News in Glastonbury

Plans have been submitted for a rural worker's home to be built at a growing fruit and vegetable business in Godney.

The planning application for the building of a rural worker's dwelling and polytunnel at Myrtle Barn, Lower Godney, has been submitted to Mendip District Council by Melvyn Yeandle and Sally Mills of Godney Aquaponics.

All of Somerset's rivers, including the River Brue through Glastonbury, are "polluted beyond legal limits" with unacceptable levels of mercury compounds and other chemicals.

The Environment Agency (EA) has published new data on the health and quality of England's rivers – with the findings revealing no river has been rated 'good' on the level of chemicals flowing therein.

The kerbside recycling service in Glastonbury is about to undergo a major change with the Somerset Waste Partnership's new Recycle More scheme.

The aim is to get more of our waste recycled and to encouraged people to put fewer items in our general waste wheelie bins.

The Green Homes Grant scheme will open tomorrow (September 30) for Mendip residents to apply for vouchers worth thousands of pounds to make homes more energy efficient.

All Mendip homeowners and landlords can apply for vouchers for green home improvements where the government will fund two-thirds of the cost of eligible works, up to £5,000, which could help families save up to £600 a year on energy bills. Low income households will be eligible for up to 100 per cent government funding up to £10,000.

Glastonbury building contractors Melhuish and Saunders are running a competition for children to design their Christmas card for 2020.

The design must be Christmassy, but can incorporate essential workers who have been supporting us all this year.

Temporary traffic lights are planned to be in use at a junction on the B3151 in Meare this week.

The multi-way lights are due to be in place at the junction of the B3151 St Mary's Road and Ashcott Road on Wednesday (September 30) and Thursday (October 1).

Glastonbury MP James Heappey says he is "delighted" with the announcement that the town will receive half a million pounds as part of the kickstart funding allocated to towns chosen for the Towns Fund project.

The government's Towns Fund is targeted at areas with a proud heritage which have not always benefitted from economic growth.

Fly-tipping incidents in Somerset rose by more than 50 per cent during the first three months of lockdown.

The Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) has published statistics comparing fly-tipping levels during the early lockdown to the same period in 2019.

Avon and Somerset Police are appealing for the public's help to find wanted man Toby Squire, who has links to Glastonbury.

The 30-year-old is wanted in connection with offences of affray, blackmail, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

Glastonbury company Candlelight Care has announced that Gabi Oke will be its first Dignity Champion.

Dignity Champions are part of the Dignity in Care campaign, run by the National Dignity Council. To date 100,000 people have signed up to be Dignity Champions, all pledging to challenge poor care, to act as good role models and, through specific guidelines issued by the campaign, to educate and inform all those working around them.