Column: Join me in backing the campaign to keep canals alive in our region

Coun Jo White, deputy leader of Bassetlaw District Council and Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Bassetlaw.

It reminded me how lucky we are to have a canal system crossing through Bassetlaw.

The Chesterfield Canal, running from the River Trent to Retford, onto Worksop and Shireoaks, and beyond into Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, is cherished by many residents.

It is a place of nature and peace, abundant with wildlife, enjoyed by walkers, fishers, holidaymakers and the people who have made it their home.

In Worksop, over time the town has slowly turned its back on the canal and I am keen that we bring it back into its heart with better cycleways and footpaths, from The Canch to Godfreys Pond.

I would like to see the developments at the Priory Centre evolving so that they turn to face the canal, making it an area of leisure and enjoyment.

However, I have received a warning from the Canal and River Trust. The national canal network relies on funding from various sources, with government grants playing a significant role.

In July, the Government announced a new funding agreement from 2027 to 2037, which will see a substantial real-terms reduction of over £300 million.

“The Chesterfield Canal is cherished by many residents”, writes Coun Jo White, deputy leader of Bassetlaw Council and Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Bassetlaw.

This dramatic decrease will have severe consequences. The Canal and River Trust believes that this will see a deterioration in the waterway network with the spectre of canal closures, endangering the ecological diversity and its historic infrastructures, including the bridges and locks.

The negative impacts on our Chesterfield Canal are very concerning and I am therefore backing the campaign to #KeepCanalsAlive.

For more on how you can help to support the campaign, see https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/ for more information from The Canal and River Trust.