Parish Council

Your Council knows the parish well and can represent your views to other authorities like the Kent County Council, Dover District Council, Health Authorities, Transport Authorities and Utilities and to Ministries. We are entitled to be consulted on planning applications and are often consulted on public transport, schools and roads. We put the parish’s case at Public Inquiries.  The Council has eleven members who are elected for four years. The next election will be held in May 2027.

This year, the Ash Parish Council has four key priorities that we are continuing to work on for you.

1. Ash Neighbourhood Development Plan. Our NDP was finalised in 2021 and became part of planning regulations for the parish. It has been invaluable in the planning process. It is now time to update it building on our experience from the last three years. This will include tightening up certain sections e.g. ensuring that indigenous trees are planted and that new developments incorporate the right amount of green space.  This will take time to complete, and we will need to use a planning consultant given our stretched resources.

2. Highways Improvement Plan (Phase II). Traffic, speeding and parking remain significant issues. We have been active on the A257 committee alongside other parish councils along the length of the A257, DDC & Kent County (KCC) representatives, and our MP.  KCC has reviewed our HIP and we are working with them to deliver as much as we can in these budget-constrained times. This year, in direct response to reported issues, we have started a Speed Watch group and we have been reviewing the speed data for the A257 with the aim of reducing the speed limit. Other areas of the HIP include local parking, 20mph zone, and improved signage.

3. Biodiversity.  Biodiversity remains an important topic and one that the Parish Council takes very seriously. We have worked hard over the past year to develop an approach to ecology and biodiversity that brings much-needed focus for now and the longer term.  We will continue this work in coordination with the Wildlife Friendly Village initiative.

4. Facilities in Ash. We are engaging with the surgery, schools and sports facilities to understand local needs. Pound Corner has received a much-needed and very well received refresh. We have also started to explore extending the playground facilities in the Rec with equipment more suited to older children.

We are looking at ways of improving how we communicate our work and priorities.

The Council developed this website to make it easier for you to find out answers to your questions.  You can  sign up for email alerts for updates to the website by clicking on Subscribe at the top of the page.

Our Facebook page is also aiming to reach a wider audience.

When you next pass The Street car park or the Ash Village Hall, you can see the noticeboards that advertise village activities and display the agenda and minutes of the parish council monthly meetings. We do not accept commercial advertisements or party political posters.  The key to The Street noticeboard is held at Londis (Poparound). 

The Parish Council is the Trustee of the Recreation Ground.  We are responsible for the care and maintenance of the ground and toilets on-site.

The Parish Council owns the allotments and if you are a resident you can apply to become an allotment tenant by contacting the Clerk.   The council also owns Pound Corner, the four bus shelters in the parish, a number of road-side seats and the public litter bins.

The Parish Council is Trustee of the two war memorials, one at Ash Village and the other at Westmarsh.

If you would like to find out more about the council  have a browse through the other pages

Parish of Ash will show you a map of the parish boundary and how the parish council fits into the local government structure for England.

Councillor Details  is where to go to find out who are your Ash Parish Councillors,  the local ward Dover District Councillors and Kent County Council Councillor and your MP, and how to contact them.

Agenda and Minutes of the parish council go back to 2008 on this website and are listed by year and date.  This includes the minutes  for the Ash Parish Council Footpaths Committee and the Planning Committee.

Annual Parish Meeting is held every April  for residents to hear about what has been happening in the parish for the year.  Reports are given about the work of the parish, the district and the county councils, the local charities and other organisations in the parish.  You can raise issues and question your councillors.

Becoming a Parish Councillor explains what is expected from a parish councillor and how they are elected.

Finance takes you through the annual audited return of the council’s finances, the annual receipts and payments and the budget.  It also gives you information on how to inspect the annual accounts.  Funding for the Council is raised through a “precept” which is set by the parish council and is gathered with your council tax. We can also apply for grants and can receive rents and fees.

Policies and Procedures  explain how we carry out our duties.