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Taunton MP Gideon Amos has paid tribute to the town’s boxing club after accepting an invitation to attend one of its training nights. He visited the club’s HQ off Wood Street to meet coaches as well as both senior and junior boxers. Mr Amos, who also stepped into the ring to throw a few practice punches, said afterwards: “It was an absolute pleasure to visit, thank the volunteers and congratulate the youngsters and adults on their commitment to the club. “Whenever I’m invited

An innovative scheme to take dental care advice into local primary schools – with a touch of magic – was launched in Somerset yesterday (Monday). Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, has joined forces with The Magic Dentist charity to provide sessions across the constituency via an ‘Adopt a School’ programme. The scheme will see dental practices visit schools to provide education on oral hygiene and care – all delivered through magic. It comes after Mr Amos launched a de

From left, Gideon Amos MP, Matthew Pennycook MP, Cllr Habib Farbahi and Cllr Mike Rigby. A delegation from Taunton travelled to London for talks with Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook, on how essential infrastructure can be delivered in the county town. It follows the development of 2,000 new homes at Orchard Grove and national government targets for further major housing growth in Somerset. The meeting was arranged by Gideon Amos MP who was accompanied by Somerset Council’

Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, challenged the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, to extend the rollout of solar panels to car parks and warehouse during a Parliamentary debate yesterday (Tuesday). Following a Liberal Democrat Private Member's Bill, new Building Regulations were published this week requiring developers to fit solar panels as standard on all new houses that are built.  Mr Amos, the party’s spokesperson for housing and communities, is backing their campai

Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, toured a local company which has been supplying vital medical equipment to war-torn Ukraine. ESU Medical Solutions, based on Westpark at Chelston, aims to help healthcare professionals improve the lives of their patients. Its Managing Director, Periwinkle Kaur, said: “We were delighted to welcome Gideon to ESU Medical Solutions. “It was a great opportunity to showcase how our team supports the healthcare sector, both locally and inter

Bloor Homes has held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the official start of construction on a crucial spine road that will provide access to Wellington's new £20m railway station. The ceremony was attended by Gideon Amos MP (Taunton & Wellington), who cut the first turf to get work under way, alongside and senior members of Bloor Homes’ Exeter team. It comes soon after Somerset Council's planning committee west unanimously granted full planning permission for Bloor Homes’ de

Wellington’s MP Gideon Amos officially opened a third pharmacy for the town this week. Allied Pharmacies has taken over the former Jhoots premises behind the now-closed Luson Surgery in Mantle Street. Mr Amos has campaigned for improved pharmacy provision in the town after it was reduced to only two outlets last year. The facility run by Boots at Wellington Medical Centre in Mantle Street closed two years ago while the Jhoots pharmacy shut last September. Mr Amos said: “Welli

A Health Minister has agreed to meet Taunton’s MP Gideon Amos to discuss bringing forward a new maternity and paediatric unit for Musgrove Park Hospital. The unit has been included in the government’s funding programme – but isn’t scheduled to happen until 2033. Mr Amos has been campaigning for the work to be brought forward and raised the issue in Parliament during a Westminster Hall debate on NHS capital spending. He described the “dire state” of the current maternity unit.

A huge hike in business rates for a Taunton garden centre was highlighted in Parliament yesterday (Tuesday). Local MP Gideon Amos was speaking in reply to the Spring Statement by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves. He said: “Monkton Elm Garden Centre, with its 400-cover restaurant employing 120 staff, has been hit by a £70,000 increase in its business rates this year as part of £178,000 in costs put on by the last Budget. “If the Government will not accept the 5% cut in VAT that t

Wellington’s MP Gideon Amos has said it is “great news” that the town is going to have a third pharmacy again. Allied Pharmacies has announced it is to open next Monday (March 9th) in the former Jhoots premises behind the now-closed Luson Surgery in Mantle Street. Mr Amos has campaigned for improved pharmacy provision in the town after it was reduced to only two outlets last year. The facility run by Boots at Wellington Medical Centre in Mantle Street closed just over two yea

Gideon Amos MP says he has “serious concerns” about proposed reforms to Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, a view shared by local campaigners and SEND advocates in Taunton and Wellington. The Department for Education has set out its vision for SEND and around £4 billion of extra funding over the next three years in a white paper published earlier this week which includes the proposed reducing the use of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) apart from

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, is asking businesses across the constituency to complete a survey on their costs and challenges. Mr Amos says he is gathering “clear, factual evidence” to make the strongest case he can for more Government support. In a letter to businesses, he writes: “Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy. “To champion them, after being elected, I established a business advisory group, In2West, to inform my work in clos

Taunton and Wellington MP, Gideon Amos, has marked World Cancer Day by congratulating staff and volunteers at Musgrove Park Hospital’s Beacon Centre on their “amazing work.” He is also calling on the government to boost cancer services so that more patients are seen within the national 62-day target for receiving treatment. Mr Amos has written to the Beacon Centre, which provides specialised cancer care for patients and their loved ones. He said a recent BBC Somerset intervie

A proposed change in rules for carers from overseas working in the NHS and care homes “would have massive impacts on older and vulnerable people in Taunton and Wellington,” the area’s MP, Gideon Amos, told a Parliamentary debate yesterday (Monday). Care workers - who were promised that they could apply for indefinite leave to remain after working here for five years - could be faced with removal from the UK if government retrospectively increases the minimum period to ten yea

Gideon Amos MP has called for greater support for pubs, hotels and leisure venues in Taunton and Wellington after discussions with local businesses. The Treasury has announced plans to support pubs and music venues by giving them a 15 per cent discount on their business rates from April. But Mr Amos criticised the Government’s “half-pint” measures to support the hospitality sector and said that “great swathes” of the industry were still being ignored.  He told a Commons debat

Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, has challenged the Prime Minister to recognise Somerset’s 'remoteness factor' in its funding settlement from the government. This 'remoteness factor' is designed to compensate rural councils for the significantly higher cost of delivering vital services including waste collection, social care workers, and transport to SEND schools across a huge area with a spread-out population, as well as maintaining and filling potholes for the vast

Somerset’s MPs joined forces yesterday (Tuesday) to urge the Local Government Minister for extra funding to prevent an 11 per cent Council Tax rise in the county. The meeting took place in the Parliamentary offices of Alison McGovern, who told MPs she would consider their proposals and respond as soon as possible. Lib Dem MPs Gideon Amos (Taunton and Wellington), Adam Dance (Yeovil), Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton), Rachel Gilmour (Tiverton and Minehead) and Anna Sabine

Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, is opposing the government’s proposed reforms to the jury trial system. The Justice Secretary, David Lammy, wants to scrap jury trials in England and Wales for crimes which carry a likely sentence of less than two years. Serious offences including murder, robbery and rape will still go before a jury but magistrates, who deal with the majority of all criminal cases, will take on even more work. Mr Amos said: “Taunton has been the sce

Gideon Amos MP is supporting a campaign for action at a Taunton railway crossing where a local teenager tragically lost his life. Harry Basham, 17, died at the ‘5/13’ pedestrian crossing, located about a mile east of Taunton Station, on October 24th. A petition has now been launched for either safety improvements or the complete closure of the crossing. It has so far been signed by more than 2,800 people. You can sign the petition by CLICKING HERE . Mr Amos said: “My deepest

A Government Health Minister is looking into the level of pharmacy provision in Wellington after being lobbied by local MP, Gideon Amos. Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, was contacted by Mr Amos who expressed his concern that the number of pharmacies in the town had dropped from four to two. The facility run by Boots at Wellington Medical Centre in Mantle Street closed last year while the Jhoots pharmacy in Fore Street has been shut since September. Orange Pharmac