The decision to pause the establishment of the town council was made at a Full Council meeting on 15 October, following a request from ministers for councils to halt work dependent on specific LGR decisions. While the proposals for an Ashford Town Council were not directly part of the LGR, their creation was based on the anticipated reorganisation in 2028.
A Community Governance Review (CGR) initiated by Ashford Borough Council in July 2026 had recommended the creation of the town council to assess local democratic arrangements in light of the planned replacement of the Borough Council by a larger unitary council in 2028.
An Ashford Town Council Advisory Group had been established to oversee arrangements including governance, finances, staffing, and service delivery. The first elections were scheduled for 6 May 2027.
The proposal for the town council has not been cancelled, but its future will be reviewed once further government guidance on LGR is available. Consequently, the planned establishment date of April 2027 will not be met.
Further information regarding the background of the CGR can be found on the Ashford Borough Council website.
