the website of South Ashford Community Forum
Polling cards have been sent to voters in Ashford for the Police and Crime Commissioner Election. If you have not received yours, and think you have registered to vote contact Electoral Services at Ashford Borough Council:
If you have not registered Register Now: (more…)
Why save water in your garden?Saving water in your garden can save money and energy: Water uses energy to be pumped, heated and treated. Why not try using rainwater instead of your tap water to wash your car, water your plants and other garden/outdoor activities? You’ll save money, energy – and money – if you are on a water meter!
Saving water in your garden can help reduce the risk of flooding in your local area: By collecting rainwater in a water butt to use in your garden, you’re not only saving water but also preventing that water from just sitting on hard surfaces such as tarmac, or running directly across surfaces and back into rivers too quickly – both of which can contribute towards localised flooding.
Saving water can help your garden to thrive: Some plants, for example Acers, prefer to be watered with rainwater anyway so give them what they want – helps your garden thrive and saves water, helping to cut your water and energy bills too! (more…)
Why save water in your community?
In water saving week, why not get a water butt to enable you to use rainwater to water your plants and for other uses. South East Water customers can get water butts and accessories at discount prices from savewater.co.uk http://www.sew.savewater.co.uk/.
Why save water in your home?
IntroductionBus services across the UK were privatised in 1985. Since then, many routes in Kent have been run by commercial bus companies, such as Arriva or Stagecoach.
But not all of Kent’s bus services are run on a purely commercial basis. Kent County Council (KCC) currently spends £6.4 million subsidising some routes which, while not commercially viable, are considered important to the needs of the communities and passengers they serve.
KCC have worked hard to protect these subsidies, but as central government funds have been reduced we’ve had to make savings. They have already saved over £1million by working with bus operators to re-plan routes, renegotiating better contracts and through a greater use of Community Transport operators. However, they still need to reduce our spending further in the next financial year.
To help them do this a series of changes have been identified for 17 subsidised services. While KCC’s approach seeks to protect those bus services where the impact on passengers is greatest, they understand that any changes may have an adverse impact on existing bus passengers and they need you to tell them how the proposed changes may affect you. (more…)
Why save water at work?
Ashford Borough Council (ABC) Customers services have returned to the Civic Centre in Tannery Lane.
ABC say that they believe this will improve the customer experience, efficiency and speed of response for all enquiries. The service is being tailored to provide self-help for customers that can, assisted self-help for those who need some assistance and providing the appropriate resources for those customers with more complex enquiries.
They have noticed a changing pattern in how residents interact with the council, moving away from the more traditional face-to-face and telephone contact to more modern online methods such as email and the internet.
With the introduction of Universal Credit and the development of further self-help facilities we expect to see a further reduction in the number of face to face visits.
The new-look Civic Centre reception will see the meet and greet style approach introduced in a welcoming, open and light environment, which will help to improve visitors’ experiences and their first impression of the council.
Ashford Borough Council http://www.ashford.gov.uk/were-moving#Ashford
Developer U+I have requested that Ashford Borough Council screen their proposals for land at the junction of Beaver Road and Victoria Road (the ‘Victoria Way’ development) for the requirement to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment.
The submission indicates that three applications will be submitted
The developer concludes that the proposed development (individually and cumulatively) will not result in any significant environmental impacts that give rise to a need to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment. (more…)