News in Radstock

Residents are being asked for their views on plans to renew street drinking restrictions introduced to reduce anti-social behaviour in Bath and Midsomer Norton.

The Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) were introduced by Bath & North East Somerset Council in 2017 in response to concerns raised by residents.

An eight-week public consultation on making it mandatory for pet owners to microchip their cats has launched today (23 December).

A police chief is being given a vote on the Avon Fire Authority after months of concerns about her role and influence.

Sue Mountstevens' spell on the body that oversees the fire and rescue service will only be brief as she is not standing for re-election in May.

A Bath hotel has kept its licence despite a "difficult" neighbour's attempt to have it stripped away.

Arthur Dyer complained of constant noise, disruption and intimidation from hundreds of people congregating at The Bird, metres from his Pulteney Road home, where he has self-catering accommodation.

Pupils at Shoscombe Church School and St Julian's School in Wellow were treated to Christmas lunch, gifts, and a visit from Santa.

A short and if councillors can manage the budget, a sweet possibility of keeping the precept unchanged, was the outcome of the regular Radstock Town Council meeting.

Councillors discussed the on-going transfer of the Tom Huyton play park, which could be completed in 2021, and how this could be one of the places chosen to be part of what is going to be a national tree planting project.

In his Christmas column, Jacob Rees Mogg MP writes:

A Peasedown man who admitted animal cruelty towards a dog and a cat has been jailed and banned from keeping animals for life.

Henry Smedley (date of birth: 05/01/1994) was sentenced to 23 weeks immediate custody and disqualified in relation to all animals for life, following an investigation and prosecution by the RSPCA.

B&NES has put out details of all the council opening hours for Christmas and New Year.

Opening times over Christmas and New Year, are as follows:

The Radstock Mayor writes:

So Christmas is with us once again, but without much of the usual joy. I feel a great deal of sympathy with those who have looked forward to this week and being with their loved ones. After all, this is what the feast is all about: the Holy Family with its divine addition made real and reflected in our own families, expressed through love. Yet for many it is not to be and it can only be hoped that the current situation is a temporary glitch, with normal festivities resuming next year.