Needs Analysis 2022 FLIP - Manual / Resource - Page 4
2
Medway
Dartford
Gravesham
Thanet
Swale
Sevenoaks
Tonbridge
& Malling
Canterbury
Maidstone
ASHFORD
The Borough of Ashford borders five other Kent
districts, as well as East Sussex to the south-west.
The Borough is divided into 39 civil parishes, centred
on the villages as well as the historic town of
Tenterden.
Voted Kent’s Number One Business Location (Locate
in Kent), Ashford is at the epicentre of remarkable
inward investment success, providing exceptional
high-speed national and international transport links
to London and Europe via Eurostar, with 3.6 million
passengers passing through Ashford International
Station each year (Southeastern).
Tunbridge
Wells
Dover
Ashford
Folkestone
& Hythe
58 000 hectares,
the
largest district
in Kent
Five wards are within the most 20% deprived in Kent
DEMOGRAPHICS
PRIORITY AREAS OF NEED
Resident population of 131,000.
1. Support for drug and alcohol misuse
The Ashford district has the highest levels of hospital
admissions for substance misuse across Kent and this
trend is rising.1 The district has experienced a 58% rise
in substance misuse which is the 4th highest rise for any
district in Kent.2 The Covid-19 pandemic has had a
devastating impact on individuals and families who are
affected by all forms of addiction and Ashford has
increased vulnerability due to the high youth population.
Rates of drug-related deaths are at an all-time high.3
2020 mid-year population figures (Office for National Statistics)
270,000
260,000
278,556
280,000
250,000
240,000
230,000
220,000
2. Promote volunteering to provide capacity to
encourage and deliver more sports and
recreation opportunities
Ashford ranks lowest in Kent and Medway for adults
volunteering in sports and recreation4 and this is coupled
with a lower-than-average number of physically active
adults in Ashford (second lowest rank in Kent and
Medway).5
210,000
200,000
190,000
NEEDS ANALYSIS
106,900
113,300
118,500
114,100
for
d
Fol
kes
t
& H one
yth
e
Gra
ves
ham
118,900
Ton
b
& M ridge
alli
ng
As
hfo
rd
Sev
eno
aks
Tun
bri
dge
We
lls
net
Tha
Sw
ale
Ma
Me
dw
ay
ids
ton
e
Can
ter
bur
y
100,000
Da
rt
110,000
Do
ver
120,000
121,400
130,000
131,000
140,000
132,600
150,000
141,500
160,000
0
151,000
173,100
170,000
166,800
180,000
Ashford is the highest district in
