OVER recent weeks the debate around the new Somerset Council has got underway.

As probably one of the youngest candidates for these elections and the youngest district Councillor in Somerset West & Taunton, I am often surprised by the Conservatives basing their whole campaign on the events of twenty to thirty years ago - some of which precede my birth!

Whilst learning from the past is important in making the right decisions, we should be rooting our debate not in what has gone before but in what is possible for our future.

One thing is clear. We need a positive and ambitious plan for our town and for our County.

A vision that looks forwards, not backwards. To keep looking behind us is to miss what is ahead of us - that which is possible and the things we can achieve.

A plan to tackle the housing crisis, real action on the climate emergency, innovation and jobs - these are the things that have an impact on local people’s lives and will secure a positive future for our community.

I am delighted to be standing as part of a dynamic and skilled team who have a plan that delivers this vision.

This May, only the Lib Dems are offering a solution that is forward-thinking and puts the heart back into Somerset.

As the debate progresses, I sincerely hope it will focus on what is possible, not what has been. Yes we should learn from the past, but we shouldn’t live in it. Let’s be brave, let’s be ambitious and let’s build a bright future for Taunton and for Somerset.

Cllr Tom Deakin

SWT Councillor and Lib Dem Candidate for Taunton North