POSTBAG last week crystallised the gulf between current reality and aspiration for Taunton.

Taunton has an aging population and relatively low incomes.

There is evident attachment to “how things were”. This is a drag on progress.

Maintaining the status quo will not make things better!

Taunton is now a garden town. It aspires to be a vibrant, culturally abundant and environmentally sensitive place to live.

Making this happen needs a major shift in priorities.

We need to attract new, higher skilled, higher pay businesses and build the infrastructure to support this.

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We must ensure plans prioritise the environment and build housing appropriate for a younger demographic. Approval should be denied to projects which are not compliant.

We must create a town centre which is attractive to all the community, not protect failing businesses.

We need a transport infrastructure fit for 2030 onwards, not just fix current problems with existing solutions.

The council, over the last decade or more, has been proven incapable of making this happen - Firepool being very visible evidence of failure.

They should be held to account for this, but recognise they need our support to make major changes happen.

TERRY WARNER
Taunton