Ashford Port Health service plays its part in national border safety

Ashford’s Port Health service at Sevington has become a nationally critical, 24/7 operation. Safely handling more than triple forecast trade volumes while using AI-enabled innovation to deliver a 40% productivity boost and stop 175 tonnes of non-compliant food from reaching the UK market.

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) Cabinet members received a report this week covering the impact of the service over its first 18 months of full operation, demonstrating how the service has matured into a high‑performing, resilient operation, delivering significant benefits both locally and nationally.

National importance

Sevington now plays a critical role in UK food security, handling a substantial proportion of food imports entering Great Britain via the short straits. 

Despite operating in a fast‑changing national policy environment, the service has adapted quickly to trade volumes far exceeding original forecasts, while remaining fully compliant with the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) and effectively managing multiple major animal disease outbreaks across Europe. 

A key feature of the service’s success has been its strong focus on innovation and continuous improvement. The introduction of bespoke AI‑enabled and digital systems, alongside redesigned operational processes, has transformed efficiency, delivering productivity improvements of around 40% and reducing reliance on automated clearance mechanisms. 

These advances have strengthened frontline biosecurity controls and positioned Ashford as a leader in modern port health operations nationally. 

Local impact

The report also highlights the significant local economic impact of the Port Health Service. Around 168 specialist jobs have been created and sustained at Sevington, supported by major investment in training and professional development. 

ABC has emerged as one of the country’s leading authorities for developing new Port Health Officers, Environmental Health Officers and Veterinary professionals, helping to address national skills shortages while supporting high‑quality employment locally. 

Over 208 tonnes of unsafe food stopped

Ashford’s Port Health authority has prevented more than 208 tonnes of unsafe food from reaching UK consumers, equivalent to the weight of around 35 elephants.

Since November 2024, officers have seized and destroyed 208,563.81 kilograms of food products deemed unfit for human consumption. Included in this figure are 39 tonnes which has been intercepted and removed from the supply chain since 20 March 2026, alone.

Importantly, all costs associated with the seizure and destruction of these goods are fully recovered from the importers responsible, meaning there is no cost to the UK taxpayer.

Anthony Baldock,  Corporate Director of Health and Wellbeing at Ashford Port Health said: “These figures show the scale of what we are dealing with on a daily basis, but they are only one part of the picture. Our work, and that of the wider Port Health Authorities, is also about protecting the UK from wider risks, including the potential spread of serious diseases.“We are continuing to strengthen our approach, combining experienced officers with new technology to ensure we remain effective as volumes and complexity increase.”

The Porth Health services financial performance has been strong, with the service remaining fully cost‑recoverable, therefore not impacting local taxpayers, exceeding income targets and making a positive contribution to the Council’s wider budget. 

Efficiency gains driven by innovation have helped contain costs, absorb inflationary pressures and keep fees and charges stable for importers, supporting the wider supply chain and economic stability.

Cllr. Katrina Giles, portfolio holder for Communities and Health, said: “Ashford Borough Council has led the way in innovation and improvements in tackling the issue of UK food security, dealing with large volumes of checks at Sevington, which is by far the busiest BCP in GB and the UK.”

The report also sets out the risks associated with any premature removal of EU import controls, including increased biosecurity threats, loss of specialist local jobs and the erosion of operational gains made to date.
 
Last night ABC’s Cabinet noted the positive impact of Ashford Port Heath’s first 18 months of operation, both nationally and locally. They also agreed to support representations to Government reflecting Ashford’s operational experience at Sevington and the importance of maintaining proportionate, intelligence‑led border controls.

The Leader of the Council will now write to the Chairman of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee outlining the Council’s concerns about the removal of all checks on goods from Europe without adequate time to ensure no risk to bio security results based on the experience gained at Sevington and levels of animal disease currently being seen in the EU.