LD regained this seat from Con — last held it in 2010.
MP News Approval i
+54
Adam Dance
Liberal DemocratsAdam Dance is the Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Yeovil has been mixed for Adam across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Adam Dance: Why I want stronger protections for domestic abuse victims” — Chard&Ilminster News
“Adam Dance: My concerns over child maintenance and domestic abuse” — Somerset County Gaz
A safe LD seat, won with 49% of the vote in 2024. Covers Yeovil, Chard and Crewkerne. Population 112,002, notably older (median age 46 vs 41 nationally).
Yeovil District Hospital maternity services and Special Care Baby Unit to reopen
Somerset County Gaz · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£27,300
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£33,100
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,460
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
51
36 primary, 5 secondary, 10 other
Total Income Tax▼
£245m
from 56,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,660
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£4,360
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
43.3
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
62.8%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 4 towns, 10 villages, rural areas — 104,745 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
22 councillors across 11 wards · Last elections: May 2022
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brympton | Liberal Democrats | Jeny Snell | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Jeremy Seib | May 2022 | |
| Chard North | Liberal Democrats | Jenny Kenton | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Martin John Wale | May 2022 | |
| Chard South | Conservative and Unionist Party | Connor Anthony Payne | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Jason Baker | May 2022 | |
| Coker | Liberal Democrats | Mike Hewitson | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Oliver Patrick | May 2022 | |
| Crewkerne | Liberal Democrats | Mike Best | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Steve Ashton | May 2022 | |
| Ilminster | Conservative and Unionist Party | Sue Osborne | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Val Keitch | May 2022 | |
| South Petherton Islemoor | Liberal Democrats | Adam Dance | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Jo Roundell Greene | May 2022 | |
| Yeovil Central | Liberal Democrats | Andy Kendall | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Dave Woan | May 2022 | |
| Yeovil East | Liberal Democrats | Graham John Oakes | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Tony Lock | May 2022 | |
| Yeovil South | Liberal Democrats | Andy Soughton | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Faye Purbrick | May 2022 | |
| Yeovil West | Liberal Democrats | Evie Potts-Jones | May 2022 |
| Liberal Democrats | Wes Read | May 2022 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD | 23,765 | 48.5% | |
Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 11,497 | 23.5% |
| Ref | 7,677 | 15.7% | |
| Lab | 3,002 | 6.1% | |
| Green | 2,403 | 4.9% | |
| Ind | 608 | 1.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 34,588 | 58.4% |
| LD | 18,407 | 31.1% | |
| Lab | 3,761 | 6.3% | |
| Green | 1,629 | 2.8% | |
| Ind | 689 | 1.2% | |
| Ind | 186 | 0.3% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 32,369 | 54.5% |
| LD | 17,646 | 29.7% | |
| Lab | 7,418 | 12.5% | |
| Green | 1,052 | 1.8% | |
| Ind | 919 | 1.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 24,178 | 42.5% |
Won 2010 GE | LD | 18,865 | 33.1% |
| Ind | 7,646 | 13.4% | |
| Lab | 4,053 | 7.1% | |
| Green | 2,191 | 3.9% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD | 31,843 | 55.7% | |
| Con | 18,807 | 32.9% | |
| Lab | 2,991 | 5.2% | |
| Ind | 2,357 | 4.1% | |
| Ind | 1,162 | 2.0% |
Adam Dance has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
7 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Yeovil District Hospital's maternity services and Special Care Baby Unit will reopen on April 21 after temporary closure since May 2025 due to safety concerns. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has implemented comprehensive safety improvements, including recruiting new paediatric consultants, installing infrastructure upgrades, and establishing cross-site clinical leadership.
Natasha Blackmore, a former teacher at Westfield Academy in Yeovil, has been banned from teaching indefinitely after a professional conduct panel found she shared inappropriate personal details with pupils, spent excessive time with them, contacted them via personal social media, and met them outside school without authorisation. The case highlights serious safeguarding concerns at a local secondary school.
St Gildas Catholic Primary School in Yeovil organised Easter-themed events including prayer walks, an Easter bonnet parade, and charitable donations to the Lord's Larder. The school emphasises spiritual growth, community involvement, and kindness alongside academic achievement.
A new Italian restaurant called Atrium has opened on Yeovil High Street, replacing the long-standing Tamburino's venue. The opening was officially inaugurated by Mayor Tony Lock and generated strong early interest, selling out weeks in advance.
Yeovil Town Football Club's holding company has received a strike-off notice from Companies House due to a minor administrative discrepancy involving non-UK director name formatting under new verification rules. The club has characterised the issue as a routine administrative matter and expects resolution within days with no impact on day-to-day operations.
A Yeovil woman was given a suspended sentence after assaulting three police officers at her home in January. The case highlights mental health vulnerabilities and social difficulties affecting local residents, with the defendant showing remorse and re-engaging with mental health services.
Five months of roadworks near Crewkerne railway station have begun on Station Road to construct a new junction linking the Wool Gardens housing development. The work is causing significant traffic disruption, with campaign groups criticizing delays in delivering the promised link road that was supposed to be critical infrastructure before major development phases.
More than 100 people from Chard's churches participated in a Good Friday reenactment of Jesus's crucifixion walk on April 3, 2026, bringing the town centre to a standstill. The event by Chard Churches Together was described as a successful community celebration, featuring costumed actors, hymns, and prayers.
A listings article covering cultural and sporting events across South Somerset for April 8-14, 2026, including theatre screenings, live performances, and a Yeovil Town football match at Hewish Park.
A teacher at Westfield Academy secondary school in Yeovil has been banned indefinitely by the Teaching Regulation Agency for inappropriate professional conduct, including sharing details about her personal life, drinking, and smoking with pupils, and developing overly familiar relationships with students. The case highlights safeguarding concerns at a local school despite a parent's assertion that nothing 'underhand' was occurring.
A design and technology teacher at Westfield Academy in Yeovil has been banned from the classroom after breaching professional boundaries with pupils by sharing inappropriate personal details about her relationships, drinking, and social life. The Teaching Regulation Agency found she spent excessive unsupervised time with pupils and allowed them to contact her via personal social media, though no evidence of harm to pupils was found.
Over 40 people participated in a sponsored fire walk in Yeovil on February 27 to raise funds for St Margaret's Hospice Care, a local charity providing end-of-life care and support. The event raised over £2,600, which will fund 35 community nurse visits for the hospice's patients across Somerset.
Watercombe Lane in Yeovil will close for 31 days from April 13 to May 13 for gas mains replacement works by Wales & West Utilities. The 116-metre closure will affect traffic between Preston Road and Westbourne Grove junctions.
Silver Street in Ilminster will close for three nights in April for BT Openreach ducting work, with short diversions in place and minimal expected disruption to residents.
A coroner's office is appealing for help locating the next of kin of a 76-year-old man, Alan Smith, who died at his home in Halstock near Yeovil on 26 March. The death is not suspicious and no police investigation is underway.
A road near Chard in Somerset has been partially closed due to badger burrowing causing a structural defect. The council must obtain a license from Natural England before repairs can begin, as badgers are a protected species.
Yeovil's Octagon Theatre, closed for three years, is set to undergo a £15m regeneration beginning January 2027, with reopening expected between 2028-2029. Somerset Council has secured planning permission and is seeking a £10m government grant to fund the project, with remaining costs covered by Yeovil Town Council, ticket levies, and fundraising.
Over 200 motorcyclists participated in the inaugural Mad March Hare Charity Motorcycle Run, which finished in Yeovil and raised £1,800 for The Royal British Legion. The event, organized by Mick Clark, started at Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford and routed through Wiltshire, Dorset, and Somerset, with organisers hoping to make it an annual event.
A Yeovil man was given a 40-month driving ban after his third drink driving conviction, also driving without insurance or a valid licence. The case highlights persistent traffic safety and alcohol-related crime issues in the local area.
Avon and Somerset Police issued a public appeal to locate Tommy Tremayne, 33, in connection with a robbery incident. Tremayne has links to Yeovil and was last seen on a bike wearing a cream coat.
The Arrow pub in Yeovil has completed a £480,000 refurbishment and secured approval for amended licensing conditions, including extended opening hours. Local MP Adam Dance attended the reopening ceremony, and the pub is positioned to benefit from upcoming events including the 2028 European Championships.
A 48-year-old woman reported missing from Dorset County Hospital on March 25 was spotted in Yeovil town centre on March 27. Police are appealing for public information to help locate her, citing growing welfare concerns.
A partnership between Chard schools, the Coreus Foundation, and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is providing free monthly reading books to all children born in Chard for their first year. The initiative aims to enhance early literacy and reading enjoyment in the community.
Somerset Council has secured £15m funding for a major regeneration of Yeovil's Octagon Theatre, but budget constraints mean solar panels and heat pumps will not be included in the initial design, despite councillor concerns about long-term energy costs. The project will proceed with procurement beginning in April, with construction expected to start in January 2027.
Park home residents in Ilminster near Yeovil face a decade-long wait for flood protection improvements, despite experiencing severe flooding in October 2021. Local MP Adam Dance was mentioned as being involved in discussions with the Environment Agency and farming advisors, while the council has committed to some short-term work on drainage within 3-6 months.
Three friends from Yeovil and Crewkerne completed a 30-mile charity walk along the Dorset coast dressed in inflatable red nose costumes, raising £265 for Comic Relief. The group, calling themselves Apollo Velvet, successfully navigated the two-day coastal path while wearing the novelty costumes.
Yeovil MP Adam Dance has secured a commitment to roll out lung cancer screening across the UK by 2030. This represents a healthcare policy achievement for the constituency's representative.
Adam Dance raises concerns in Parliament about gaps in the Child Maintenance Service that leave domestic abuse survivors in financial hardship, and highlights the particular challenges faced by survivors in rural areas like Yeovil who struggle to access support services without reliable transport. He calls for stronger legal protections, better funding for specialist services, and recognition that domestic abuse affects men as well as women.
Ilminster Entertainment Society won the Somerset Drama Festival for the eighth time, with nine drama groups across Somerset competing at Ilminster's Warehouse Theatre on March 21-22. The festival showcased diverse theatrical performances and was praised for high-quality productions and audience engagement.
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