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This summer promises to be one of particular excitement in Ashford. Create Festival 2017 will see the launch of Create Platform, a week-long programme leading up to the big day. With its nod to Ashford’s rich railway heritage, Create Platform will see a wide range of unique spin-off events from July 14 to 23, and will help to build excitement and anticipation ahead of the festival.

Create Platform promises uniquely themed exhibitions, concerts and street entertainment across the borough. I am sure the event will truly highlight both the interesting places and spaces we have, as well as the wonderful work that the council are conducting to provide a first-class cultural industry. Details of all of Create Platform’s events can be found at www.createfestival.co.uk and I hope residents enjoy some of the activities.

Last Sunday Ashford Farmers’ Market celebrated its third birthday. Visitors enjoyed browsing all the homemade delights and listening to the live music.

The Ashford Farmers’ Market is part of the council’s drive to increase footfall in the town centre, particularly on Sundays, and to support local businesses. The market has proven popular. It takes place on the first Sunday of the month between 10am and 2pm on the lower High Street.

Last week we heard that the Jasmin Vardimon Company were among a number of arts organisations and projects to have received significant funding from Arts Council England. The company, a leading force in British dance theatre for nearly 20 years, hopes to establish a purpose-built centre of excellence here in the borough. It will include rehearsal and presentation spaces, dedicated training spaces and wellbeing suite at the Henwood Industrial Estate, and would enable the company to produce a large-scale touring show every two years and expand its number of students.

This is good news for yet another one of our Big 8 projects and we look forward to seeing Kent County Council, who are leading the project, working closely with Jasmin Vardimon to take this forward.

With the College opening this September, work on the Commercial Quarter, Elwick Place progressing, funding secured for the new Ashford International signalling project, Junction10a and now Jasmin Vardimon, it is good to see major projects coming to fruition.