Here's our latest podacst: Somerset Spotlight - No 5 Anna Sabine, MP for Frome and East Somerset talks to Sam Saunders (Fome FM) and Andrew Lee (Somerset Confidential). somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-s...

LibDem councillor Ashley Richards has resigned from Yeovil Town Council. We look at his resignation statement and at the questions he raises. It shines a light on poor financial control and local misgivings about the council’s plans for the Octagon. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/libdem-sla...

As local charity The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance launches a fund raising campaign for a new helicopter, James Garrett questions if they really need the money? And even if did would they then need to fundraise each year to cover running costs? somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/chopper-sh...

Police called in to Life Factory project open.substack.com/pub/somerset...

Today on Classical Byways we are listening to: Johann Otto Uhde. To listen and find out about another forgotten composer follow the link below: classicalbyways.substack.com/p/johann-ott...

An oddity today for #stainedglassSunday -we are back in #York at #AllSaints Pavement. The glass is from a late 14th century window depicting scenes from the crucifiction. The one below is the doubt of #StThomas However the glass is from #StSavioursChurch and was reassembled here in the 19th c

It is now hard to tell if this is @bbcbreaking-bot.bsky.social stupidity or just a lack of sub Ed’s “volunteering on the Camino while completing the 40km (25 mile) route.” FFS how long? 25 miles? The Camino runs from central France to Santiago in Galicia. You should know that…

There’s another vast solar installation on farmland near #Somerton. RAAC concrete is being removed from a #Somerset hospital that said it didn’t have any. Then there’s election results from #Chard with another one coming up in #Frome. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

This week we get some #Orwellian double speak around the discharging of patients with no criteria to reside. Fewer beds will make the job easier apparently. That's #Somerset ICB but the situation in #NorthSomerset is no better.... somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

This week on Classical Byways we move seamlessly from last week's Leonardo to a Leonarda. This one was a nun for nearly 70 years, but more or less invented or at least popularised the sonata.... classicalbyways.substack.com/p/isabella-l...

While Somerset Council fail to collect the (over £46m) council tax that they are owed, they have been hounding a terminally ill man for council tax he does not owe. James Garrett investigates. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/hitting-a-...

This week we are off to #York for #stainedglassSunday and to #StMartin le grande. Here in a panel on a series of windows dedicated to the life of St Martin we have inset the picture of the donor who paid for the window. Mid 15th century. The red and blue colours are sumptuous.

Today for #saintsonSaturday we visit #StEdmunds Church in #Southwold in #Suffolk and one of the most richly decorated screens in the county. It dates to the mid 15th century. Here we see #StPaul, defaced slightly during the 17th century but still recognisable and resplendent.

Councillors approve a new stadium for Bath Rugby, but that’s not where the story ends. Finally we take a look at not paying your taxes. How much difference is there between tax avoidance and tax evasion? somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

There’s a by-election for B&NES Council in Widcombe but one candidate claiming to be local was claiming to be local in Warminster just 4 months ago. We take a closer look. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

In Somerton the new Slinky bus service is so successful that it is to be trialled in Taunton, Wellington and Bridgwater. Now that North Somerset is trying to join WECA, might a new mayoral authority be possible for Wessex? We take a closer look. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

This week we have another packed news round-up up starting with new data showing that Somerset is the osteoporosis capital of England. We ask why? The Langport merger with Huish Episcopi is signed off, and now Castle Cary and Ansford join in. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

With our apologies, we intended publishing this piece two weeks ago but it vanished, accidentally, from the publication schedule. Anyway, its here now and takes a look at what a Roman villa found in Langport tells us about life under the Romans. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-l...

Today we visit the church of #Chesterton in #Cambridgeshire for #WallpaintingWednesday. In a detail from the #Dome painting on the chancel arch, This wonderfully gleeful devil pushed a couple of frankly unrepentant sinners towards eternal damnation....

What a joy to see such a large crowd celebrating and venerating a chap from Turkey who if he ever came to Britain would have come as an immigrant.

This week planners at Bath & North East Somerset Council must decide the fate of the Rec. Gifted to the citizens of Bath for recreation, a section of it is occupied by Bath Rugby. Some say illegally. Not so say the club. Battle lines have been drawn! somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/the-sack-o...

Today we are in #Gloucestershire again for #stainedglassSunday this time visiting the fine abbey at Tewkesbury on the border with #Worcestershire. The windows of the chancel display a collection of Kings, Prophets and Knights. Here we have an unnamed prophet. The glass is mid 14th century.

An unusual "saint" today for #SaintsonSaturday in the form of this painting of King #HenryVI at #Widdecombe Church on #Dartmoor in #Devon Although the pope was petitioned to make Henry a saint, he was never formally confirmed as one. Yet here he is on a panel among other saints.

A hint as to what to expect from our next podcast with #Frome FM out next month. #AnnaSabineMP

This from the #FT “Southern Water’s managing director for water,” So if he’s MD for water, the company’s called Southern Water for heavens sake - what other MDs do they have and what do they do?

An independent report into the role of Scrutiny confirms many of the issues we have raised about Somerset Council, and raises concerns about further restrictions on public questions to the council. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

In #Martock a developer appears to flout a planning condition while Somerset Council sit on their hands. Why no enforcement? somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

A new report into the loss of farmland identifies shows that good grade agricultural land is being lost more rapidly in Somerset than elsewhere in the country. Do our councillors actually understand the issue of food security. You can more here: somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

This week we take a look at some pretty big topics, all of which have hit the news for different reasons. Somerset Council appointed consultants Newton in their search for £101m in savings. But do the sums add up? somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

This is not our full news round-up but we have just received a progress report from Yeovil Hospital on maternity services and thought we should share this immediately somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/progress-b...

For #wallpaintingWednesday today we are off to #StAlbans in #Hertfordshire. Better known for its #Roman remains the abbey boasts some mediaeval gems of its own. Here, almost overlooked, a painting on a pillar of #StWilliam of #York. Probably late 13th century.

It has taken a long time to extract the info from #Somerset Council, but finally we can tell the full story of the Life Factory in #Glastonbury. Including when payments were made and who didn’t ask questions. A story that needs to be told. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/ask-no-que...

As #StainedGlassSunday rolls around once more. This time we're off to #Cirencester in #Gloucestershire and these rather lovely mediaeval fragments from the Church of John the Baptist dating most likely from the late 15th century.

Today's rather late #SaintsonSaturday takes us to #Kimbolton Church in #Cambridgeshire for this (slightly defaced) and unusually armoured #StEdmund complete with the arrows of his martyrdom... The paintings probably date from 15th century

And finally, there is the ongoing saga of the Octagon and a fractious Yeovil Town Council meeting on Tuesday. Why is the council only willing to consider one option? somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

In Keinton Mandeville, an impressive turn out of Somerset Councillors (Including 2 portfolio holders) fails to dissuade residents from attempting a Judicial Review of a council planning decision. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

In #Chard there seems to be some confusion about what democracy is, with one candidate complaining that by-elections waste tax payers money. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

This week we invite resident Ian Tinsley to talk about the fraught business of selling a retirement home. It turns out this can be a minefield of unexpected costs Bridgwater is to have a new Post Office, but the Post Office Ltd has gone very coy about whether they will be putting money in or not.

Just love @privateeyenews.bsky.social cartoons…..

@somersetconf.bsky.social and I had a great chat with @somersetcouncil.bsky.social Cllr Theo Butt Philip, lead member for transformation, first broadcast on #FromeFM. In it we we cover: -Theo's background in local politics in Somerset. \/ 1/3 somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-s...

In our latest podcast with Frome FM we invite Cllr Theo Butt-Philip to talk about the transformation project at Somerset Council as they try to find over £100m in budget savings. Theo explains the plan and faces questions from Andrew and Sam. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-s...

David Warburton. An obituary. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/david-warb...

Today's offering from Classical Byways takes us to 16th century Milan classicalbyways.substack.com/p/giovanni-p...

Somerset Council’s predecessor councils borrowed heavily to fund an investment property portfolio. But what about the other Somerset councils. How did North Somerset and B&NES manage? And now they are saddled with debt, how are they managing it? somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/now-you-se...

Today for #SaintsonSaturday it is back to #Norfolk and the #NorfolkBroads. This image of St #Agnes is from the glorious screen in #Ranworth Church. The painted panel is 15th century, a vast canvas on which to picture the saints and a riot of colour. A wonderful mediaeval survivor

There’s another carehome under scrutiny, this time near #Glastonbury, where a Requires Improvement rating has been given. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

The EA’s blanket spraying of glyphosate may be working, but is it a cancer risk. And are weeds developing resistance to glyphosate? And some curious statements emerge from a by-election for Chard Town Council. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

The new planning regime announced by Somerset Council doesn’t seem to be applied consistently. We question a lack of enforcement at Westonzoyland where a retrospective planning application is being considered. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

As the bird flu outbreak in #Yeovil is successfully contained, a new outbreak is found at #Evercreech – which Defra describes as #Frome! We look at the latest report of purchasing by #Somerset Council which failed to follow the council’s own rules. somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/somerset-t...

James Garrett investigates the strange case of a boundary wall between National Trust property and the University of Bath. The wall was recently repaired. Not a cheap exercise either. But who should pay for it? somersetconfidential.substack.com/p/another-br...