Gideon's MP Column

When it comes to strengthening our town centre and local economy, bringing more visitors to Taunton and providing more employment opportunities, it is hard to ignore the graceful River Tone and our waterways.

As well as working to get investment in reducing river pollution and campaigning to end the scandal of sewage dumping, my vision is to see our waterways once again support leisure and business craft right into the town centre.

Longer term residents will remember the Talk of the Tone, the floating restaurant moored by Tone Bridge. If you have any memories of the restaurant or photos to share, please do write to me – OfficeofGideonAmos@parliament.uk

Sadly, rivercraft can't currently reach Taunton at all, and it has been years since boats could navigate into the heart of town. Mending Firepool Lock would make that possible again and go some way to kick-starting activity on the water.

To make the point, and with help from Taunton Rowing Club, I took to the water with the Canal and River Trust, rowing from Firepool Lock up to French Weir, past the Cooper Associates County Ground, the Brewhouse and Goodland Gardens, to show how our river needs to be better cared for.

I am fond of a swim at French Weir, a site I secured Bathing Water Status for, alongside the Friends of French Weir Park, before I became an MP.

New water quality sensors have now been installed there, and having the right information is the vital first step in planning what investment is needed.

Once up and running, you'll be able to check the quality of the water at the very moment you want to go boating or even take a dip.

Taunton is unmistakably a riverside town. To unleash its potential, we need to reverse years of neglect.

So, I am pleased that Taunton Town Council has taken up my suggestion to facilitate a Waterways Working Group, led by former Mayor Cllr Martin Straus, with me as vice-chair.

It brings together the town council, Somerset Council, the Environment Agency and the Canal and River Trust, and a multi-agency approach to our waterways is now under way.

The group's first meeting focused on repairing and maintaining what we already have, something too often ignored by funding pots geared towards new infrastructure.

There is no point building new things on our waterways if we cannot mend broken locks or manage riverbanks left to grow out of control.

The Prime Minister has promised growth in every postcode. Supporting towns like Taunton and Wellington to be creative with what makes them unique would be a welcome way to deliver it.

Defra found an extra £6.5 million back in February to support the repair and maintenance of canals in Manchester, Birmingham, and London. The South West deserves it share, especially in Taunton where the economic impact would be significant.

Of course, to strengthen our economy we need Andy Burnham to get the basics right. He must reverse to the National Insurance hike under Kier Starmer, fix broken business rates, and reform a social care system which is crippling for local authorities.

Yet we cannot have a Prime Minister who just undoes damage; we need optimism, entrepreneurship, jobs, and training opportunities for the one million young people aged 16 to 24 who are classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training).

In Taunton and Wellington, everything from waterways to healthcare and from retail to professional services must be a part of that, and we need to take every opportunity we have to make our area a place to visit as well as conduct business.

Local business growth must be a priority, and I would encourage business owners to come along to my ‘Meet the MP’ event with Taunton Chamber of Commerce on September 11.

We'll cover everything from local issues to what new Chancellor John Healey's first Budget might hold – for more information visit eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-business-meet-the-mp-event-tickets-1990395817470.