The concept of local strategic partnerships was introduced by the Local Government Act in 2000. The local strategic partnership for Ashford is known as the Ashford partnership, which was set up in 2002 and includes the following key organisations from the public, community, voluntary and private sector:

• Ashford Borough Council
• Ashford Citizen's Advice Bureau
• Ashford Committee of the Kent Association of Parish Councils
• Ashford Community Network
• Ashford's Future
• Eastern and Coastal Kent NHS Primary Care Trust
• Churches Together in Ashford
• The Government Office for the South East
• The Housing Corporation
• Kent County Council
• Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
• Kent Police
• Action with Communities in Rural Kent
• Mid & SE Kent Council for Voluntary Services 
• South East England Development Agency
• South Kent College

The role of the Ashford partnership is to:

• Co-ordinate and review partnership working and new patterns of service delivery in Ashford borough;
• Identify and address gaps, avoid duplication of effort and promote added value; and
• Prepare, monitor and review the sustainable community strategy's 10 year Vision.

The Ashford Partnership Community Strategy was adopted by Ashford Borough Council in 2004 and is accompanied by a three year action plan. The partnership is currently reviewing the strategy and action plan.

The partnership meets approximately every two months and is convened by a lead officer, Ian Bailey (Assistant Head of Cultural Services – Ashford Borough Council).

For further information about the Ashford partnership please email Ian Bailey or telephone 01233 330689.

Partnership Workshop

The Ashford Partnership hosted a half day workshop for key partners and stakeholders on the 6 March 2008 at the Holiday Inn Central in Ashford. The purpose of the day was to review the current Community Strategy vision and objectives and generate outputs that will feed into a new Sustainable Community Strategy for Ashford. The event was well attended and the findings are now being analysed. The presentations and a discussion paper setting the scene for the day can be viewed or downloaded below:

• Presentation 1.08Mb PDF
• Discussion 186Kb PDF