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Somerset Council have told us that for there will be no collections on Christmas Day or Boxing Day. As a result, recycling and refuse collections next week will be two days later than normal. So, for example, collections will be made on Sunday 31st December instead of Friday 29th.

There will also be no collections on New Year’s Day, so collections that week will be one day later, e.g. Saturday 6th January instead of Friday 5th.

Garden waste collections will stop on Monday 25 December for a fortnight and will resume on Monday 8 January.

Recycling Centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, but otherwise will be open as usual.

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Somerset Council has launched a public consultation on the Council’s budget. They say:

“It will offer a chance for people to have their say in light of the financial emergency, which was called in November.

“It’s open to all, and we are encouraging our Somerset communities, residents, businesses, stakeholders, and partners to take part.

“The consultation highlights several discretionary services which could be redesigned, reduced, or even stopped.

“The consultation is now live, and will close on 22 January.

“The link can be found at: https://somersetcouncil.citizenspace.com/comms/budget-consultation-2024-2025/

“It can also be completed in libraries and council offices across Somerset. It can also be completed in libraries and council offices across Somerset”.

A number of lanes, around Perry Green in particular, have flooded in the recent severely wet weather. This has caused extreme difficulties for some residents, in getting in and out of their homes, and in some cases there has been flood water entering their properties.

Wembdon Parish Council has raised this issue on many occasions, both with local landowners to encourage better maintenance of drainage ditches, and with Somerset Highways. Unfortunately, progress is very slow. We will continue to raise this issue at every opportunity, and thank all the residents who have given us their feedback on this.

Scenes from Perry Green

Please see this message from the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford.

I have launched a survey asking if local people support my proposal to increase the precept – the policing part of the council tax – by at least £10 a year for the average band D household.  

The PCC is responsible for setting the amount of money residents contribute to local policing through the precept. The Government determines the maximum amount by which PCCs can increase the precept each year. 

Our current financial planning assumes the precept will be increased by £10 next year. Even with this assumed increase savings still need to be made. The size of the savings needed will likely result in about 250 staff roles being cut across the next few years. These cuts will have an impact on front line services such as visible policing and the ability to investigate crime. 

We know that, with cost-of-living crisis continuing, this is a big ask from residents. Therefore, we want to hear what local people think about this via our survey and we are asking for your support to share the survey amongst your contacts, colleagues, and channels. 

The survey and information about the precept can be found here: https://www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk/working-for-you/precept/

The survey closes on 22 January.  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let us know. 

Wembdon Parish Council understands that the starting date for the A39 road works to create new road junctions for the Cokerhurst Farm housing development has been delayed, possibly until early next year. This post will be updated if and when further information is received.

Somerset Council have announced that recycling and rubbish collection days will be changing for more than 120,000 homes in Somerset in February next year. The changes come as new collection routes are introduced by Somerset Council’s contractor, SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK. The new routes will make rounds more efficient, more manageable for crews whilst reducing mileage and carbon emissions. The changes come at no cost to the council.

In February 2024, recycling and rubbish collection day schedules will change for around 85% of homes in the west of the county, covering the former Sedgemoor and Somerset West and Taunton areas, as well as a small part of South Somerset.

Anyone with a change to their collection day schedule will be written to twice before anything changes, first with a letter in January. Roughly, three weeks after the letter arrives, residents will receive a service guide which includes a collection day calendar for the next 18 months.

It is important that residents know their new collection days – crews will not be able to come back for either recycling or refuse if you miss your new collection day. Because some towns and villages will be covered by more than one route, days may change for some households but not others.

Residents may have:

• a change to collection day
• a change in week that their rubbish is collected
• a change in week that their rubbish is collected

There will be no changes to:

• collection days for garden waste subscribers
• clinical waste collections
• communal property collections with shared collections (such as blocks of flats, houses of multiple occupancy and retirement developments)
• schools waste collections

Changes to routes and collection days for the rest of the county – in the former Mendip and South Somerset areas – are expected to be introduced in June 2024.

In a Press Release this week, Councillor Dixie Darch, Executive Lead Member for Climate and Environment said: “We’re writing to every household that will have a change to their collection day. Please keep an eye out for your letter in the New Year. If you don’t receive a letter this means that your day is staying the same.

“The changes will make the collections more efficient and help us to reduce carbon emissions.

“Please make a note of your new collection day and possible interim rubbish collection. Crews can’t return for missed collections where bins are not out on the right day.”

Further information can be found online at somerset.gov.uk/waste

Following the resignation of Chris Chalk a vacancy has occurred for a councillor to represent the Victoria Ward of Wembdon Parish Council. The vacancy notice can be viewed by clicking on this link