A new town council could be created ahead of the planned abolishment of district, borough and county authorities.

Residents are being asked for their views on setting up a town council for Ashford as part of a new consultation.

In the next few years, all of Kent’s existing upper and second-tier councils - the county and districts and boroughs as well as the unitary authority in Medway - are going to be abolished.

These will be replaced with much larger unitary authorities, which perform all the services currently split between the county and the district.

A lot of areas in Kent have parish or town councils - which legally have the same responsibilities and powers as each other - and will remain in place following the local government reorganisation.

Parish and town councils receive money from council tax (called a precept) and can maintain and install things such as benches, allotments, parks, community centres and leisure facilities.

However, some places have no such council - including Ashford itself, the seat of Ashford Borough Council (ABC).

ABC also says that if the town council were created, some of the borough’s services would be devolved down to the new authority.

Vernon Seager, of Central Ashford Community Forum, says the new authority might be necessary with ongoing local government reform.

“Obviously, if we get a unitary council then existing borough councils as we know them will fall by the wayside.

“Ashford will probably be represented by a lot less unitary councillors, so then I should think the parish councils around here will start to take over the link between local communities and the unitary councils.

“Now we’re moving to a unitary, parish and town councils are going to become much more important in the whole democratic process.”

ABC is now seeking the views of the public on forming a new Ashford Town Council ahead of the abolition of ABC from April 1, 2028, as part of local government reform.

If a town council is created, it would continue to exist after the abolition of ABC, and work with whichever new authority covers the area.

Residents can make their views known to ABC through their online consultation until December 5.

‘I should think the parish councils around here will start to take over the link between local communities and the unitary councils…’

Depending on the outcome of the consultation, a second, stage two consultation is likely to start around February next year.

Subject to the results of that, a provisional timetable suggests ABC could officially issue the order to create the town council in July next year, and the council could be elected in May 2027.

Cllr Linda Harman, chair of ABC’s Local Government and Polling District Task Group, said: “When the proposed changes to local government are introduced, this could mean that in the unparished urban areas of Ashford, only the unitary council will exist.

“Listening to our community is at the heart of everything we do in local government.

“This review is your opportunity to shape how local decisions are made and where your contacts for local issues are based. I urge every resident to take part—your voice truly matters.”

Parish-tier authorities already exist in other parts of Ashford.

Kennington Community Council - covering the areas of Bybrook, Grosvenor Hall (Bockhanger), Kennington, Kennington North, Little Burton Farm and Conningbrook - was formed in 2019 following a similar consultation to the one proposed for Ashford Town Council.

Great Chart with Singleton Parish Council and Kingsnorth Parish Council also already serve a combined population of almost 20,000 residents.