Onlooker Report – Ash Parish Council Ordinary Meeting 2 June 2025

The Parish Council met on Monday, 2 June at the new start time of 19:00. Please note that all future meetings will now begin at this earlier time unless otherwise stated.   

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) – What’s Next?   

Councillor Ellery and Councillor Venny recently attended a ‘Parish and Town Council Briefing’ hosted by Dover District Council (DDC) regarding ongoing plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).   

The next milestone in this process is November 2025, when proposals for Kent will be submitted, with expected feedback in early 2026. If approved, elections for the new unitary council will take place in 2027, followed by a transitional period before full implementation in 2028.   

Over time, a Mayor of Kent is anticipated, and each unitary authority will represent a population of around 500,000. Current speculation suggests that East Kent’s unitary authority may include Thanet, Dover, Canterbury, and Folkestone, although details remain uncertain. We will continue monitoring developments closely.   

Village Parking  

Hot off the press! Dover District Council’s Cabinet have decided to revisit their proposed changes to parking regulations across Dover District.   

Ash village car parks are a valuable and shared resource, provided by Dover District Council.  Parking is in high demand, and we kindly remind residents that the village car parks are not additional residential parking spaces but support the local business economy and visitors, ensuring our streets remain accessible.  Although parking is limited to 24 hours, vehicles are regularly parked for days without moving.  If you are lucky enough to have private parking, please use it. 

Community Policing  

PC Jon Bowler provide an update on Kent Police activities, and he is currently mentoring three new recruits to the community policing unit.   

One ongoing concern is a vehicle parked on Sandwich Road. While it is road legal, unless it poses an immediate risk, police have no authority to remove it. This serves as a reminder to everyone to park considerately.  

PC Bowler encouraged residents to sign up to MyCommunityVoice and complete a short survey by 9 June.  This helps Kent Police identify the top three priorities for our area.  

Enhancing Village Amenities   

Come along to the Library on Saturday 21 June, 10.00 – 12.00, to view and vote on your preferred design for Play Area 2 at the Recreation Ground.  We are encouraging residents young and old to cast their vote to enable us to move forward with plans to enhance the play facilities at the Recreation Ground, making full use of S106 developer contributions.   

The Parish Council has approved the purchase of a drop-down projector screen for use in the library. This will be available for Parish Council meetings and general village hall/library users, with installation expected by the end of June.   

We continue to seek improvements to Footpath EE112a, the neglected ‘Council Yard’, and the dilapidated council garages in the village from DDC. These areas have long been plagued by fly-tipping and littering, and we hope to arrange an on-site meeting with the DDC team to assess the issue firsthand.   

Fly-tipping and littering remain persistent problems particularly in village car park despite available public bins, and we have asked DDC to consider CCTV in key areas.   Recently, a large household waste dump in the village car park was reported to DDC Enforcement and is being investigated.  All reported fly-tipping incidents are investigated—please continue reporting any that you find. 

Dog Owners – Responsible Pet Care   

In response to complaints about dog mess at the Recreation Ground, DDC’s environmental crime team have installed new warning signs. Residents are reminded to report instances of dog waste and other environmental concerns to DDC.  

A reminder that DDC is hosting a ‘Check a Chip’ event on Friday 20 June, 10:00 – 13:00 at the Recreation Ground. Drop by to ensure your dog’s microchip details are up to date.   

Keeping Footpaths Clear 

Our Footpaths Working Group remains engaged and active, especially as vegetation growth increases during this season. KCC advises that all KCC-managed footpaths undergo scheduled clearing between mid-May and mid-June.   

KCC-managed paths are marked with a green triangle on the official KCC Public Rights of Way (PROW) map. Please report any obstructions directly to KCC PROW at www.kent.gov.uk and email email hidden; JavaScript is required to let us know 

 

The next Parish Council Ordinary Meeting will take place on Monday 7 July 2025 at 7pm in The Library, Ash Village Hall.