Press Releases for 2004

Community Strategy for Ashford needs targets

18th March 2004

Ashford Greens discussed Ashford Borough Council's Draft Community Strategy at a recent meeting. There was considerable concern about the scale of the Strategy, just 15 pages, and about the need for more timescales and more targets. Hazel Dawe comments:

Bearing in mind the expansion of Ashford, and the wealth of material in the Ashford's Future report, the proposed Community Strategy is a remarkably slim document. Far more targets, with realistic timescales, are needed. We also noted some omissions:

* No section on the natural environment or countryside!
* A failure to link walking and cycling with health promotion.
* A transport section that is exceptionally small and includes proposals for a costly and ineffective fringe of town Park and Ride. Our major local transport submissions have not been used to improve this key area(1). There is no proposal addressing the need for a fully integrated local transport policy.
* Lifelong learning and local cultural benefit would come from providing a Theatre, something the Council seems loathe to support.
* No mention of support for cooperatives or 'live-work units' under Regeneration.

"Overall, the Community Strategy does not make sufficient use of either the Ashford's Future report or subsequent work by the Delivery Board. We feel that a comprehensive Community Strategy could and should be prepared from these sources. The draft on offer is too brief to cover many important items. It would also help if more policy documentation produced by the Council were on its website."

FURTHER INFORMATION: Hazel Dawe, Campaigns Officer, on 01233 645167 or 07960 956272. Contact address: 10 Hillbrow Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 4QH. Notes: 1. Green Party documents on Ashford Transport Policy, a policy for rural areas based on Wye and on Park and Ride can be found on our website at www.eastkent-greenparty.org.uk All three have been submitted to Ashford Borough Council.

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