The Partners
Ashford's Future is a partnership of local councils, government
agencies and others from the public and private sector. By working
together, the ten main partners are able to bring their own
expertise and resources in their own areas of responsibility. This
allows Ashford to maintain local democratic control of many aspects
of the project with the help and support of others.
The partners involved in Ashford’s Future are:
Ashford is the largest borough in Kent
covering 224 square miles and includes the rural town of Tenterden.
Ashford has a fast-growing population which has more than trebled
in the last 40 years to around 111,000 residents. Ashford Borough
Council is responsible for a wide range of services to residents,
companies and potential investors.
Communities and Local Government (formally the
Office for the Deputy Prime Minster) is responsible for local and
regional Government, housing, planning, fire, regeneration, social
exclusion and neighbourhood renewal.
Homes & Communities Agency is
the national regeneration agency, helping the Government to support
high quality sustainable growth in England. This is achieved
through a partnership between the Pubic and Private Sectors working
towards high standards of design, construction and environmental
sustainability.
The Environment Agency is the leading public
body for protecting and improving the environment in England and
Wales. It is their responsibility to make sure that air, land and
water are looked after by everyone in today's society, so that
tomorrow's generations inherit a cleaner, healthier world.
GOSE represents
central government in the region and their role is to promote
better and more effective integration of Government policies and
programmes at a regional and local level. It was created in April
1994 and brings together the activities previously carried out on a
regional basis by the separate Departments responsible for
Education, Employment, Transport, Local Government, Trade and
Industry.
Kent County Council is the largest, and one of
the leading, local authorities in the UK. At a time of tremendous
change and opportunity for Kent, KCC provides strategic direction
for countywide regeneration, striking a balance between the often
conflicting demands of housing, employment, existing communities
and the environment in order to ensure development which is of the
very highest quality and genuinely sustainable in the long
term.
The Learning and Skills Council exists to make
England better skilled and more competitive.
The LSC have a
single goal: to improve the skills of England’s young people and
adults to ensure we have a workforce of world-class standard. The
LSC is
responsible for planning and funding high quality education and
training for everyone in England other than those in universities.
Our vision is that by 2010, young people and adults in England have
knowledge and skills matching the best in the world and are part of
a truly competitive workforce.
The South East England Development Agency was
established by the Government to take the strategic lead in
promoting the sustainable economic development of the region, and
works with partners to make the South East of England a world class
region, achieving sustainable development and enhanced quality of
life.
The South East England Partnership Board
brings local authorities and the regional development agency
(SEEDA) together to work on the Regional Strategy. This is a
20-year vision for transport, housing, planning and economic issues
in the South East. The Board comprises four members of SEEDA’s
board and eight members of the South East England Leaders’ Board,
which represents local authorities in the region.
NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent serves
710,000 people living in Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Shepway, Swale
and Thanet. The three main functions of the Primary Care Trust
(PCT) are engaging with the local population to improve
health and well being, commissioning a comprehensive and equitable
range of high quality, responsive and efficient services, and
managing the funding to plan and purchase health services for the
local community.
The Highways Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department for
Transport (DfT), and is responsible for operating, maintaining and
improving the strategic road network in England on behalf of the
Secretary of State for Transport. It has a major role in delivering
the Government's Ten Year Plan for Transport, and in the UK’s
regeneration and growth plans.
A not-for-profit organisation, Business Link is an easy to use
business support, advice and information service that has
been developed in partnership with subject experts within
government and relevant business-support organisations, to
help start-up and established companies comply with
regulations and improve performance.
Established in 1997, Locate in Kent is Kent and Medway's inward
investment agency and provides a free, comprehensive and
confidential relocation service to businesses. Since launching, the
company has helped over 500 companies to locate or expand in
Kent, creating almost 23,000 new jobs.
Other Organisations Involved