Ashford Independent

Great Chart – twinned with Pyongyang?

2012-01-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

Letter to the Editor - Kentish Express
24 January 2012

Dear Sir

In your article on page 24 of last week’s paper, (“Meeting of council ‘that can’t agree’ is cancelled”), you quote Cllr McClintock as saying, “This is a further demonstration that through the actions and behaviour of the new ’majority’ on the parish council, we find ourselves in this situation”.

As a member of the public, I have been a regular attendee at PC meetings over past months. It is abundantly clear that, if there is a problem, it is not due to the six councillors who were elected by a landslide last October on a platform of opposition to the proposed Chilmington Green development – the problem is Cllr McClintock himself.

He has made it very clear that he is not prepared to work with the new councillors. Attempts at mediation and diplomacy have been firmly rebuffed. Instead he has issued a stream of allegations against his new colleagues, including lying and harassment.

He took the decision that none of his fellow councillors could be trusted to take the minutes unilaterally and without consultation. He seems to think that anyone who disagrees with him is a liar and is guilty of criminal harassment; and yet he has warned his fellow councillors that if they come to meetings in agreement on key issues, their “discretion is said to be fettered” and they are in breach of the Code of Conduct. He can’t have it both ways!

He really shouldn’t be in politics, or perhaps he should go somewhere where everyone agrees with the leadership – North Korea for example.

Yours sincerely

Ralph Carpenter
Chilmington Green
Greta Chart

Letter to the Editor

2012-01-22T13:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Sir,

As a resident of Great Chart I have witnessed first hand the cruel campaign of intimidation waged by Ian McClintock and his supporters against the 6 councillors elected in October. It is absolutely disgusting to see Ian McClintock and the pro-development lobby harass, libel and intimidate those with a democratic mandate to oppose the unnecessary and unwanted construction of a South Ashford New Town in the Parish. I suspect that this campaign of intimidation is being orchestrated by the pro-development lobby who are desperate to prevent any objection to their development plans.

Cllr McClintock frequently references meetings he has held with John Bunnett – the Chief Executive of ABC – without the prior knowledge or approval of the PC. The scandalous involvement of John Bunnett when the original 6 councillors elected in May were frightened off has not been forgotten. When the 6 anti-development councillors realised they had been deceived, they asked to take up their seats and join the PC. The Chief Legal Officer even stated that the 6 councillors should be offered newly issued declaration forms for signature. But Ian McClintock refused their request and ignored the advice of the Chief Legal Officer. Instead, Ian McClintock decided to bank the seats won by his supporters and re-run the election only for the seats won by objectors to the development (at a significant cost to residents). ABC refused to intervene to prevent Ian McClintock from proceeding with the election. Voters were so appalled by the actions of John Bunnett, Ian McClintock and the horrific plans being forced upon the area, that objectors to the development achieved a landslide victory and won back all 6 seats, restoring their majority. Following the election result, Ian McClintock has been trying to frighten off the 6 new councillors and build a case against them.

Having lost the election and, consequently, control of the PC, Ian McClintock appears to be trying to sabotage the PC with the support of the pro-development lobby. This is profoundly undemocratic. Cllr McClintock would rather destroy the PC than allow the new majority to take charge. It appears that the people who favour the development have little regard for democracy and are unwilling to accept the election result. Ian McClintock and his backers are seeking to highjack the PC. The events we have witnessed since May show there is almost nothing they won’t do to stop objection to the development. However, the 6 are quorate and capable councillors ready to run the PC and restore it to full working order. To achieve this, Cllr Ian McClintock having lost a vote of no confidence should be removed from the Chair so that the bullying and obstruction of the democratically elected majority of councillors ceases. The truth is that Cllr Ian McClintock’s undemocratic campaign of obstruction and harassment is the only problem with the PC.

Yours sincerely,

Charlotte Fraser
Great Chart

New Candidate for Beaver Ward

2011-11-17T08:40:00.000-08:00

The Ashford Independents are pleased to be fielding a local resident Laura Lawrence as their candidate for the By-Election in Beaver Ward on 24 November.

Vote for Change

Our mission is to offer Ashford Borough residents independent representation on the Borough Council. Our first responsibility is to the residents in our Ward, not to a distant Party in Westminster.

Dear Resident,

What has happened to our once happy Town Centre after 12 years of Conservative Council rule? Now sad and depressed with empty shops and only more promises for a better future. What is happening at our Borough Council, now having to plan reductions in public services after central Government funding cuts following years of Labour overspending? If you care for your community, come out and

Vote for Change on 24 November.

Vote Laura Lawrence, Ashford Independent.

The Ashford Independents have 5 very active Borough Councillors. We need more, so please vote for me. Beaver Ward is at the heart of Ashford and has always been an important residential area and needs strong representation at the Council.

I am Kent born and bred and from school age Ashford has always been a favourite place for me. That is why I came back here with my husband Adam, son Daniel and daughter Hetty. We live in Beaver Road and I am a Year 6 Teaching Assistant at Ashford Oaks Primary School. I have also run a Toddler Group, served on Christchurch Parochial Council and been a Sure Start volunteer, so know how local residents think and what people of all ages need and want.

A Safe Community in which to live.
Better Public Services and Leisure opportunities.
More things for young people to do.
A cleaner environment.
More garden allotments.
A Council that will ensure Welfare provision, create Jobs, and Education opportunities for our children
An end to parking and other difficulties with some multiple occupation homes
A town centre to enjoy and be proud of, and improved Bus Services.

If elected I will work for this.

Yours sincerely,

Laura

Vote LAURA LAWRENCE

Letter to Council Leader Cllr Peter Wood still awaiting a response.

2011-11-10T05:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Cllr Wood,

Ashford Independent Association members are very concerned at the stated intention of Ashford Borough Council to proceed with this development against Government guidelines, ahead of brownfield and other sites that have planning permission, in the face of huge public objection, while the Core Strategy has not been reviewed or the Area Action Plan, and economic planning been completed. Ashford has large numbers of empty houses and shops. You were reported in the Kentish Express of 13 October as saying that if there is good cause, this project can be taken out of the Core Strategy. This is what we ask you to do, as in the circumstances the development makes no sense.

When the Prescott Plan (Sustainable Communities Act) came in, Government made clear that the development concerned Ashford Town and not large areas of rural farmland. The development was listed to be Central and Concentric, jobs and infrastructure led, with brownfield sites first. The Gas Works, Railways Works brownfield sites have planning permission. The Waterbrook site development was agreed years ago as was Cheeseman's Green. The brownfield sites of the Commercial Quarter and Elwick Road are in the planning process. These sites, subject to minor change up or down, represent some 9000 housing units or the equal to 15 years of development at current building rates. Together with the 6000 odd houses built since the year 2000, it is an increase in the size of Ashford Town of about 75%, so where is the need for the addition of the Chilmington development and why are we going greenfield first?

The Borough Council is here to administer the area and serve its residents. So why is the Council ignoring a petition against the development, now rising to 4000 signatures? Residents are not objecting just because of the huge impact on the area and Ashford as a whole, but because there is no need and in the circumstances the development doesn't make sense.

In any business it is foolhardy to proceed until the business plan has been completed and tested. In this case the Council is proposing to approve the development before the economic/business case has been finalised, or the Area Action Plan agreed, or the Core Strategy completed. Cllr Michael has illustrated his and our concern over this in his email awaiting your response.

Ashford Town has large numbers of empty houses with a run-down Town Centre with empty shops everywhere. Does this suggest a need for a huge additional housebuilding programme? The Council seems to be acting positively to bring the development forward early.

One of the main concerns is the lack of experience of Ashford Officers in building towns. Look at the £6 million plus cost overrun and commissioning problems at the Stour Centre. We make no criticism of our Officers, but building a Town of this size is not the normal work of these Officers.

The other reasons for taking the development out of the Core Strategy are:

a) Other Towns around Ashford such as Dover, Folkestone, Maidstone and Canterbury are all expanding in addition to the huge Thames Gateway development.

b) The new jobs target has not been met, thus making new residents commuters.

c) The high-speed trains are already at full capacity.

d) It is not clear where all the infrastructure funding is to come from.

e) The development will need some 1000 acres of productive farmland at a time of world food shortage.

f) The impact of the development on the environment and ecology of the area will be devastating.

g) KCC have said that potable water will start to become short after 2016 if building continues.

h) The A28, the only main road that serves this huge site, is not dualled and is already at peak capacity at rush hours.; The remaining road infrastructure is completely inadequate for a development of this size. Tenterden, half this size, has 5 main roads entering/leaving it.

i) The Smartlink bus service is postponed due to shortage of funds.

All this makes a compelling case to take the development out of the Core Strategy. I have about 1000 residents in my Ward who express concern and request me as their elected Councillor to do something about it, hence my contributions at meetings and this letter. Please may I have a response so that we can understand the Council's position.

Regards,

Cllr Peter Davison

New Parish Councillors for Great Chart with Singleton PC

2011-10-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

Following the obstruction of 6 councillors democratically elected on 5 May from taking up their seats, a new election has taken place. The 6 had stood on a platform of opposition to the huge building development that the Council planned for some 1000 acres of productive farmland in Chilmington.

6 new candidates stood on the same platform in competition with 9 candidates of opposing or different views. It was most unlikely that all 6 would win, and even if one lost that would have given the majority vote to the 5 PC councillors who appear to be pro-development.

In the event the election on 6 October saw all 6 win by a landslide, reflecting the majority views of residents in the area who are concerned at the impact such a huge development will have on their lives.

However it seems on this issue the Chairman of the 5 does not command the support of the majority of the new PC. As he has not offered to stand down, a vote of No Confidence in him is scheduled at an Extraordinary General Parish Meeting on 31 October at 8.00 pm at the Singleton Environment Centre.

Cllr Peter Davison

Weald South Ward

Open letter to local press

2011-05-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

To the Editor, Ashford and Tenterden Editions

Dear Sir,

Many people will find it offensive that Cllr Clokie has referred in your paper to the popular objection to the massive Chilmington development as 'nonsense'. The petition of some 3500 signatures against the development not only reflects the thousands of lives that would be blighted by it but the sound reasons why it should not happen.

The new Government has thrown out the Growth Agenda, and the new Localism Bill under preparation insists that local people whose lives are affected by decisions should have a say in making them. Legal opinion and Council advice suggest that there is no legal compulsion, only difficulties, unexplained should the Council not proceed. Ashford sits in the middle of four towns all expanding - Maidstone, Dover, Canterbury and Folkestone, and should be seen in this context. To the North West of the County there is the Thames Gateway development, possibly the largest single increase in housing in an area in the country. So where is the need?

The proposed Chilmington development will impact on Singleton, Washford and Shadoxhurst and beyond. 7000 houses is equivalent to two Tenterdens. A town centre is planned that would compete with Ashford. Thousands of residents will have their lives blighted by losing the coutnryside environment they bought into by urban sprawl, increased traffic and parking problems, apart from suffering 10 to 15 years of contruction chaos. Some 1000 acres of productive farmland will be lost at a time when there is a world food shortage.

So why is Cllr Clokie so eager to press ahead? Since the year 2000, when the Town had some 20,000 houses, over 15,000 new houses/flats have been built or are currently in the planning process excluding the planned Chilmington, Tenterden, Kennington and Willesborough developments. This 15,000 represents a 75% increase in Ashford's housing, more than necessary for local need and is a large contribution to the housing stock in the South East. If you then add the lack of infrastructure funding (for schools, hospitals etc), the lack of jobs, inadequate roads, the shortage of drinking water that KCC predicts will start in 2016, the lack of need for such commuter developments, and the massive public opposition, you can easily come to the conclusion that it is nonsense to proceed, not nonsense to object.

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Peter Davison

Leader, Ashford Independents

Birchett, Birchett Lane, Orlestone, Ashford, Kent TN26 2ED

01233 732280

A big thank you

2011-05-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank the 10,540 voters who supported the Ashford Independent Candidates in the Borough Council Election last week. This was slightly more than half the number who voted Conservative and more than the number of those who voted for the other Parties combined. Our broad Manifesto had an obvious appeal for residents, as did the special case we made against unwanted and un-needed mass building developments on greenfield sites. Despite the level of popular support, we did not achieve the overall number of seats we wanted, but a powerful statement has been made. Now that the rough and tumble of the election is over, it is our hope that the Council will settle down to the serious business of providing good open and democratic government using all the talents that are available.

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Peter Davison

Leader, Ashford Independents

Congratulations

2011-05-06T23:51:00.001-07:00

Well done and many congratulations to our 5 newly elected councillors.

Peter Davison - Weald South

Phil Simms - Kennington

Winston Michael - Boughton Aluph and Eastwell

Jane Davey - Highfield

Andrew Mortimer - North Willesborough

Ashford Independent are the second largest group on the new Ashford Council

Commiseration to all our other candidates, many of whom came so close and in one case missing out by ONE vote.

We are all very proud of the effort, hard work and care put into this campaign by so many people.

A letter to the Kentish Express

2011-04-27T00:21:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr Barman,

I am writing to take issue with your reporters in the last issue of KE who described Ashford Independents as “anti-homes campaigners”. The photograph of Ashford Independent candidates you published on page 13 of the KE dated 14^th April was taken in the Old Railway Works on Newtown Road for a reason: they are an ideal site for development which already have planning permission for 788 residential units. This demonstrates that there are alternatives to destroying valued green fields. Unused Brown Field sites around town such as the old Railway Works and Elwick Road could provide homes in sustainable locations, rather than in areas which require car use and will lead to more congestion of local roads such as the A28.

As the Ashford Independent candidate for Stour Ward in Central Ashford I understand that residents of urban areas have less interest in whether or not some green fields south of Ashford are built over. However, as an urban resident myself, I believe the principle is the same – why should valued green areas be lost for the sake of development, when there are plenty of Brown Field sites in and around the town which already have planning permission which have yet to be developed?

The most visible green sites currently under threat close to Central Ashford are the three fields between Drovers Roundabout and The Warren Local Nature Reserve. These were earmarked for the Park & Ride and enabling development of housing and offices, but as the Park & Ride is unlikely to go ahead for the foreseeable future, if ever, there seems to be no good reason for destroying what remains of an attractive green entrance to Ashford, particularly as development there would inevitably damage the wildlife and amenity value of The Warren, and add to traffic congestion.

If elected I would do my utmost to protect the remaining green areas in and around the town from inappropriate development.

Emily Neighbour, Ashford Independent Candidate, Stour Ward

IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE

2011-04-11T00:10:00.000-07:00

The Ashford Independents are standing in 32 wards across the borough. They are meeting residents who have never received a leaflet from a political party before. In many cases, residents have never even met a candidate standing for election to the borough council before. The Ashford Independents are pioneering a new approach to local government - free of national party politics, we aim to represent the wishes of local people, whatever they may be. We have no whip and have no political agenda. Our aim is simple: democracy.

The Ashford Independent Party is unique; we are the only party that exists exclusively to serve the residents of Ashford Borough. That means we are not conflicted in the same way the national parties are and can focus on the local issue that are important to you.

After 12 years of failed leadership by a clique of individuals operating under the conservative banner, the people of Ashford are crying out for change. Ashford deserves better. The fact that 32 local residents are standing across the borough, representing and embodying communities around Ashford, shows that there is a real appetite for something fresh.

Here are some of the key issues that are being discussed on the doorsteps:

Breathing life back in to Ashford town centre

Recycling and Waste Management

Skills and Learning

Community and Leisure Facilities

Traffic Congestion

Crime and anti-social behaviour

What issues are important to you and how would you like to help improve the borough?

Drovers Roundabout – it’s worse than you think.

2011-04-09T10:46:00.001-07:00

You may have seen the picture in last week’s Kentish Express showing a recent aerial view of Drovers Roundabout (by Junction 9 on the M20, where the A20, A28, Maidstone Road, Simone Weil Avenue and Fougeres Way converge) and a before picture adjacent. This serves as a reminder to what appalling destruction can be carried out in the name of progress. The works are designed to increase the capacity of the roundabout and also to allow the Park & Ride (P&R) buses to drive across the roundabout itself. This is despite the fact that the P&R is very unlikely to go ahead in the short to medium term, if ever. The proposed Smartlink bus service cannot go ahead without the P&R so the transport strategy for the urban extensions does not hold together.

In addition, you may not be aware that there is currently a double planning application in to build on the two fields adjacent to the P&R site (that is the one currently covered in the site works and mounds of soil). These two fields are as yet more or less still green, and along with the P&R site should be returned to grass after the works on the roundabout are complete. The application proposed 62 dwellings on one and a 66 bed care home and an office of over 5,000 square metres. The office would be taller than the new BUPA care home adjacent and is of the most basic square, cheap design. The access to the office and care home is off Simone Weil Avenue, very close to Drovers Roundabout. It is hard to see how that will be a safe place for so much traffic pulling in and out, even though it will be left in and left out, particularly as the design of the new roundabout is to incorporate a dedicated left turn which means traffic will be travelling very fast round the corner from Fougeres Way (from Junction 9). However, Highways have apparently already given it permission.

This application has attracted over 150 local objections, but as ABC had included both the sites in their Urban Sites Development Plan Document one can only assume that they would like to give it permission, if only to get the New Homes Bonuses it would attract.

It is due to come to Planning Committee shortly.

These sites should never be developed because:

a/ They are adjacent to a Nature Reserve (The Warren) which lies downhill from all three sites. As some of The Warren’s rare species live in the ponds there it seems particularly likely that development there would be damaging. Also, the residential development would inevitably degrade the site, domestic cats and dogs will be the main culprits for this. Both Natural England and Kent Wildlife Trust have objected to the application.

b/ they are very visible being by a very significant junction at the entrance to Ashford. They provided a green, welcoming vista before the roundabout works started; they could be returned to that if this development is stopped.

c/ Warren Lane abuts the Care Home/ Office site. You may not be aware of the semi-rural lane which runs from Maidstone Road into The Warren, and still remains a pleasant place to walk, as it runs beneath Simone Weil and Fougeres Way it is remarkable unaffected by them. This route is well used by visitors to The Warren, and is one of the few access points for town centre residents to woodland.

d/ Finally, there is no justification for building here – these sites are far from ideal, they were only ever considered as “enabling” development for the P&R which was considered essential for the transport strategy for Ashford. [This is now in tatters - new office developments in the town centre were supposed to use the P&R but now are allowed to incorporate parking into any plans as no one was interested in building offices with that requirement. All the recent successful new office developments have been in Eureka Park as everyone can drive there, although not enough parking has been provided there in fact, which is another matter.]

e/ This is a very congested area already. All these proposed developments would massively increase traffic movements, particularly at peak times.

Just to add to the mix, there has been a preliminary application for a non food retail store with a car park with 200 spaces on one part of the P&R site. KCC have bought that and probably hope to recoup that cost by selling it on.

If you want more detail on any of these matters, please visit the Ashford Borough Council website. The application link is:

http://planning.ashford.gov.uk/Planning/details.aspx?systemkey=89141&pageindex=0

The Urban Sites DPD is

http://www.ashford.gov.uk/planning_and_building_control/planning_now_and_in_the_future/urban_sites_dpd.aspx

The Parking Strategy is in the Ashford Town Centre Area Action Plan

http://www.ashford.gov.uk/planning_and_building_control/planning_now_and_in_the_future/town_centre_area_action_plan.aspx

INDEPENDENTS EXPLAINED

2011-04-07T14:22:00.001-07:00

The Ashford Independents have been a registered party for 8 years. They now have 32 Candidates for the 5 May Borough Council elections including many professionals all passionately concerned for the future of Ashford. This poses a threat to the current Tories who have unsuccessfully ruled Ashford for 12 years. So as you would expect, individual independent Independents have been recruited to spoil the vote. So be clear if you want change for the good in Ashford.

VOTE Ashford Independent

VOTE FOR CHANGE AND A BETTER FUTURE FOR ASHFORD

2011-04-07T14:21:00.001-07:00

After 12 years of mismanagement Ashford has a rundown Town Centre, a half-open Julie Rose Stadium, a half-rebuilt Stour Centre, poor-quality dormitory building developments, a shortage of facilities and jobs and no popular entertainment centre.

Look carefully at the 32 candidates of the Ashford Independents. They are Engineers, Business people, Scientists, Surgeons, Farmers, Nurses, Teachers and IT specialist etc - people who have life experience and ability. They are united in condemnation of a secretive and exclusive Council leadership that is deaf to Ashford residents. They passionately believe that a better Ashford is possible and should be delivered. They may not be professional Politicians, but isn’t that a good thing.

PEOPLE OF SHADOXHURST WAKE UP TO DANGER

2011-04-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

One of the individual independent Independent candidates standing for election to the Borough Council for your Ward on 5 May is Hilary Moorby, the local director of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (Protect Kent). Surprisingly the CPRE published a major article supporting Ashford Borough Council’s plans to build the massive 7000 house development at Chilmington Green. Requests for an explanation have been ignored. If the development on some 1000 acres of productive and beautiful greenfield land goes ahead, it will seriously impact on Shadoxhurst and blight the lives of hundreds of households.

The Ashford Independents are a registered Party and have nothing to do with the independent Independents standing. The Ashford Independents have supported local residents and their 3500- signature petition, and oppose this unwanted, un-needed and unpopular development.

A VERY RURAL REVOLUTION

2011-03-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

IT'S people power at its rawest - a group of residents who want to topple the politicians they claim will destroy their idyll through greed and incompetence.

The hamlet of Chilmington Green has stood since Saxon times in the gentle green expanses of the Weald of Kent, fittingly described as "the place where London ends and England can begin". It is home to 13 properties (most of them listed), an array of wildlife (some of it endangered) and 40 residents, all of them very determined. The local authority, Ashford Borough Council, has big plans for Chilmington Green, which will transform a peaceful idyll into a bustling extension of Ashford town, with 7,000 new houses built on 1,000 acres of what has always been prime farming land. The residents, unsurprisingly, want none of it. Equally unsurprisingly, they have been accused of Nimbyism, a charge they strongly deny. "We are not a bunch of middle-class white people who want to hang on to the nice views from our windows, " says Max Frohnsdorff, co-ordinator of the Keep Chilmington Green campaign. "We are against the development because nobody has explained why we need it. Ashford is not growing, so who are the houses for? If someone had ever offered any justification, we would accept it. But we have had neither justification nor consultation. All the council has said is: 'You've got to have it.' This is a vanity project driven by greed, not need."

Read the full story in The Daily Express

An Open Letter

2011-03-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

John Bunnett, CEO

Ashford Borough Council

Civic Centre, Tannery Lane

Ashford, Kent TN23 1PL

14 March 2011

Unwanted houses on Greenfield sites. Why?

Dear Chief Executive,

Please will you note this open letter and pass it on to the Council Leader Cllr Peter Wood. Cllr Wood either says he has not received the emails I have sent him over recent months, or has not answered the questions in them. They concern key issues on the development of Ashford. As Cllr Wood has not offered to discuss the subjects when the absence of replies has been raised with him, I want to ensure that this letter gets to him. The people of the Borough should know the current position and be given some honest answers.

The Ashford Independent Group, of which I am Leader, is not against all building development in Ashford Borough. However we are opposed to the large unwanted, unnecessary and very unpopular developments planned by the Council on Greenfield sites, now misleadingly referred to as Urban Extensions. There is no local need for them and they irretrievably destroy hundreds of acres of countryside and its ecology. Ashford does not have a Cathedral, Castle or other historic attraction; only acres of beautiful countryside known as the Garden of England. There are thousands of residents who live in these areas whose quality of life would be diminished if building goes ahead.

When the Labour government’s sustainable communities legislation (known as the Prescott Plan) came into being, the Council Leader told us we were required to build 31,000 houses between the years 2000 and 2030, and create 28,000 jobs. At the time the Borough population was about 104,000, almost exactly 50:50 urban: rural. If there were 2 people per house, it would equate to 26,000 houses; if 3 people per house, 17,333 houses in each area.

The Government made it clear that the development was to be for Ashford Town, not the rural areas. It was to rejuvenate and strengthen the Town. It was therefore to be central and concentric, Brownfield sites first, it was to be jobs and infrastructure led. The Greenfield site plans are obviously not urban and the Chilmington development alone will be about the size of two Tenterdens with a town centre that will compete with Ashford.

The Council has provided information (sources available) to confirm the current position. Their records show that 5177 houses have been completed between 2001 and 31 March 2010. Since then 6301 more houses are in the planning process with some 337 already started. 3082 houses in the central urban area are also under planning preparation. This total of 14560 units does not include the proposed major developments on Greenfield sites of Chilmington, up to 7000 units, Kennington up to 600 units, Tenterden up to 500 units and Willesborough a further 280 units.

We argue that at best the total number of homes actually built and planned represents an increase in the Ashford urban area of 56% or at the worst 84%. We believe that this more than meets local need and makes a large contribution to the housing stock in South East England. Maidstone, Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone are all expanding without any cohesive plan being apparent. When asked who all the houses were for, we were told that they were for migrants from job-short areas such as North East England, and immigrants as Ashford is near the ports of Folkestone and Dover. When Cllr Bartlett was recently Council Leader, he recognised the public concern, delayed one project and promised reviews. Regrettably after an accident he was removed from the Leadership.

So why do we need all these additional houses on Ashford’s Greenfield sites? The South East Growth Agenda has been scrapped. The new Government’s Localism Bill under preparation is due to become law at the end of 2011. The Bill clearly states that local people will be able to make decisions on these issues. Mr Pickles, the Secretary of State, has said that people whose lives are affected by such building developments should be involved in the decision process. So we know that these houses are not locally needed, we know that the new Government wants local people to decide, we know that the Council’s plans are hugely unpopular with for example a 3500 plus signature Petition in the Chilmington area. So again we ask why is the Leadership of Ashford Borough Council pressing ahead.

The Council argues that they are legally bound by the Core Strategy. However the Strategy can be reviewed and quickly as not all of it would have to be changed, just the controversial building sites. There is a strong argument that this should be done. The jobs target has not been met, and the figures include a large percentage of Public Sector jobs. There isn’t the money for the infrastructure, and the KCC Select Committee on drinking water supply in Kent said Ashford will start to run our of water in 2016 if it continues to build and the Broad Oak Reservoir (plans shelved again) is not built. Kent has to import 40% of its drinking water. The pipeline to Bewl Water is not the answer. Bewl has to take most of its water from the Medway which is at capacity supplying the Thames Gateway developments. Also the roads in all the cases mentioned are incapable of taking the extra traffic being planned. If these controversial sites are removed, there are plenty of organic or natural development sites to meet future local demand including windfall sites in the Town and 1000 houses earmarked for the villages.

So again, why is the Ashford Borough Council Leadership pressing ahead with these unpopular, unneeded, unnecessary, highly destructive dormitory commuter sites? Why is the Leadership not listening to the local people? We know that landowners and developers can make huge profits on Greenfield developments, but what is in it for Ashford Borough Council?

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Peter Davison

Leader, Ashford Independent Group

Ashford Independents hit the headline

2011-03-10T14:30:00.000-08:00

Our fight for local democracy has now gone regional with stories appearing on BBC South East and on ITV Meridian local news.

"Residents form political party to block new homes

Plans to build thousands of new homes on rural land in Kent have triggered a major political fightback. Residents living near Ashford have created an independent political party of twenty candidates to stand in May's local government elections. And they are united in one aim: preventing what they see as the 'vandalism' of treasured countryside."

Please follow the link and click the player to see the full news report

http://www.itv.com/meridian-east/fight-over-7000-homes10902/

Another Local Disaster. What now Tenterden

2011-02-26T02:19:00.001-08:00

An application in April 2000 to build one house on the Tenterden Smallhythe Road site was refused by Ashford Borough Council on 5 June 2000 and turned down on appeal in February 2001. The reasons were a) the site was in the open countryside outside the built confines of the town, b) the adverse affect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area and c) the effect on the amenities of residents served by the vehicle approach road, particularly in respect of noise and general disturbance.

The Appeal Notice of decision lists a number of Planning Policies, RS2, DP2, EN2 EN9 and HG6 which support the decision to refuse. Yet ABC now want to build 475 houses on the site when there is no local need for them and when the majority of residents in the area strongly oppose such a development.

Another consideration is the impact such a development would have on the nearby Infant and Junior School.

Residents should complain in writing/email to their ABC Ward Councillor, sign the petition of Gill Whittaker, the prospective candidate for Tenterden North, see other comments on this website and add your voice to this debate.

Public Meeting 18th February

2011-02-07T13:02:00.000-08:00

Tenterden 475 more homes. No Way

So says Gill Whittaker, prospective Ashford Independent candidate for the May 2011 Borough Council Elections. In a few days Gill says she collected 300 signatures against it with more support coming in daily. The unpopular development imposed on the Town to be built along the Smallhythe Road is not needed and would have a huge impact on the special character of Tenterden. A public meeting to discuss the plans is being held in the Sinden Theatre at Homewood School on 18 February at 5.30 pm.

Democracy on Housing

2011-01-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

We read in the last issue of the Kentish Express that the ex-Council Leader, now in charge of Ashford's future, who has been driving the massive building development in Ashford much against public opinion, is suddenly saying that residents will be consulted. Yet Borough Councillors have not been consulted on any change of policy, so what is behind the change and the secretive way it has been released to the public by the Council leadership. Could it possibly be Politics, with large numbers of the public objecting to major developments 5 months before the Borough Elections of May 2011.

In response to a question at the full Ashford Borough Council meeting on 16 December 2010, on why announcements are being made on major changes in building policy without Councillors being informed or consulted, the new Council Leader replied 'you cannot believe all you read in the Press'. The supplementary question on how Developers can now be stopped, having been encouraged by the Council leadership to build, was ignored.

The reality seems to be that Government has postponed the funding for the new M20 Junction 10A for several years, which will have a negative effect on new building in East and Central Ashford. This seems to have been seized on as a Political opportunity just before an Election. The Council leadership could delay (but probably not cancel) some developments, but not necessarily some of the most sensitive ones if not 'in the right area'. This could be presented as bowing to public demand so obviously ignored until now. The Council will have difficulty controlling Developers until they urgently replace the current Core Strategy, as already requested by some Councillors, and not leave it to 2013 as currently stated.

The public must remain vigilant.

Cllr Peter Davison

Ashford Independent

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T03:28:00.001-08:00

Wishing all the residents of Ashford a Happy Christmas

and a prosperous and successful 2011

Garden Grabbing Developers, or how NOT to be a Good Neighbour?

2010-12-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

For those who live outside Kennington, let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time there was beautiful wild orchard of about an acre with all sorts of fruit and nut trees, and naturally there were many birds like partridges, moor hens, jackdaws and nightjars, owls and magnificent kestrels to the tiny wren and gold crest, the list was endless. There too, were lots of lovely wild flowers, and it was home to so much wildlife and the water-gathering gully must have been a wonderful home for the water loving creatures. Some say that even today there are natural springs still on the land. Time passed, the village changed and in the '80's the orchard was put up for sale, and a very nice house built in keeping with the old village part of the area. Though a once quiet road running it sits on is now a busy access road, used by buses and ambulances. It also serves 3 schools.

Then, come 2000+ the then owners for whatever reason had an idea and got involved with, as it turns out, a very single-minded Developer.

This Developer probably said "we can make a real killing here, and turn the garden into a mini-estate of 11 three/four bedroomed houses".

And the planning application duly appeared.

Fortunately A.B.C. recognised this outrageous proposal as being totally unacceptable. Not only because it was a travesty of a 'garden grabbing', but also would obliterate what was a massive area of outstanding habitat for an enormous variety of plants and wildlife. PLUS the extra cars would create havoc on the local roads, with all the additional traffic entering at a critical place on a narrow, busy bus route.

However, now that the developers had spent some money on plans and applications and so forth, they were not of a mind to see the error of their way.

In the meantime, the Council thought it necessary for information on the wildlife likely to be in the garden. The developer’s first study was insufficiently detailed so they were asked more information. But did they do it? No.

Then came the second Application that reduced the housing to five Superior detached houses. This sounds better – few houses/ less traffic issues - BUT its impact on the community and the neighbours remained the same, plus there was still that ecological problem that hadn’t been dealt with.

BUT, and wasn't it a pity, - in the intervening period all the trees in the garden had been destroyed; large vegetation uprooted and burnt [well it was near the 5th of November], and general mayhem done. What of the Environmental Study now that there’s no longer much to study?

We can only wait and see what happens next.

If you want the details about this ongoing saga, look up planning application 10/00997/AS.

Philip Sims

Kennington

Ashford's Growth - the Big Debate

2010-12-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

Cllr Clokie - a Chance for Change

When Ashford was under pressure from Mr Prescott to build houses, mainly for job migrants and immigrants, a public survey revealed that the majority of Ashford residents only wanted organic growth. As there was no local need for mass housing development, existing residents only wanted housing sufficient to meet actual local needs plus a little, with some low cost units for key workers such as Teachers and Nurses, and a better Town Centre. Subsequently Councillors were told that 31,000 houses (62,000 new residents) and the creation of 28,000 new jobs had been imposed on the Town. At the time the Ashford Borough population was about 104,000 people, roughly 50:50 urban:rural. We were also told that the rural areas including Tenterden had to take 1,500 houses, which was at first included in the 31,000 but later excluded.

Residents may also recall that the building development was to be jobs and infrastructure (schools and amenities) led, ie no jobs, no houses. The current net figure for job creation shows that less than half the jobs planned for the first 10 years have been created. Some Councillors are now saying what is wrong with a commuter town.

The Council has suffered from secrecy and exclusiveness, so I am glad to read that Cllr Clokie wants to consult residents on what sort of town they want. My own request three weeks ago for this to happen was rejected, so I hope the offer is genuine. In the past meetings with developers and key decisions on developments often seemed to be for him alone. Within the Council it is currently clear that Cllr Clokie wants to press on with maximum development, and he has been dismissive of the Chilmington and Kennington action groups supported by large numbers of the public. Maybe there is a change of heart.

Residents may also remember that Government guidance at the time was that Ashford town development should be central and concentric. Brownfield sites (redundant pre-used sites) first. You could ask how many brownfield sites have been developed in Ashford, and how many hundreds of acres of easy to build on Greenfield sites, in beautiful countryside are being planned. Greenfield sites are now conveniently labelled ‘urban extensions’.

It is disappointing to hear developers promise respect for Ashford’s history, only to struggle for words when asked what they know of our Military, Wool Trade, and Engineering past. It is sad that our Town is only of passing business interest and profit.

Over the last 10 years the Council’s basic services have generally performed well, with an efficient waste collection service and maintenance of our stock of Council housing for example. However the building and general development of Ashford is often seen as a failure. Despite the charm of the old Ashford, it has a dispirited Town centre, which many old regulars now avoid. We have some of the worst building developments in the South East, which suffer from congested layout, poor design, poor build quality and lack of parking. There has been no success in developing a desperately needed Skills and Learning Centre, and the Arts, Leisure, Entertainment and Sport have largely been overlooked. Where is our stand-alone multi-use Arts Centre? We have a partly revamped Stour Centre with a multimillion pound overrun, suffering from management, equipment and fabric problems, a Julie Rose Stadium, now partly closed, and an expensive and controversial Shared Space suffering from material problems. Does all this add up to a wasted 10 years of opportunity?

Now that the Government is abandoning the South East Development Plan and the SEEDA quango, Ashford’s Growth Area status and Core Strategy could go. Localism is being introduced whereby local residents must have a say in developments that affect their lives. So at last local residents might get what they want, except that Government also wants building growth in the South East and is giving cash incentives.

The Council should make sure they know what residents want and fight for it or defend it, not have their own separate Agenda. Ashford already has large amounts of development planned without the need to build over our one great asset - beautiful farmland. As for the Government, there is the huge development of the Thames Gateway, and Maidstone, Canterbury , Folkestone and Dover are all carrying out development.

Cllr Clokie says ‘Tell us what you want’. I think the answer is simple.

Peter Davison

Ralph Carpenter- Ashford's Growth: Enough all ready

2010-11-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

I don't suppose I was the only person in Ashford to blanch on reading the headline in the "Kentish Express" on February 5th 2003, "30,000 new homes on horizon for Ashford?" The story went on, "Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has lit the blue touch paper under plans for doubling the size of Ashford by another 30,000 homes.......The contents of Mr Prescott's statement pleased Ashford council leader Paul Clokie. But there was a mixed reaction from those who battled to save green field sites, many of whom were shunned by announcement organisers."

Over the next few years, the story developed. On April 29th 2003 under the headline, "Kent homes plans slated by MPs", the "Express" reported that an all-party committee of MPs had published a report in which they questioned the scale and sustainability of such a huge development. Damian Green is quoted as saying, "I share many of the Committees fears. If John Prescott is serious about sustainable development, he should not be proposing the scale and speed of growth that he is. I hope he listens to what the Committee says". Fat chance!

And so the story rumbled on. March 18th, 2004: "New homes ‘a threat to countryside'". March 23rd, 2004: "Extra homes means less Green Belt". Prezza was in no mood to compromise, and Ashford Borough Council signed up to the plans for 30,000 new homes in Ashford because he threatened to come down and sit on them if they didn't.

Of course it's well known that Prezza hates the "soft south". Anyone who saw "The North/South Divide" on BBC2 on October 14th last year could be in no doubt. The review in "The Independent" by Tom Sutcliffe commented, "For Prescott, "them" are Southerners, draining the North of profits and wealth in return for condescension and neglect." I suppose you can't really blame the chap for having a chip on his shoulder, after years of taunts by toffs such as Nicholas Soames, who would shout, "Mine's a gin and tonic, Giovanni", to remind Prezza of his days as a steward on ocean liners. But the prospect of concreting over Kent must have had him rubbing his hands with glee.

Then on March 18th, 2005: "Tories ‘would scrap huge home building plan'". Shadow Minister John Hayes is quoted as saying, "We will abolish Mr Prescott's environmentally-damaging Communities Plan, which will concrete over the south while bulldozing Victorian terraces in the north". July 20th, 2005: "Planning shake-up proposals under attack". Proposed changes to planning rules which would include compelling Councils to plan house-building 15 years ahead were described by Damian Green as, "completely wrong-headed and ... an absolute environmental disaster". November 23rd, 2005: "Prescott's homes plan ‘risks creating ghettos'". This time the renowned architect Lord Rogers, who chaired the Urban Task Force, which was set up by John Prescott, is quoted as saying that the Government's masterplan could "saddle generations to come with a legacy of failure". He went on, "Creating ghettos of poorly-designed environments can fuel social tension and exacerbate social conflict..."

More than five years have passed since then. New developments have gone up all around Ashford, in conformity to Prezza's diktat that new housing should be high density. George Orwell wrote of the housing shortage in the 1930s. In "The Road to Wigan Pier" he described "labyrinths of little brick houses", terraces whose front doors opened directly onto the street or back alley. Take a look at some of the new housing in Ashford. OK, it isn't "blackened by smoke, festering in planless chaos round miry alleys and little cindered yards" - this is planned! Today's terraces have inside toilets and modern plumbing, but they are still crammed in cheek by jowl with their neighbours, many with front doors opening onto the pavement, and with tiny gardens or yards.

Meanwhile, Prezza is out of Government, if not quite out of Parliament (The Lord Prescott of Kingston-upon-Hull, no less), and has gone to Hull (only needs one vowel change). Not only that, but New Labour are out of Government too. We have had an election. The Coalition have ripped up the South East Development Plan and consigned Prezza's Grand Design to the dustbin of history. Or so we thought.

But what is really happening? Amazingly the Conservative (yes, Conservative) Cabal that runs Ashford is pressing full steam ahead with the implementation of Prezza's vision. Bizarre or what? And, this time, it really is their own decision. No fat man bearing down on them (not even Eric Pickles). In the spirit of the new "localism", councils are now encouraged to find their own way forward.

OK, there have been some concessions. High density is no longer in vogue. Ashford's planners now say, "There is a clear quality agenda here, reacting to some of the inappropriate development that has taken place in recent years and led in particular to cramped living environments that have created real problems for residents". Translation: "we screwed up in the recent past but we'll do better next time". Yeah!

And what else has been happening? Oh yes, I remember. The global economy has fallen off a cliff because the bankers were playing roulette with our money while the regulators were taking a nap in a corner somewhere. If there were doubts about the sustainability of Prezza's Plan back in 2004, that applies in spades now. Is speculative house building the way to stimulate the economy? If it were, Ireland and Spain would be booming now, rather than being economic basket cases. Newly built developments there are already being bulldozed.

So what now? Memo to our Councillors. Sit yourself down, dust yourself off, and start all over again. Remember the words of outgoing Labour Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne; "There's no money left".

Ashford should scale back expectations and learn to be content with its true identity; that of a medium size market and former railway town. Let's face it, Ashford is the Swindon of the South East. Like Swindon, it has a small fairly attractive old bit. Like Swindon it is surrounded by swathes of housing estates, which have got progressively denser and with smaller gardens as time went by. Like Swindon, a motorway runs by it. But there the similarity ends, because Swindon has been successful in attracting new jobs and investment - The Nationwide Building Society headquarters for example. Ashford, in contrast, has been singularly unsuccessful in attracting major new employers, despite being "best placed", and despite ABC and Ashford's Future Company Limited (Prop. Cllr P Clokie) chasing those elusive new jobs for years.

Ashford's Future Company should be wound up. ABC should learn to adapt to the new reality. That does not amount to failure; it amounts to realism in the situation in which we find ourselves.

It takes courage to diverge from the course you have set yourself, and it seems that such courage is in short supply amongst our elected representatives, or at least amongst the ruling Tory group. Nobody likes to lose face. But future generations will not thank them for putting face-saving above the long term well-being of the town. Small, or smaller than previously envisaged, can be beautiful. Growth can continue, and is continuing, but on a more modest scale. Growth can be good but it can also be malignant. Overweening ambition rarely produces a happy outcome.

So how about it, Cllr Clokie and Co? Are you prepared to listen to your constituents and fellow citizens, or do you know how to run our lives better than we do? Scrap the Local Development Framework and the Core Strategy. Start with a blank sheet of paper. Plan for an Ashford with a more human scale, more suited to both the needs of the present and foreseeable future, and to the wishes of the people who live here. You know it makes sense.

KCC begin publishing payment data

2010-10-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

By January 2011 every council will have to publish details of invoices over £500.

Kent County Council have started by publishing details of invoices over £500 that have been paid by their Environment, Highways and Waste services. In the months ahead they plan to publish all expenditure over £500.

They will be publishing the data each month in two formats - Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF to make the data as useful as possible to as many people as possible.

Making sense of the invoice information

This is what the data looks like:

The files contain details of all invoices paid in the reporting month that have a value of £500 or more (excluding VAT). We will not be publishing details of payments that are of a personal nature, such as those to foster carers.

The data is split into six columns containing:

the reference number for the payment being made
the name of the supplier/organisation receiving the payment
the date the payment was processed by our payments system
the value of the payment on the invoice in pounds excluding VAT
the part of the council (we call them directorates) that made the payment
the cost type which shows how we categorise the payment (we use more than 700 different cost types to help us identify and manage our spending).

For accounting purposes, the council is organised into five areas:

Adult Social Services
Chief Executive's Department
Children, Families and Education
Communities
Environment, Highways and Waste

Invoice details

Details of the invoices they pay are available in two formats - Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF.

Full details here http://kent.gov.uk/your_council/council_spending/invoices_over_500_pounds.aspx

We will be awaiting with interest the publication of the data from Ashford Borough Council

PJFS an Ashford resident writes

2010-10-11T03:31:00.000-07:00

Its a funny old world is Ashford, but all the nicer for that.

I was driving round Newtown today, casually looking at the houses built for people back pre WWII.

It struck me as I was driving round, that this wasn't housing for 'the bosses' but for the blue collar, and manual workers. Yet the roads are wide enough for two cars to pass, with pavements at their front, a reasonable sized front garden, ample for turning into a parking space, and no doubt a comfortable sized rear garden sufficient to keep that family occupied throughout a weekend. There were odd corner shops, and signs 'to recreation ground', with mums pushing buggies along those pavements to the rec.

Then I recollected the newer estates in Ashford I have 'explored', which I shall not name individually, but I am sure you will recognize.

Perhaps they look very pretty, in one case almost like a Cornish village to my untutored eye, with no two houses the same. And no parking spaces for homeowners cars, let alone visitors vehicles, nor buildings to be the 'corner shop, let alone pavements for pedestrians.

And then again another estate where I didn't even realise that there was a road off the one I was on, because there were no signs or even pavements to help me find my way around. Probably because it was 'Unadopted".

Or the estate where the community had been promised by the developers that a community centre and shopping arcade would be built, but it never has been. And now those residents would like to move on to somewhere more comfortable, with local amenities, schools for their children, recreation space, but they are in negative equity because their home does not have the amenities they were promised when they bought it and so has dropped in 'value'.

This is not to mention the estates where no council employees come to tidy the grass or clean the streets, because the roads are "Unadopted" invariably due to the failure of the developer to complete the job to the standard required. Estates where the residents are unable to find parking space because the adjacent business park has insufficient spaces for the staff and people visiting it.

And then I thought, I wonder who the developers where who created these estates? Sure we are not still involving them in the future growth of Ashford?

But guess what, we are.

So much so, that now these developers think that they can decide the development agenda for Ashford instead of the council, or government. They think they can over-ride the aspirations and wishes of residents; that they can beat the economic down turn in the economy by propaganda, to build unnecessary estates and maintain their cash flows. They do this because they have the support of a few, a very few but key, Ashford Councillors.

So by now, I had pulled up, as I wasn't in a fit state of mind to be driving a car, and I took some deep breaths, and remembered.

In May 2011 we have a borough council election, and we can do something, not to turn the clock back, but to say listen to us we have views and opinions, and we live in Ashford.

PJFS

Please let us know your views on the development of Ashford

The demise of SEEDA

2010-10-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

Mr Keith Brannan, selected candidate for Weald Central ward has raised concerns with the loss of SEEDA (The south east economic development agency). It is very important to the future of Ashford to agree a Masterplan for the whole of the central area that is inclusive of all local needs ( Including a theatre and / or visual arts centre).

There seems to me to be no reason why local politicians should not take the initiative to make sure that this is achieved.

Otherwise the community will be saddled with development that only makes a profit and is not geared to the welfare of the population.

Keith would like to hear from residents of the Borough about their thoughts on the issues he has raised. Please feel free to add your comment to the discussion or to email Keith directly ( his contact details can be found on the contact us part of this web site.

Register to vote in 2011

2010-10-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

Every year people across the UK need to register to vote to make sure they don’t lose the chance to have their say and each autumn local council’s carry out the ‘annual canvass’ which sees registration forms sent to every household.

On 5 May next year it will be your chance to vote in the local authority elections plus the proposed UK referendum on changes to the voting system for parliamentary elections. But to be able to have your say you need to be registered to vote.

Homes across the borough should have received their annual voter registration form over the past month or so which needs to be completed and returned to the council's Electoral Registration team.

This weekend canvassers are due to begin visiting those homes who have not yet returned their forms to remind people they need to do so or risk losing their chance to vote.

Completing and returning your form could be the difference between having your say and losing your voice on the issues that affect you.

Registering to vote is simple, quick and easy. Just update the annual canvass form with the details of everyone in your household who is eligible to vote and return the form as soon as possible.

If your details haven’t changed you can also reply using a freephone number or online service, details of which are shown on the registration form.

If you need help to complete your form you can call Electoral Services on 01233 330402.

Meeting of Ashford Independents

2010-10-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

The next AIA meeting is on Thursday 7th October at Ashford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane TN23 1PL. All members and any family or friends interested in helping us are very welcome. We will be discussing the May 2011 Election, candidates, a support team, publicity, the Website (blog), Wards, and previous results etc. We aim to complete the business, with everyone having their say in 2 hours. (If anyone has to leave early or wants to take a break, they are free to do so.)

We look forward to seeing you there

Ashford Independent Councillor recognized in honours list

2010-07-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Palma Laughton on her well deserved MBE

May unemployment figures for Ashford

2010-07-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

The latest unemployment figures for May 2010 have been released and overall show a steady fall in the number of unemployed people in the Borough. Please click on the chart to see a larger version of the ward by ward breakdown.

Tentertainment this weekend

2010-07-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

Tentertainment is back … One of Kent's best free family events is back this year bigger and better than before so be sure to put it in your diary and come and enjoy an unbeatable family day out in one of Kent's most beautiful towns.
'Tentertainment' is a unique mix of great live music, great local food and above all great family fun and entertainment. Tentertainment this year is being held on the evening of Friday 2 July and over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th July 2010 on the Recreation Ground in Tenterden.

Event organiser Pippa Carter said 'We are very excited that this year's event is over two days again and is combining the best of Tentertainment and the highly successful Local Food and Drink Festival. We're keen to get as many local people involved in the event as possible and would be pleased to hear from anyone interested in helping out and getting involved' The organisers are also keen to hear from any local bands or entertainers interested in performing at the show.
Last year's event attracted close to 6,000 visitors so this year's three day event is expected to do even better. There is still some availability for indoor and outdoor trade stalls at the event and anyone interested in taking a stall or getting involved with the show in any way should contact Pippa and Mike Carter.