West Hatch
| West Hatch | |
|---|---|
 Church of St Andrew, West Hatch |
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 West Hatch
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| West Hatch shown within Somerset | |
| Population | 306 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | ST286209 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TAUNTON |
| Postcode district | TA3 |
| Dialling code | 01823 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | |
West Hatch is a hamlet and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated 5 miles (8.0 km) south east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. It has a population of 306.
The name of the hamlet indicates it lies to the west of Hatch Beauchamp.
The parish of West Hatch was part of the North Curry Hundred. The manor, along with North Curry, was granted to the Bishop of Wells by Richard I in 1189 and then to the dean and chapter of Wells Cathedral.
West Hatch has been the home of an RSPCA Little Creech centre since 1963, when the 17th century farm was purchased for the charity. A new purpose-built centre was constructed in 1997. During the cleanup operation after the beaching of the MSC Napoli cargo ship off the coast of Devon in January 2007, the majority of seabirds covered in oil were sent to the West Hatch RSPCA to be cleaned. It is one of two RSPCA centres in the UK used for this purpose and its work is often featured on national television.
The parish council has responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council’s operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, district council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of crime, security, and traffic. The parish council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with the district council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.
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