Still time to decide if Ashford should have its own Town Council

There is under a week left until a consultation to decide whether Ashford should have a town council closes. This is residents’ opportunity to shape future governance as, once Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) takes place, Ashford Borough Council will no longer exist. 

Click here to have your say now. The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and is open until 24 April. 

Currently the main built‑up area of Ashford does not have a town or parish council. Ashford Borough Council (ABC) are therefore looking at whether this should change as LGR means that, in a few years’ time, services will move to a new, larger unitary council, and ABC will no longer exist. 

A Town Council would provide Ashford with locally elected, town focused councillors, giving residents a strong local voice. 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.

CGR Timeline

• Consultation on town council proposals until 24 April
• Council decision on Town Council creation 16 July 
• Town Council elections May 2027
• Shadow Town Council from Summer 2026

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 we are asking residents in these areas 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. This consultation is about hearing residents’ views on the proposals we’ve developed following strong support in the first phase. I 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.”

"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.