As we prepare for our journey through the third decade of this new millennium something has become more apparent than ever, shown in sharp relief against the machinations and power-plays of Westminster politics, and it is this. For all the talk of economic regeneration for The North, more police in London, and the promise of ‘sunlit uplands’ through the medium of Brexit and grand trade deals with international partners, the South West lies forgotten once more.

Why should it be that our corner of the country which suffered so much at the hands of Dr Beeching continues to feel the strain of economic depression through lack of government engagement? It’s time for us to demand better for the Western counties, and for me that means Somerset.

The road to economic regeneration is a long one, and convoluted, and if we are to make a success of it for our future and the futures of our children, we have to lay well-planned, solid foundations. As I am sure I have mentioned before, I believe education to be the most trusted panacea for all our societal ills. The natural product of a well-rounded education creates a skilled and diverse workforce that will attract an equally diverse industrial base, which in turn will provide solid foundations for local industry, for a stable local economy, and for positive interaction with the National economy.

I must state unequivocally that I do not believe education to be the sole preserve of industrial preparation (if you haven’t seen Sir Ken Robinson’s astonishing presentation on the future of education, please click here to have your perception of the subject tested). Learning anything, from knitting to mechanical engineering, from French literature to software design, is not purely a tool to create pathways into employment, it is so much more than that. Education is the foundation of everything we cherish as a society, but in this instance, in the regeneration of our Somerset communities, it is the tool that will lead us to economic stability and a financially sound future.

So where to start? It becomes a circular question. To attract industry into our county and create jobs, we need a strong workforce. To create a strong workforce we need the support of industry. I have a burning conviction that these two sides of the balance, the workers and the industry they drive, would self-regulate to provide their own solutions if we put one last piece of the puzzle in place, that piece being transport infrastructure.

Viable industry will not break into new areas of the country unless there are strong transport links to support it, and this is where it all begins. We must start with reversing or replacing the cuts made by Dr Beeching, then by opening up access to the M4, M5, and A303 for the currently isolated areas around our larger towns.

So my proposal is this. A push at county level to simultaneously expand secondary school, college, and university places across the whole of Somerset while petitioning central government to deliver funding to restore rail infrastructure, and to expand access to the M4 and M5 corridors. This would run alongside the promotion and redevelopment of brownfield sites with the assurance of grant support and associated financial and practical incentives to attract industrial organisations which will provide jobs, homes, and a stable financial future for us and future generations.

We must be wary of succumbing to the madness of pursuing the historically approved solutions to our problems and expecting different or improved results.