A random sample of 3000 households within the borough of Ashford have been selected to take part in the new national Place Survey.The questionnaire asks for people’s views about aspects of the quality of life in their area, such as community safety and local services.

Ashford Borough Council’s Executive Committee last night endorsed the proposal by the Ashford’s Future Partnership Board for a new funding bid to Government.

Shared space champion Ben Hamilton-Baillie has given Ashford’s new quality streets the thumbs-up. He made an unofficial tour last week to see work in progress at first hand and then declared: “I was very impressed by what I saw.”

East Kent Live Lit, a live literature network set up by the East Kent Local Arts Authority Partnership, will be running their first live event in Ashford on Thursday 2 October, at Oranges Bar and Café in Apsley Street.

Developers and investors across the UK are being invited to attend an exclusive event in London this week to find out how they can benefit from investment opportunities in Ashford. The breakfast briefing, ‘Ashford: On the Right Track’, will be hosted by Ashford’s Future and aims to show what Ashford has to offer in terms of financial growth and return on investment.

Active Ashford, the Borough’s Sports Partnership Network, is offering one lucky youngster the chance to win a brand new bicycle by sending in a question for Olympic Gold Medal winning cyclist, Jamie Staff.

Vital maintenance work to the Memorial Gardens entrance wall started last week. The entrance wall on Station Road, opposite the former working men’s club and Dover Place Car Park, is unsafe and in need of repair.

Ashford’s Singleton Environment Centre has been attracting visitors from all around the borough and further a field since it opened in May this year, but last week two Japanese academics visited to find out more about it.

An independent report by the Audit Commission has found local residents generally feel safe in the borough, believe Ashford Borough Council works effectively with the police and other partners to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime at an operational level, and Ashford is a relatively safe place to live.

Brazilian Soccer Schools and Socatots, the football coaching programmes run by Ashford Borough Council, are back for the new term with some exciting new programmes on offer for the borough’s youngsters…and oldies!

The Ashford Visual Arts and Architecture Festival returns for its’ third year this September and October, with artists utilising a range of different venues and outdoor spaces around the borough to exhibit their work. The theme for the festival this year is 'Moving in, Moving on', reflecting the current Ashford story as the borough continues to lay the foundations for long-term sustainable growth.

The number of people at risk of losing their homes in Ashford has fallen sharply, despite the fact that, nationally, more homeowners are now struggling to keep up with higher mortgage payments. According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of mortgage repossession claims issued in Ashford between April and June this year has dropped by 21% compared to the same period in 2007.

Jamie Staff, Gold Medal winner at the Beijing Olympic Games, has agreed to become a sporting ambassador for Active Ashford, the Borough’s Sports Partnership Network. Jamie joins the existing Ambassadors, adding to a line up of top sporting performers who all share a link to Ashford: Lisa Dobriskey, James Tredwell, Danielle Masters, Candy Hawkins, Nick Boylan, Mike Cogswell and Ian Wright.

The East Kent Local Arts Authority Partnership (EKLAAP), is pleased to announce the launch of East Kent Live Lit, a live literature network for writers, artists, producers, promoters and venues in East Kent. Formed in 2004 to support the growth of contemporary arts in East Kent, EKLAAP is also looking to access the benefits and added value that joint working creates.

One of the key thinkers behind Ashford’s Shared Space concept is coming to Ashford. Ben Hamilton-Baille will be on hand to discuss the benefits of the scheme, which aims to provide a safe mix of traffic and pedestrians in areas such as Bank Street, which recently reopened to traffic.