TAUNTON Deane MP Rebecca Pow took centre stage at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester to introduce three Secretaries of State – Amber Rudd (Energy and Climate Change) Greg Clark (Communities and Local Government) and Liz Truss (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

Ms Pow highlighted Taunton Deane at every opportunity, pressing the point with the 30 other Conservative MPs that swept the board in the election, she would be pushing forward to deliver on promises made.

She outlined the progress made to breathe new life into the Somerset Levels by the Government following the devastating flooding, as well as referring to the growth in the local economy.

And, referring to Chancellor George Osborne’s visit to Taunton’s Ministry of Cake, she joked that he is “more adept at running the economy than icing a carrot cake”.

She praised Mr Osborne for his announcement about business rates.

She said: “Business rates are constantly raised with me by local businesses right across Taunton and Wellington and I've been feeding in ideas and suggestions for change to the Treasury.

“So I was delighted to hear George Osborne’s announcement that local government will be able to keep the rates they collect from local businesses and that powers to reduce business rates will be devolved to local authorities.

“This illustrates how this government really is dedicated to putting more power in the hands of local people.”