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Having last year celebrated 50 years of twinning with Bad Munstereifel and 30 years with Fougeres, we wished to make those relationships even more meaningful, and this year it was Ashford’s turn to host our friends from Germany and France. Each year the official twinning event has a core theme and with everything that is developing in Ashford this year the topic was business, with links which we hope will develop more strongly over future years.

With our strong friendships and close ties between schools and sports clubs already firmly established, Ashford was keen to develop business, trade, and tourism relations. Good progress was made over the weekend with a presentation by the Chamber of Commerce and then a meeting with our MP Damian Green and local industry leaders. The civic leaders were present from Germany and France and they were keen to engage with Ashford to increase business, both here and abroad.

I’m delighted that the government has recognised the importance of delivering of the full junction 10a scheme, by announcing that it will go ahead. We have campaigned long and hard for this investment to be made and now we can look forward to the benefits this will bring in terms of attracting investment and creating jobs. This news should give confidence that we will have the road capacity needed to support our programme of economic development and quality house building.

We have excellent rail, road, air and sea links providing businesses with easy access to many millions of consumers across Europe. As you will no doubt have read, the council has approved plans to expand the Ashford Designer Outlet Centre, with nearly 40 new stores, six restaurants and cafes planned as well as creation of up to an additional 700 jobs. This will transform it into one of the UK’s premier outlet centres including the best names in designer fashion, and will bring a greater footfall right into the town centre thus complementing its own special offer.

In the last few weeks I have been engaging with government and other agencies on international humanitarian matters in Syria that are of serious concern to us all as a caring society. I have received a number of letters from our residents, asking what Ashford is doing about this. I have replied that we stand ready to assist where possible in a co-ordinated way. I hope to be in a position to discuss an urgent paper on this matter with colleagues at our Cabinet meeting this evening (Thursday).