Time to get involved with local forums

Although the results of last November’s consultation did not result in community councils for most of the urban area, there is clearly a groundswell of support for more local community involvement.

If as many people as possible were to engage with their local community forums or parish/community councils, they could focus on building and identifying true local communities with practical initiatives and very localised consultations.

I would encourage all councillors to work with their forums for the common good, even if they have reservations about the concept. It is not justified for some to sit on their democratic laurels in the belief that they are the only legitimate representatives of the vox pop; just consider election turn-outs.

Even in this time of constrained budgets, it must surely be possible for Ashford Borough Council (ABC) to work with the forums to access funding initiatives, especially if ABC could provide limited officer support to the forums. I would also like to encourage ABC to consult more widely before spending the monies they are fortunate enough to have obtained through the much needed growth of the borough’s housing provision.

Regarding what is and what isn’t a local community, I am not sure people actually identify with, say, Central Ashford as their community. They are more likely to say the name of the estate or main road if asked.

Finally, why not consider joining your least worst local political party and getting involved that way? No one should think that you have to agree with all the national policies of a party to join. Jonathan Dance Northbrooke, Ashford