News | Page 28

About 270 jobs at North Somerset Council are under future threat due to a programme of cuts amounting to £47 million. Conservative leader, Nigel Ashton, said the cause was further reductions in government funding and predicted jobs and services would be affected.

There is the possibility of up to 150 jobs disappearing in Swindon. Nokia Siemens is getting rid of about a third of its 400 research staff at Kembrey Park. The news follows the announcement in May that Virgin Media would be closing its call centre in Trowbridge which puts 450 people out of work.

Anyone who can identify the people in footage issued of the Bristol riots is being asked to contact police. Violent unrest began in the Stokes Croft and St Pauls area of the city on Monday, August 8 and there was smaller scale disorder in the city the following day.

The Orchard pub in Bristol Road, Quedgeley, was destroyed as flames ripped through its two floors. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service had 14 vehicles tackling the fire. It had broken out in the early hours of the morning.

A £20 million plant is being built at Northacre in Westbury which will treat up to 60,000 tonnes of the South-West’s household waste per annum. The proportion of the county’s refuse being diverted away from landfill will increase from about 63 per cent to more than 80 per cent.

There could be more deaths after the closure of two coastguard stations – this was the verdict of a man whose nephew drowned in Devon. John Smith’s nephew, Mark Woodward, drowned at Rapparee Cove in Ilfracombe in 1989.

A new store in Exeter will create 120 more jobs than originally planned. The firm John Lewis was going to take over five floors of a building in Sidwell Street, but has now been given approval to occupy all 11 floors.

Crews have tackled a blaze at Writhlington School near Radstock. Avon Fire and Rescue Service said it was not yet known how the fire – which took place in the assembly hall – had started.

‘Serious safety concerns’ have been raised about government plans to close some UK coastguard centres – one of those at risk being Lee on Solent and Portland.

In a boost to the South West market, almost 700 posts will be created when relocating to Porton Down. The jobs are being moved to the military research laboratory at Salisbury following a defence review. The local MP is battling for the future of 800 staff at the Health Protection Agency (HPA) at Porton Down.

Devon and Cornwall’s rural areas will be hit the most by police spending cuts, the area’s police federation claims. There are fears the measures will mean fewer community officers.

A Trowbridge car sales company is offering a reward after an arson attack at the premises. Eve Aylesbury of AMS Cars said the fire caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and added she wanted those responsible for Saturday’s (May 28) fire to be caught.