Better adult social care support for B&NES residents as rating upgraded to ‘Good’ following council investment
Residents in Bath and North East Somerset are receiving good-quality care and person-centred support, a report published today (11 November) the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has declared. The CQC’s ‘Good’ rating of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Adult Social Care Services follows an inspection in July 2026 and recognises that the quality of care…
Mayor Helen Godwin named one of TIME’s Top 100 Climate Leaders
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, has been recognised as one of the world’s most influential climate leaders, featuring in TIME’s prestigious TIME100Climate list for 2026. The annual list celebrates 100 global leaders making a significant impact on tackling the climate challenge across government, business, science and culture. Mayor Helen Godwin has been…
New Climate and Nature Strategy sets out greener, healthier and more resilient future
Creating a greener, healthier and more resilient district is at the heart of a new Climate & Nature Strategy being considered by Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet this week. For the first time, the proposed strategy takes a new, joined-up approach to cutting emissions, adapting to climate change and helping nature recover. At…
Vulnerable Holcombe residents left without water six times this year as as anger grows over Bristol Water’s repeated failures
Residents in Holcombe have been left without water for up to 24 hours on six separate occasions this year, prompting Anna Sabine MP to demand Bristol Water stops relying on temporary repairs and finally replaces the failing water main serving the village. The repeated outages have caused widespread disruption, with households and local businesses left struggling…
Local Somerset author revisits the characters of 1980’s pub life – New book out soon
Andrew Barnes’ Dodge City Chronicles take readers back to a Somerset of pub telephones, jukeboxes and familiar faces. Set in the 1980s, the series draws on the towns, pubs and people Barnes knew. The books are fiction, but their world is rooted in the everyday life of the local pub: old friends meeting at the…
RUH cancer patients to benefit from quicker treatment
A new immunotherapy jab which has slashed the treatment time for some cancer patients is now being offered at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust. The new injectable form of pembrolizumab, a type of immunotherapy, takes around five minutes to administer, compared to at least 30mins for an infusion, meaning that many patients…
Cleaner Bath streets as successful waste pilot could become permanent
A scheme that has helped improve cleanliness of streets in central Bath could become permanent following positive results from a 12-month pilot. Changes to business waste collections were introduced by Bath & North East Somerset Council in October 2025 to reduce the amount of waste left on streets during shop opening hours and early evenings,…
Community to help shape long-term plans for Royal Victoria Park
Residents, community groups and volunteers are being asked to play a greater role in shaping the long-term future of Bath’s Royal Victoria Park. The council wants to build on the park’s valued existing network of volunteers and community organisations by developing a partnership to create a shared vision for its future. Council leaders met some…
Peasedown housing plans come under fierce criticism
People living in Peasedown St John have ‘come out fighting’ after it was revealed that new housing plans could see an extra 1,000 homes built in their community. The village, which has grown considerably since the late 1980s, is already the biggest village in the south of England with 7,000 residents. Just recently, Bath &…
Midsomer Norton Town Council costs mount following internal audit, now external auditor refuses to certify completion
Midsomer Norton Town Council is facing mounting costs for auditing and financial support after its annual internal audit revealed widespread problems with its accounting and financial management. Now the Town Council’s external auditor has refused to certify completion of the 2025/26 audit until outstanding matters have been examined. The Town Council’s annual accounts were submitted…
