ABC's Failure to Responds to Residents

The position of Dobbies "Garden Centre" versus Bybrook Garden Centre is something of a controversial issue in the town centre.

We are struggling to retain local businesses in Ashford as it is, and is a real shame to see councillors failing to represent their local residents views when responding to planning applications.

With petitions of 4672 signatures submitted to the Council as well as objection letters, this accounts for 80% of the voters in the four wards of Bybrook, Bockhanger, Kennington and Little Burton Farm.

If you consider back in the 2007 Borough Council elections, an average of 26% of these four wards voted.

Now of course, the signatures may not all be from people within this area, but it's a highly indicative move that such a large percentage of Ashford, who cannot usually be motivated to vote in the local elections, are motivated to stick up for and defend a local business run by local people in the face of the monopoly of supermarket chain stores.