Author: Lesley Webb

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKSC/bulletins/4273bbc

There will be no recycling or rubbish collections on bank holiday Monday 31 August, Somerset Council has announced.

All collections will take place one day later than usual following the bank holiday. For those who usually have a Friday collection, their collection will be rescheduled to Saturday 5 September.

Collection dayMonday, 31 August	Revised collection dayTuesday, 1 September
Collection dayTuesday, 1 September	Revised collection dayWednesday, 2 September
Collection dayWednesday, 2 September	Revised collection dayThursday, 3 September
Collection dayThursday, 3 September	Revised collection dayFriday, 4 September
Collection dayFriday, 4 September	Revised collection daySaturday, 5 September

Resident’s bins, boxes and bags should be put out on the revised collection day or the night before.

If opening on a Monday is part of your local recycling centres’ opening days, then it will be open as usual from 9am to 6pm on Bank Holiday Monday.

To help manage the increased volume of recycling, residents are encouraged to make extra space in their recycling boxes by crushing and flattening their recyclables. This simple step can make a difference to help reduce the number of trips crews need to make to empty their vehicles.

For more information about what the Council collects or to check a collection day, visit the Council’s waste pages.

I’m pleased to be sending you our 11^th Annual Report, for 2025-26. You can read the whole report online at SRA Annual Report 2025-26 – Somerset Rivers Authority.

In the report, you will find details of dozens of SRA-funded activities across Somerset between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026, all done to reduce the risks and impacts of flooding.

At the SRA, we fund extra flood-related work so that our partners (and others) can do more for Somerset than they would otherwise be able to.

The last year has been perhaps the most significant year since the SRA was launched in 2015. Last September saw the completion of our major improvements along the River Sowy – King’s Sedgemoor Drain (KSD), where bank-raising means more water can now be discharged faster from the Somerset Levels and Moors. Since then, events have included near-disastrous floods in January, a ministerial visit in February, the May 2026 report of the government’s Climate Change Committee, and June’s announcement from the Government of £50million extra for Somerset flood resilience.

Some would judge that January was the peak of our endeavours, because the completed KSD work protected Moorland from flooding. Others would say that we are now launched on a period of significant improvement thanks to the £50m additional funding from government. I would say that we will never completely prevent flooding, but we will keep persevering with keeping it under control to the extent that climate change permits. Right now we’re awaiting storm deluges following the summer’s heatwaves; they’ll fall on dry ground so may cause flash flooding.

Local organisations – parishes and local flood groups – will play an increasing role.

Our own Community Flood Action Fund (CFAF) is already helping many communities reduce risk.

Please consider whether this Fund could help your area too.

Because a lot can be achieved through working together on local priorities, as I hope you will see throughout this annual report.

This is my last annual report as I am standing down from Somerset Council next May. I am deeply grateful for the efficient and good-humoured support of the whole SRA team over the past 4 years, and wish my successor well.

Please get in touch with us if you have any comments or questions.

Regards,

Mike

Cllr Mike Stanton, Chair of Somerset Rivers Authority

sra@somerset.gov.uk

Watchet Beach Clean & Litter Pick
Saturday 5 September, 10:00 – 11:30, meet West Street beach slipway
Meet at 10:00am on the slipway to West Street Beach. Wear suitable footwear and bring gardening gloves. We’ll provide litter pickers and sacks.

We’ll be picking up litter along the beach, coast path and around the town. 

After about an hour, all those taking part are invited back to The Sanctuary in Swain Street where all that’s collected will be sorted and refreshments served.

Come with friends or as a family group.
All under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Do drop us a line to say you’re coming on Sat 5 Sept, if you can, and if you’ve got a little extra time on the day to help with setting up or sorting what’s collected we’d love to hear from you. 
pfwcommunitylead@gmail.com