Should Ashford have its own Town Council?

Published: 30/03/2026

Text on pink background reading "Change is coming - is a local voice important to you?"

At the moment, the main built‑up area of Ashford does not have a town or parish council. Ashford Borough Council (ABC) are now looking at whether this should change as Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) means that, in a few years’ time, ABC will no longer exist.

Services will move to a new, larger unitary council. A Town Council would provide Ashford with locally elected, town focused councillors, giving residents a strong local voice.

Why are we asking this now?

ABC is asking this question to residents as part of a second phase of consultation, while it has the authority to do so. Referred to as a Community Governance Review (CGR), this is a legal process that looks at how local areas are represented and whether any changes are needed.

Phase 1 results

Late last year, we asked people living in the review area what they thought about creating a town council for Ashford. Most people, who responded, said they supported the idea.

Based on that feedback, we have put together new proposals. These include what the new council could be called, how many councillors there would be, and how the area could be divided into wards. While we cannot provide exact details at this point, the town council would charge a precept to cover its costs which would be added to your Council Tax bill.

No final decision has yet been made. We would now like to know what people think about these proposals, and whether a town council would help improve local democracy and community representation in Ashford.

Cllr Linda Harman, Chair of Local Government and Polling District Task Group, said: “LGR will bring significant change to Ashford. People living in our rural villages and some parts of the town will have their parish and community councils as the most local level of government. Central Ashford, Repton and parts of Willesborough will not, so it’s right that we ask residents how they would like the town to be represented going forward.

“A town council could give Ashford a strong, locally focused voice, with councillors dedicated to the issues that matter most to people who live here. No decision has been made, and this consultation is about hearing residents’ views on the proposals we’ve developed following strong support in the first phase. I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes to have their say so we can make an informed decision about what’s best for local democracy and community representation in Ashford.”

Have your say

Our short survey only takes a few minutes to complete and is open until 24 April.

If you would like a paper copy of the survey, email corporatepolicy.team@ashford.gov.uk or call 01233 331111. You can also send your comments by post to: Corporate Policy Team, Ashford Borough Council, International House, Dover Place, Ashford, Kent, TN23 1HU.