News in Radstock

Avon and Somerset Police will be able to recruit 70 more officers to crack down on serious sexual offences if households pay an extra £15 this year.

Chief constable Andy Marsh said the force would risk "losing momentum" without the council tax hike and promised that residents will notice a difference to policing.

There will be some new traders at this coming weekend's Somerset Farmers Market which is held outdoors.

Joining the return, a Frome local drinks company and a special stress-free pig farmer from near Wells.

Jacob Rees Mogg MP writes:

This week, the Home Secretary announced that the Government successfully launched a new immigration route for Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)) on 31st January 2021 in recognition of the historic commitment of the United Kingdom (UK) to the people of Hong Kong and specifically to those who elected to retain their ties to us through obtaining BN(O) status.

Residents of Bath and North East Somerset are set to see their bills increase by more than £70 in April.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has "no option" but to increase council tax by 1.99 per cent – the maximum allowed without a referendum – and charge a further three per cent that will be ringfenced to pay for adult social care.

The winners have been announced for the giant local history quiz which Nub News found the very opposite of a no brainer..

"What a challenge – but fun!"

Following an increasing number of reports around scams asking people to wrongly pay for coronavirus vaccinations, Avon and Somerset Police are reminding people to be wary and to report any suspected cases to Action Fraud.

Action Fraud revealed last week it recorded more than 1,000 reports nationally of phishing emails and text messages connected to the vaccine roll-out in just one day.

A Bath homelessness charity says vital funding at the start of the coronavirus pandemic changed and saved lives.

With the country heading into lockdown, street homeless people with few options to self isolate safely were quickly identified as one of the most vulnerable groups.

Cllr Rupert Bevan offers up his thoughts in his regular column.

President Franklin D Roosevelt once famously said: 'there is nothing to fear but fear itself.' I felt that phrase echoing down the decades to our present time and the current status of the pandemic.

Urgent talks will be held among the region's council leaders and mayors after campaigners inundated them with demands to abandon support for Bristol Airport's expansion.

Protesters want the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) to reverse its position backing the controversial plans because two of its three constituent local authorities – Bristol and Bath & North East Somerset – are now publicly opposed to it.

A local zero waste campaigner has been on the local community radio with some inspiring ideas of how everyone can cut down on what they put into landfill, with even small changes making a big impact.

Lucy Tudor of the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Zero Waste group was on the One Small Step programme with a broadcast on how we can all cut down on waste.