode College

For more information and to buy tickets, visit www. somertonartsfestival.co.uk/tickets.

The update comes after organisers confirmed jazz-funk band Shakatak would top the bill at Somerstock.

For more details, including a full run-down of events planned for the festival, log on to www.somertonartsfestival. co.uk.

Plans to expand storage business Business, legal & finance

UPTO 50 storage containers could be installed in a field near Wiveliscombe.

Plans have been submitted to Somerset Council by GTH on behalf of Farrington Farms to change the use of a 2.5-acre (0.32 hectare) agricultural site at Frys Farm, in Quakinghouse Lane, Croford.

The scheme would see 50 containers installed in the field, expanding the current self-storage business.

“The self-storage business has been very successful and there is a growing demand for additional self storage in this location, which the applicant is unable to accommodate,” the application said.

“The relocation of the self storage containers from Frys Farm will provide an improvement to highway safety and residential amenity for the residents along Frys Lane, which is extremely narrow with no passing places.”

It said the site, in the northern corner of a largely triangular-shaped field, is accessed via an existing route off Quakinghouse Lane, and the new site

would help customers access the site.

“The proposed site would also reduce the distance that customers to the self-storage facility have to travel, with the proposed site being located much closer to the B3227, which is the direction from which Frys Farm and the proposed development is accessed,” it added.

Planning permission was previously granted for 15 storage containers at Frys Farm.

For more details, and to comment on the plans, log on to somerset.gov.uk and search for application reference 49/24/0014.

The storage business runs at Frys Farm, near Wiveliscombe

Voter ID: Vital to protect democracy, or a solution looking for a problem?

PAUL JONES - ID if required - looks behind the headlines at new voting rules in the UK...

“WE take the risk of electoral fraud very seriously,” says the Electoral Commission (EC), the body in charge of overseeing votes in the UK.

And rightly so, as voter fraud - on a large enough scale - could put our very democracy at risk.

“Throughout the year, all police forces across the UK send us data about allegations of electoral fraud that they receive and investigate,” the EC goes on to say. “Every year we report on the number, type, and outcome of these allegations, so that you can understand what’s happened and how cases are resolved.”

All good to know, as this is clearly an issue to take notice of. Or is it, really? Is voter fraud a big problem in the UK?

The answer is no, not really.

Those numbers the EC talks about include the total number of alleged electoral frauds. Between 2018 and 2022, the EC said 1,386 cases of alleged electoral fraud were reported to police.

However, of those, 11 resulted in convictions, while the police issued six cautions.

So that’s a grand total of 17 actual incidents in four years - less than five a year.

When you consider in that period the UK held a general election and any number of local elections, it’s really not very many.

But not to be complacent, one case of voter fraud is too many, right?

In 2022, a total of 13 cases of alleged personation fraud - pretending to be someone else - were recorded by police forces. Seven cases involved allegations at polling stations.

Another reason to clamp

down? Well, no, as no further action was taken in any of those cases because there was no evidence, or insufficient evidence, of any crime.

In summary, the EC said: “In the past five years, there is no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud.”

But in 2023, the Government still vowed to do something about it...

In order to combat the, well, tiny number of incidents, the administration decided to impose a massive burden on the electorate - voter ID.

To keep a lid on this largely-non-existent problem, to put your tick in a box on election day you would be required to show identification, proving you are who you say you are.

But not any old ID. Oh no, there are very specific rules governing what poll workers will - and won’t - accept.

The documents, if accepted, can’t be photocopies, or digital ID (found in an app or somesuch). The documents must be originals and must include the same name under which you registered to vote.

Accepted forms of ID are: A passport, some travel cards, driving licence (including provisional), a blue badge, an identity card with a PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme), a biometric immigration document, a defence identity card, a national identity card.

If you don’t have any of those, you can apply for a free voter ID, known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

But before applying, you need to be registered to vote. Ironically, you can apply

for this online (at voterauthority-certificate.service. gov.uk).

You will also need a passport-style picture of yourself.

Now, call me a cynic, but this seems like a major overhaul to combat a crime that has seen 11 convictions in four years.

The new rules were first introduced during local elections in 2023.

The EC filed a report on how it all went, and it wasn’t great, with around 14,000 people who went to a polling station unable to vote due to not possessing required ID.

Bear in mind that is people who actually went to a polling station. The number who stayed at home knowing they didn’t have the required ID could be much, much higher.

The EC analysis also found there was a lower level of awareness the rules even existed among those without the required ID - so they didn’t know they needed to get it. Only 57% of those without ID knew about the free option.

Of those turned away, 30% had brought ID, but it was not accepted. So they knew, but weren’t well enough aware of what they needed.

“We have recommended changes to the UK Government to improve accessibility and support people who do not have accepted ID,” the report said.

With local, PCC, mayoral and general elections on the horizon, there is at least hope it will be made easier... But more on that later.

So, with a whopping 11 convictions in four years, and cases against people being accused of identity fraud to vote dropped, why did tackling voter fraud suddenly become a priority for the Government?

Well, at the risk of sounding cynical (again), there could be certain advantages for certain parties through the introduction of voter ID.

There’s no doubt these rules make it more of an effort to vote. Don’t take my word for it, the EC said “some groups struggled to meet the ID requirement”.

When might you struggle?

If you’re young, perhaps? If you are unemployed? Or perhaps if you suffer with mental illness?

The EC confirmed this in their report on the 2023 elections, and a House of Commons briefing document said, “disabled people, younger voters, people from ethnic minority communities, and the unemployed” were among those who struggled to meet the new criteria.

In short, lots of voter groups likely to be progressive or, put more starkly, who are more likely NOT to vote for the Conservatives, who introduced the rules.

What a coincidence.

To pursue the somewhat cynical reasoning behind such a move it is also, as with so much of the Conservative campaign machine in recent years, worth casting an eye across the Atlantic.

We are all aware Donald Trump lost the infamous 2020 presidential election in the United States.

Well, most of us are. In the US, many still believe - as

many as a third of voters, ridiculously - that Mr Trump was somehow cheated out of the presidency by nefarious means.

Chief among the reasons he was ‘robbed’? Voter fraud.

None of the myriad mooted allegations, claims and (conspiracy) theories has ever been proven. He just lost.

But that has not stopped administrations in various states - all of them Republican-led states (coincidence again)introducing a raft of rules to prevent so-called voter fraud.

They include shortening early voting periods, eliminating automatic and same-day voter registration, cutting back mail-in voting, stopping the use of drop boxes for ballots, the increased purging of voter rolls and, here it comesstrengthening voter ID laws.

Most of those don’t apply here, obviously - but voter ID now does.

In the US, legal challenges have been brought against the moves, arguing the changes amount to voter suppression, as they affect minority voters who largely vote - you guessed it - Democratic.

AGAINST the people wanting to bring in the new rules.

In May 2021, the New York Times reported how, across 32 states, a total of 144 Bills concerning changes to voting had been introduced by Republicans.

Opponents say it is simply gerrymandering; manipulating circumstances to make an electoral victory more likely.

Conservatives had in mind in the UK, is it?

“Parties that try and gerrymander end up finding that their clever scheme comes back to bite them, as dare I say we found by insisting on voter ID for elections.

“We found the people who didn’t have ID were elderly and they by and large voted Conservative, so we made it hard for our own voters and we upset a system that worked perfectly well.”

Those were the words of Conservative MP for North East Somerset, Jacob ReesMogg, when he addressed the National Conservatism Conference in London in May 2023, not long after voter ID was first imposed at the polls.

That’s a sitting Conservative MP saying how “insisting on voter ID for elections” - the Tories’ very own “clever scheme” - had “come back to bite them”.

That “clever scheme” was introducing voter ID in a bid to gerrymander the voting system, according to Mr Rees-Mogg.

He said the rules had “upset a system that worked perfectly well”.

He said it out loud: The electoral system was working, there was no need for voter ID. It was a means to gerrymander elections.

Asked about Mr ReesMogg’s claims, Rishi Sunak said: “These laws, the Labour government put them in place for Northern Ireland when they were in office, point one.

“Point two, they’re used in tons of other countries across Europe and indeed Canada.

“Point three, 98% of people already possessed one of the forms of ID that were eligible and, for those that didn’t have one, they could apply for a free voter ID."

Anyway, everyone agreed the voter ID system could be improved, as the EC was issuing a report on how it

could be...

As well as highlighting those most affected by the ID changes, the EC’s postelections report also called for an expansion of the ID acceptable at polling stations ahead of the next pollsincluding the general election, during which they said voter ID would have "a larger impact".

It added: “The UK Government should review the current list of accepted forms of ID to identify any additional documents that could be included to improve accessibility for voters.

“This should focus on forms of ID that would support people who are least likely to have documents on the current list, including disabled people and those who are unemployed.”

Seems sensible. But the Government refused.

Why wouldn’t Rishi Sunak - currently languishing 20 points behind Labour in the opinion polls - want people likely to vote against his party to vote at the next general election? For election integrity?

The fact is, our voting system already had integrity and worked “perfectly well”, as Mr Rees-Mogg told us, evidenced by just 11 electoral fraud convictions in four years. But that, it seems, is justification enough for the Government to deprive around 14,000 people of their vote - probably more at a general election, according to the EC.

Here in Somerset, we have a real-world example to examine.

On June 17, 2023, former Conservative MP David Warburton resigned his seat.

The move prompted a by-election, held on July 20, 2023, the first time a parliamentary election in the county would be subject to the new voter ID rules.

According to Somerset

Council, turnout for the poll - which saw Liberal Democrat Sarah Dyke elected with a majority of 11,008 - was 31.8%.

The council said a total of 27,923 people were issued with ballot papers at polling stations.

People initially turned down a ballot paper as they didn’t have the requisite ID was 187. A total of 128 returned later, with the correct identification and were issued a ballot paper.

That means 59 people were denied a vote they wanted to cast because they didn’t have, or didn’t return to show, the correct ID.

Not many, I hear you cry, but that’s 0.2% of the total votes cast in the by-election.

At the 2019 general election, losing 0.2% of votes for one particular candidate could have seen one seat (Fermanagh and South Tyrone in Northern Ireland) won by a different party.

A total of 26 seats in 2019 were won by a less-than-2% margin, the largest (1.74%), in the Blyth Valley, representing 712 votes.

And remember, 2019 was not a particularly close election. There would be more marginal seats in a hotlycontested poll, like 2010, when we were left with hung parliament.

That year, a loss of 0.2% of votes for a particular candidate would have changed the result in eight seats. Eight.

In a close election, the difference between winning and losing eight swing seats (which those with such small majorities are, by definition) could be the difference between being in government and well, not.

The upcoming election could be close. Ridiculous as it sounds, eight seats could be worth a whole lot of power.

And 11 convictions could be remembered through time as defining the future of a country...

Home & Garden

Friendly frogs and toad abodes...

The pond we finished last year at the MIND office in Shepton has settled, full of weed and water snails, the water is clear and frogs have been seen frolicking.

However, alas no spawn. Spawn hunting in ponds further afield has also ended in disappointment. Tadpoles ought to be visible by now as it takes around three weeks for young tadpoles to emerge.

However, a pond’s particular environment can have an impact on the speed at which tadpoles transform. If the temperature is cold, tadpoles can delay the process of metamorphosis by several months or grow up fast, like streetwise children if immediate danger is around. There are plenty of dangers. My Mother once saw a grass snake in her tiny garden pond devouring the tadpoles.

Both frogs and toads are beneficial to the garden because they feed on many pests such as, bugs, beetles, caterpillars, cutworms, grasshoppers, grubs, slugs, and a variety of other pests.

A single frog can eat over 100 insects in one night. Attracting and keeping frogs and toads in your garden will reduce slug

GARDENING FOR THE MIND

by ALISON HAYWARD

numbers without the need for chemical or natural pesticides.

So, not to confuse these two quite different amphibians, here is a reminder on how to tell them apart.

Common frogs have smooth skin that varies in colour from grey, olive green and yellow to brown. They have irregular dark blotches, a dark stripe around their eyes and eardrum, and dark bars on their legs.

They are able to lighten or darken their skin to match their surroundings. Whereas common toads are generally brown or olive-brown in colour, but are very variable; females are often reddish or have reddish warts. The skin is ‘warty’ and often appears dry.

Skilled at using their tongues to catch even flying prey, frogs can eat an enormous number of insects in one night.

Their tongues can move so fast, almost at the rate of one tenth of a second, that many of their prey have no chance of escape.

These amphibians will rid the garden of mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, caterpillars, beetles, spiders, slugs, and more.

Since gardeners view many of these insects as pests, frogs provide a tremendous service by getting rid of them before they can attack our precious plants or spread harmful diseases.

If a pond is not something you can create, try a “toad abode” to give any frogs and toads in your garden a few great hiding places.

Toad abodes are simply ceramic houses built for toads to help them get out of the sun and sleep in peace, but you can make one of your own by flipping a ceramic pot upside down.

If you have a broken terracotta one, it may already have a natural opening for entry and exit.

Since gardeners are now banned from using slug pellets containing metaldehyde, these creatures are more invaluable than ever as another defence to ever increasing slug populations thriving in the wet weather and warm winters.

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Farming

The joys of maintaining power on the farm - and trying not to swear!

ELECTRICITY is something we all take for granted these days, particularly on the farm.

School Farm was originally wired for electricity sometime in the decade immediately after the Second World War.

Before then, grandad was dependant on paraffin storm lanterns when milking the cows. While reliable, the light they give is fairly poor.

When mains electric first arrived in the village, to gain new customers the electricity board would fit three lights and one power socket to a property for free. This was the story with School Farm.

The system was then added to at random, with extra bits of wiring tacked on. This approach is, of course, potentially lethal, and how the farm survived without a major fire is something of a miracle. Thankfully since then everything has been professionally rewired.

What made me think of our

OVER THE FARM GATE

by GRAHAM WALKER

reliance on electricity was that we had a minor power cut in the barn a few weeks ago.

The protecting trip switch had been thrown, and refused to reset. To start with I was puzzled, but after much trial and error the problem was traced to a faulty fencer unit.

This reminded me of a time when I was doing my apprenticeship, working for Bob Gooden of West Lambrook during the late 1970s.

Bob had recently had some large glass houses erected, which were growing mainly tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

The value of these crops at any one time was quite considerable. Although the heaters were oil fired, they depended on electricity to function.

It occurred to Bob that if there was a prolonged power

cut, this would cause considerable financial loss. He therefore decided to have a standby generator fitted, and an alarm in the house to warn of power cuts.

The generator was of the PTO type, driven off the back of a tractor.

The first time the generator was used was when the electricity board gave notice of a planned eight-hour power cut while the lines were being worked on.

Everything went like clockwork, with the tractor already hooked up and ready when the power cut came.

The next time the generator was needed was not so straight forward. Bob was woken by the alarm going off about three in the morning one cold and frosty night.

His first problem was the roller door on the barn which was opened by electric, and

took a long time to wind up by hand.

Inside, jammed together with very little spare room, were the four tractors and one van.

Each tractor also still had an implement attached to it.

Bob set to work with no more light than the vehicle headlights.

After about an hour, he had emptied the barn of tractors, removed the potato digger from one of them, and hooked it up to the generator.

With power restored, he breathed a sigh of relief and went into the greenhouse to check the temperature. 36C, just in the nick of time, just as the mains power came back on!

Bob was not given to swearing, but I believe a few choice phrases went through his mind!

Bob Gooden was an excellent employer, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time working for him.

Badger culling to be allowed in some areas, Defra confirms

THE culling of badgers will be allowed in some areas, under new Government rules.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has revealed the next stage of the strategy to target bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

“Our strategy to eradicate bovine TB in England is turning the tide on this disease with the lowest number of new bTB breakdowns in nearly 20 years,” a spokesperson said.

“The latest proposals will ensure this downward trend continues, and all culling decisions taken under the new targeted approach will continue to be led by the very best scientific and epidemiological evidence.

“We are proposing that culling should be available in the High Risk Area and Edge Area of England, in areas where there are high levels of infection in cattle, and where evidence suggests badgers are

part of the problem in the spread of disease to these herds.

“We have always been clear that culling would remain an option where epidemiological assessment indicates that it is needed.”

They said the strategy did not “aim to remove all badgers”, but to lower the badger population to reduce infection.

“Culling would continue until the disease situation inside the cluster has

been deemed to have improved sufficiently, such that it is no longer deemed a cluster, or the prevalence of infection in badgers has been reduced substantially,” they added.

“Badger vaccination would then take place to maintain disease control benefits.”

Environment secretary, Steve Barclay (Con, North East Cambridgeshire), said: “Bovine TB has taken a terrible toll on farmers, leading to the loss of highly prized animals and, in the worst cases, valued herds.

“There are no easy answers in the battle against TB, but badger culling has proved highly effective and needs to remain a key part of our approach.

“Our strategy has led to a significant reduction in this insidious disease, which we will continue to cull in areas where the evidence confirms it is required, as well as making use of vaccinations.”

Badger culling will still be allowed

Picture: Vincent van Zalinge on Unsplash

Glastonbury Crusades event in memory of historian James

AONE-DAY history conference in Glastonbury will focus on one of the most turbulent periods in history – the Crusades.

CrusadeCon ’24, presented by Strode College, has been organised in memory of James Arlett, a member of the History, Heritage and Archaeology Team who passed away in January last year at the age of 41 and will run on April 19 at Glastonbury Town Hall.

An expert on the Crusades, James was a lecturer of history on Strode College’s history degree-level course.

Dr Sean McGlynn, history lecturer at Strode College, is director of programming for CrusadeCon.

He said: “James was a much-loved colleague and valuable member of our History degree department.

“He was a scholar of outstanding ability and potential. His module on the Crusades was very popular and it is fitting that his specialist subject is being acknowledged by this exciting conference.”

James is survived by his wife Katie and their two young children. with profits from the conference being

by PAUL JONES paul@blackmorevale.net

donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

In his memory, CrusadeCon will feature six experts who aim to bring the period around the religious wars to life.

Taking place in Medieval Europe, the Crusades spanned hundreds of years and their impact is still felt today.

The experts discussing the Crusades on April 19 at CrusadeCon in Glastonbury are:

n Dr S J Allen: The Crusades and

Modern Memory – Why It Matters

n Dr Susan Edgington: The First Crusade: Where Are All The Women?

n Professor Jonathan Harris: Anna Komnene on The First Crusade

n Professor Jonathan Phillips: The Medieval Life and Modern Afterlife of Saladin

n Dr Matthew Bennett: Crusading Warfare

n Dr Andrew Buck: Life on the Frontier: The Crusader States and the World of The Eastern Mediterranean

Dr John Revill, principal of Strode College, added: “Strode College is delighted to support this event.

“Our History, Heritage and Archaeology FdA and BA (Hons) courses offer students a whole range of access to resources and experiences.

“Helping to bring such an impressive speaker offering to a wider audience, particularly one with a charitable contribution in memory of a valued colleague, is something we’re very proud of.”

Historian James Arlett passed away in January last year

A 14th-century miniature of the Second Crusade battle from the Estoire d’Eracles

Pets

Understanding your stubborn dog

WHEN our dogs refuse to listen to cue or exhibit behaviours perceived as wilful defiance we may describe them as being “stubborn”.

However, attributing stubbornness to dogs may oversimplify their behaviour and hinder effective communication and training.

This week, we’ll explore the concept of “stubbornness” in dogs and shed light on the underlying factors that influence their actions.

Firstly, dogs do not see behaviours as right or wrong – like we do – but in terms of what works or doesn’t work.

What may appear as stubbornness to us could stem from various reasons – here are some questions to ask yourself when you ask your dog to perform a cue and they do not respond:

by RAYCHEL HILL

What am I asking of them?

Dogs thrive on clear communication and consistent training.

Behaviour that seems stubborn may simply be confusion.

Our canine companions do not generalise behaviours well either, so you may have trained a cue in one situation but have not yet proofed the cue in other environments or situations.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a well-trained dog. Practice patience and consistency in your training efforts and celebrate small victories along the way.

Why should they respond?

When you are training your dog, it should be fun for both of you! They are obviously not robots and need the right motivation to work with us –

this could be food, play, fuss – but the reinforcement on offer should be something that your individual dog finds motivating. Once they respond more reliably, you can delay rewards and present them randomly, but there should be still something in it for them.

How are they feeling?

Fearful or anxious dogs may exhibit behaviours that appear stubborn as a coping mechanism. For example, a dog refusing to approach a certain area or perform a task may be experiencing fear.

Understanding and addressing the underlying emotions can help alleviate these behaviours and build trust between the dog and handler. Equally, stubbornness may be a result of an underlying physical discomfort or health issue as pain or discomfort can make

dogs reluctant to engage in certain activities or follow cues.

It’s essential to rule out any medical concerns through a thorough veterinary examination before addressing behaviour issues.

Therefore, rather than attributing stubbornness to dogs, it’s essential to approach their behaviour with empathy, understanding and effective training techniques.

By recognising the underlying factors influencing their actions and addressing them with patience and consistency, we can build stronger bonds and foster positive behaviour with your dogs.

n Raychel Hill BSc (Hons) MA CCAB APBC-CAB FABC ABTC-CCAB is owner of Pet Peeves Animal Behaviour & Teaching; www. petpeevessomerset.co.uk.

Jumbo sudoku

Cryptic crossword

Place 1 to 9 once into every black-bordered 3x3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.

Killer Sudoku Pro

Across

7 Expression in Italy for stations (7)

9 Find fault with bachelor, rowdy male (5)

10 Excellent feature in court? (3)

11 Claim job with university after a deadline? (9)

12 Fool within walls of grocery given to vapid talk (5)

Killer Sudoku Pro

14 Robot in human form manoeuvred in road close to land (7)

Down

1 Direct and narrow passage, we’re told (8)

2 Elder, say, getting support around rector

3 Son with hint merely (6)

4 Sailor in Marseilles on back of billboard is ridiculous (6)

5 Frenchman with a vehicle on island getting pasta (8)

6 Give up source in hearing (4)

16 Percussive instruments in main pit damaged (7)

18 Waste strip of wood for lighting candle (5)

19 Vain lot I fancy after securing Oscar getting abuse (9)

20 Priest, informally, concerned with verse (3)

21 Sound of bay, maybe, in eight harbours (5)

22 Less advanced Canadian musician with Queen (7)

Place numbers 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3x3 box. No digit may be repeated in any dash-lined cage, and all the digits in any cage must add up to the value shown in that cage.

8 Unsteadiness, isn’t it, with Libya? (11)

13 Coils by ground around medium? That’s characteristic of a sign (8)

15 Conveyance of French uniform (8)

17 Indifference apparently at hospital close to irresponsibility (6)

18 Like a misguided person among criminals Fulham (6)

19 Doctor penning note for opening (4)

20 Fury with shooting venue denied name (4)

Solutions in next month's magazine

Food & Drink

GUY THE GRAPE with Guy Smith

Lastmonth I was talking about the wine market and how alcohol sales in general are in a bit of a slump.

Nowhere has this been felt more than in Bordeaux, renowned for its prestigious châteaux and iconic wines.

It is the world’s largest fine wine region and sometimes, it seems like a realm reserved for the affluent wine enthusiast.

However, beneath the surface of this historic region there are acres and acres of vineyards producing more ordinary wines that are now being grubbed up because they can’t sell.

But here’s the thing, there’s also a treasure trove of value-driven wines that offer exceptional quality without breaking the bank.

For those seeking the best value Bordeaux wines to buy in the UK, journey into the world of lesser-known appellations and hidden gems which reveals a wealth of affordable options that deliver on both taste and affordability.

For around a tenner you can now get lovely wines such as Chateau Pey La Tour Bordeaux AOC, a mere £8.99 when on offer in Waitrose which is a bargain.

The really expensive wines sit in a hierarchy which starts off with Premier Crus such as Chateau Lafite which start at hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds.

The tiers go down another four levels below this and all the wines almost without exception will be spendy.

But below this, there is real value to be found.

The next level is called Cru Bourgeois which is where the value starts.

The trouble is that there are hundreds of producers – usually called Chateau something or other even though, they may not actually have a building.

One thing that I do avoid is supermarket own label Claret ( another name for Bordeaux Red).

I once had to work on blending one for one of the big retailers and to say that it was depressing was an understatement. The wine had to be so cheap that it was barely palatable!

The only exception is good old M&S. Their own label wines are great!

The big brands such as Calvet can also be pretty poor.

Majestic have an excellent selection with reliable producers such as Chateau Meaume and Carrone Ste Gemme.

They also have a range of Second Wines – the really top producers make a “value” version of their Chateau wines.

For example Majestic have La

Cobbs Wholefoods

Brunel Precinct, Somerton 01458 274 066

Now available our famous Simnel Cake kits for £7.95. Also fantastic selection of Easter goodies.

Chapelle de Meyney for £20 which sounds like a (relative) bargain to me!

Little Wine Shop in Taunton will have a good range as does Somerset Wine Company in Castle Cary. Both worth a visit.

One last thing to say is about vintages.

These used to be all important when choosing Bordeaux to the extent that a year like 1981 would be quarter of the price of 1982 such was the variation in quality.

Nowadays it seems like every year is consistently good although, if pushed, I would say that of recent years, 2016 and 2019 were favourites for me.

Salut!

n If you’d like to look back at my many and various articles for The Leveller, I am posting them bit by bit on our website at www.smithandevans. co.uk/new-blog-1

PENDRA’S FISH & CHIPS

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Tuesday: 11.45am - 2pm 4.30pm - 8.30pm

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Friday: 11.45am - 2pm 4.30pm - 8.30pm

Saturday: 11.45am - 2pm 4.30pm - 9.00pm

Bank

Tor cheese at the top of the goats cheese pyramid at prestigious awards

A SOMERSET goats cheese paying subtle homage to the Glastonbury Festival has been crowned the best in England. Tor, produced by Shepton Mallet-based White Lake Cheese, pictured, was crowned Best English Cheese at the 2024 British Cheese Awards.

The awards, held at the Royal Bath & West Showground on March 22, featured more than 600 cheeses.

White Lake Cheese won Best English Cheese for Tor, a fresh lactic goat’s cheese, made from unpasteurised milk and vegetarian rennet.

Formed in a pyramid shape – echoing the iconic Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival hosted in nearby Pilton – it is billed as having “a unique geotrichum rind and is lightly coated with ash to

add a very subtle peppery undertone along with a combination of lemony flavours and a typical goat’s cheese ‘tang’”.

In total, White Lake won four Gold medals, three Silver medals and eight Bronze medals.

Roger Longman, owner of White Lake Cheese, said: “We are delighted to win yet more awards for our cheeses.

“Consistently winning prizes helps customers know that they have made the right choice and introduces new cheeses to the cheese world.”

Gary Yeomans, chair of the Milking Goat Association, praised members who had picked up gongs.

“These awards are superb news for these members of the British Goat Association,” he said.

“For Tor, from White Lake

Cheese, to win Best English

Cheese out of over 600 cheeses judged is a superb achievement. It just shows the exceptional quality of goats milk products made here in the United Kingdom, by dedicated and talented producers.”

St Helen’s Farm, based near York, North Yorkshire, celebrated with a Gold for its goats butter, a Gold for its goats yoghurt, a Silver for its mature goat’s cheese and a Bronze for its mild goats cheese.

How ‘seamoss’ could help your digestive system...

Found growing on the rocky coastline of the North Atlantic, an unassuming moss like seaweed grows in abundance.

This “seamoss” has undergone much research to discover the amazing health benefits it offers.

Having given this little wonder a trial on a few trusted guinea pigs, I can confidently report on our discoveries!

Very nutrient rich if contains the following minerals and vitamins in abundance: Zinc, phosphorous, calcium, iodine, copper, selenium, manganese, vitamins B1,2,6,9,12, omega 3 and 9 fatty acids, vitamin k2, beta carotene.

These are all in a highly absorbable form.

Rich in phytonutrients, it is also a fantastic pre-biotic for the stomach, helping to create a healthy gut flora, thus ensuring maximum nutrient absorption and helping to keep the

delicate gut bacteria topped up. Also rich in plant-based collagen, seamoss gives skin a boost, helping to keep those wrinkles at bay!

The natural rich source of fibre it contains helps give the feeling of fullness and regulates digestion. This is important for both controlling weight and helping regulate blood sugar break down.

The high levels of natural iodine contained within it is vital for thyroid function and helps boost both energy and thyroid gland function. This makes it a brilliant metabolism booster.

As the nutrients are in a highly absorbable form, taking this will be a good alternative to a multi-nutrient supplement for energy, immune function and an overall tonic!

n Seamoss available at Cobbs: Two months’supply for £15.95

And Delamere Dairy, based near Knutsford, Cheshire, won four awards, a Silver for its goats butter and three Bronzes for its medium goats cheese and its spreadable goats cheese.

The British Cheese Awards were started by cheese expert Juliet Harbutt in 1994 to celebrate the renaissance in British cheese making and to raise awareness of the diversity and quality of British artisan cheese.

This year saw 50 goats cheeses entered into the awards, compared to 38 in 2022, when last held.

Cheeses are scored on presentation, texture, aroma, flavour and balance.

Depending on the scores that each cheese received, Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are then awarded.

New coffee shop opens in Glastonbury

A NEW coffee shop has opened in Glastonbury. Finca is welcoming customers to its new premises on the corner of Benedict Street and Market Place.

Formerly occupied by Mocha Berry, the venue is now Finca’s sixth branch.

The coffee house opened at 8am on Wednesday, March 27, for early-bird commuters in need of a caffeine hit.

Health & Wellbeing

A new name for Somerset MIUs...

PEOPLE in Somerset needing immediate medical help will now attend Urgent Treatment Centres across the county.

The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has announced six minor injuries units (MIU) in the county will be renamed Urgent Treatment Centres (UTC) from April 1.

UTCs will provide exactly the same service as the current MIUs, from the same team of specialist nurses, paramedics and healthcare assistants.

The name change brings them in line with units across the country, the NHS said.

Somerset UTCs are open seven days a week, from 8am to 9pm, with last patients at 8.30pm, through community hospitals in Bridgwater, Chard, Frome, Minehead, Shepton Mallet and West Mendip (Glastonbury).

Burnham-on-Sea Community Hospital will remain as an MIU, as the hours are slightly shorter – from 10am to 6pm (last patient 5.30pm) – and, unlike the other six, doesn’t have X-ray facilities.

Mike Paynter, consultant nurse for community urgent care services at

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Although we’re changing the name to Urgent Treatment Centres, there will be absolutely no difference for patients, except you may see different signage.

“Our team of emergency practitioners, who are clinicians with specialised training and skills in urgent care, will still be here to provide care and treatment if you have a non-life-threatening injury or illness, and want to be seen quickly – usually in under two hours.

“At all six of our Urgent Treatment Centres based across Somerset in our community hospitals at Bridgwater, Chard, Frome, Minehead, Shepton Mallet and West Mendip (Glastonbury), as well as our MIU at Burnham-on-Sea, can treat a wide range of non-lifethreatening minor illnesses and injuries.

“You don’t need an appointment to attend, although we’d recommend contacting NHS 111 first to ensure the

Urgent Treatment Centre is the right place for your problem and there’s even free parking.”

He urged people to be aware of the care options available as the May Bank Holiday approaches - a busy time for the NHS.

n What can Urgent Treatment Centres and MIUs treat?

Sprains and strains

Broken bones (no x-ray available at Burnham-on-Sea)

Cuts and wounds

Bites

Minor head injuries

Chest infections

Throat infections

Eye infections

Urinary infections

Emergency contraception

“If you’re not sure which service you need, we’d strongly encourage you to contact the 24/7 free NHS 111 telephone health advice line,” Mike added.

The MIU at West Mendip in Glastonbury

We are here to help

Our team at Notaro Care Homes, have a wealth of experience and knowledge, so we understand what a critical time it is for the whole family when considering future care options.

We are always here to talk to you, offer advice and support you through the process.

We are a family-run business and have been providing vital care and support to individuals across Somerset for nearly 40 years.

Casa di Lusso Care Home has been purposebuilt to provide positive outcomes for people living there. The home features all the latest in care home technology to give peace of mind to residents and their loved ones.

“I cannot speak highly enough of all the care that my husband is receiving at La Fontana.

The home is primarily for individuals living with dementia and/or general nursing needs. The home also provides care and support for individuals with learning disabilities and mental health conditions.

The care and concern is also extended to us as a family.

I cannot think of anywhere else I would wish my husband to be cared for.”

- Christine, Wife of Resident

Motoring Building on the success of the Yaris

Kaizen, which for those of you who don’t speak Japanese, is the principle that things can and will always be improved.

It’s a philosophy that Japanese carmakers have been embracing for decades. In a constantly developing market, that principle of continual improvement is most recently embodied by the new Toyota Yaris. The Yaris is one of the most successful models in Toyota’s history with worldwide sales surpassing the 10 million mark in 2023. The latest hybrid-electric generation of Toyota’s best-selling hatchback now boasts key updates that should keep it at the top of the pile.

With regards to the exterior styling nothing has really changed from the previous version. Generally speaking, this is a good thing.

Older models of the Yaris

were undoubtedly excellent cars, albeit it slightly unimaginative in terms of design.

The newer models offer a good blend of chunky and aggressive styling without sacrificing any of the sensible practicality. It’s an approach that has transformed the Yaris into a much more stylish and contemporary little hatchback with genuine crossgenerational appeal.

to the vehicle.

The updated Toyota Yaris conceals most of its improvements beneath that slightly muscular and surprisingly spacious body.

Toyota has transformed the interior of the new Yaris with a host of digital technology that covers everything from driver information to on-board entertainment and connectivity and even access

Depending on model grade, you’ll get either a 7-inch or 12.3-inch instrument display, both featuring full colour graphics. The 12.3-inch version features 12 display pattern options split into left, centre, and right-side displays that can be customised to show different information. Even the smaller 7-inch display offers nine patterns, three styles and a choice of three function displays.

The latest Toyota Smart Connect+ multimedia package also appears in higher grade

models. The system is accessed via a 10.5-inch touchscreen includes which includes access to a cloud-based navigation system offering up-to-theminute information on routes, traffic events and delays. You can even use voice commands to operate many of the systems. The most significant of the improvements is under the bonnet though, with the new Yaris offering a powerful 129bhp hybrid-electric powertrain, alongside the established 114bhp system.

Toyota’s 1.5-litre hybridelectric powertrain is already well-established, but a few tweaks to the electrical system combine to boost the power up to 129bhp.

Torque is also increased across the entire rev range. That translates to faster acceleration and more rapid

performance at overtaking speeds without ruining the emissions or fuel consumption.

The end result is a new Yaris that’s even more fun and responsive to drive but still manages to achieve classleading emissions of 96 – 98g/ km and fuel economy of around 65mpg.

The new powertrain is standard in the new Yaris Premiere Edition and GR Sport models, while Icon, Design, and Excel grades make use of the existing 114bhp powertrain carried over from previous models.

Which brings me neatly on to the equally updated trim levels you can choose from should you decide the new Toyota Yaris is the car for you.

The range starts with the entry-level Icon, although even this comes lavishly equipped with lots of useful features such as wireless smartphone connectivity, reversing camera, a 9-inch infotainment system, automatic lights and wipers, and automatic air conditioning.

Move up to the Design trim and you can add a lot more to the specification in the shape

of LED lights front and rear, privacy glass, 16-inch machined alloy wheels, and the 7-inch customisable driver’s display.

Both of the above use the 114bhp hybrid system, as does the next model in the line-up, the Excel grade.

Specify your new Yaris in Excel trim and you’ll add 17-inch alloys, keyless entry and push button start, the 10.5-inch multimedia system, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, front and rear parking sensors, as well as the larger 12.3-inch driver’s display.

Excel models are also available with an optional panoramic roof too.

Beyond the Excel trim level, you get a lot more specification to go with the new 129bhp hybrid system fitted as standard.

If you want to beef up the styling then you’re going to be looking at the GR Sport. This trim level builds on the Design grade and features exclusive 18-inch machined alloys with highlighting red deco lines, front sport seats with red upholstery and trim stitching, sports pedals, perforated leather steering wheel trim and

GR badging on the seats, starter button and steering wheel. If you’re interested in a more refined spec, the updated Yaris line-up includes a new top-of-the-range model in the Premiere Edition. This new trim-level extends the already generous Excel specs with the addition of an eight-speaker JBL sound system, head-up display, 17-inch black/ machined alloys, and a bi-tone paint finish that matches an exclusive new Neptune Blue with contrasting gloss black roof and pillars. The blue theme is also reflected in the interior with blue upholstery stitching and deco lines highlighting the instrument

and door panels.

The new Toyota Yaris range promises to build on its award-winning reputation. It now offers more power, faster acceleration, and an even more engaging drive without compromising efficiency. It also boasts improved technology and features across the whole range. Even more enticing, entry-level Icon models start from just £22,630 rising to £28,925 for the range-topping Premiere Edition.

If you’re on the hunt for a car that’s easy to live with, fun to drive and exceptionally efficient, look no further than the Toyota Yaris Hybrid range.

Recruitment

JOBS will be on offer at an event in Frome this summer - as the town looks to address a recruitment crisis.

Last month, the Wells Business Forum organised an event in the city having been told of issues recruiting people.

After the success of the Wells Jobs and Careers Fair, the group has now been approached to organise something in Frome.

"After listening to the local businesses in Wells, we agreed that recruitment in the city was a problem," a spokesperson said.

"For this reason, we created the Wells Jobs and Careers fair in March.

"I am delighted that the event was a huge success and was well attended by more than 100 attendees.

"Suzie Drew, from Strode

Jobs on offer at special event planned for Frome Assembly Rooms in June Lottery millionaire helping women get dressed for work

College, thanked us for putting on such a successful and vibrant event. We will hold another fair later this year at the Swan Hotel Wells.

"Businesses in the Frome area have informed us they have a similar recruitment problem.

"Because of this, we will be holding a fair in Frome on June 12 between 10am and 2pm in the Assembly Rooms, opposite the Town Hall.

"We will again work with local colleges, schools, businesses, and the local Job Centre, to attract talent from Frome and surrounding areas."

CV surgeries will be on offer on the day, with businesses being encouraged to get in touch to find out how they can contribute.

For information, call 01749 673388.

Bus Driver

•

A SOMERSET Lotto millionaire has launched a boutique to help mums get ready to return to work.

Zoe Hoare and husband Nick have set up a free-to-use pop-up shop in Taunton, where mums graduating from the Women's Work Lab scheme can get clothes for free when looking for a new role.

Women's Work Lab offers a nine-month back-to-work coaching programme to help those looking to get back into the workforce.

And each are now given a set of clothes from the boutique for interviews.

The pop-up boutique will be held several times a year in Taunton to support more women.

Women's Work Lab says it aims to create "space and support for ALL Mums in the UK - irrespective of their pastto recognise their brilliance and build a financially secure future for themselves and their children".

"We train our women in a dynamic, stimulating, safe and encouraging environment that helps them to rediscover themselves, identify skills and barriers while building professional fortitude," a spokesperson said.

For more on the Women's Work Lab, and the programmes on offer and how to apply, log on to www.womensworklab.co. uk.

Property

Chard tops list of house price increases

A SOMERSET town has topped a list of ‘property hotspots’, with the highest increase in house prices.

The average house price in Chard has risen by a whopping 123% compared with the average in 2023, to £245,202 in 2024.

Data put together by online agent Rightmove put the town at the top of its list of hotspots, followed by Hilton in Derbyshire and Padgate in Cheshire (both with a 112% increase).

“Nationally, the number of sales being agreed is 13% higher than during the same period in 2023,” a Rightmove spokesperson said.

“Though there are some areas seeing a much higher percentage of homes selling, with four areas more than doubling the percentage of homes marked sold subject to contract compared to this time last year.

“The top area – Chard in Somerset –has an average house price considerably less than the regional average, which in the south west is £245,202, suggesting that some home-buyers are looking to

more affordable areas against a backdrop of historically high mortgage rates, and continuing costof-living concerns.”

The full list of current sales hotspots is:

Chard, Somerset: +123%: £245,202

Hilton, Derbyshire: +112%: £287,201

Padgate, Cheshire: +112%: £228,518

Caerphilly: +104%: £248,696

Keynsham, Bristol: +97%: £377,392

Royton, Greater Manchester: +96%: £227,442

Cramlington, Northumberland: +94%: £194,352

Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire: +94%: £1,034,264

Armthorpe, South Yorkshire: +93%: £185,613

Seaham, County Durham: +92%: £158,645

Detached houses have seen the biggest jump in sales since 2023, the figures showed, increasing by 17%.

Rightmove property expert, Tim

Bannister, said: “During the pandemic and into last year, there was very little availability of larger homes.

“With not much choice of property to move to, this deterred some larger-home sellers from coming to market. Last year, movers had to adjust from historic low mortgage rates to much higher levels.”

He added: “While some larger-home sellers may have built up more equity over time, others looking to take out a larger mortgage on a more expensive home would have been particularly impacted last year.

“Rates have come down from their peak while prices have remained stable, and we have a group of larger home sellers who are seizing the opportunity to come to market.

“The increased choice is being met with more demand, resulting in higher numbers of sales.”