Dartford Reform

27/08/2026

Creating Opportunities for Our Communities

Yesterday, I was delighted to visit the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation with Cllr Ben Fryer, Deputy Cabinet Member for Economic Growth.

We were given an insightful tour and had positive discussions about the exciting future plans for Ebbsfleet and, importantly, what these developments can mean for Dartford residents, businesses and communities.

A key focus was about Training and Skills, which are essential to creating pathways for young people into careers such as construction and other growing industries. It is essential that young people from across Dartford can access the skills, training and employment opportunities being created through the area's growth.

We also discussed the importance of improving connectivity, including support for the return of Eurostar services to Ebbsfleet International, which would strengthen local, national and international links, bringing further economic benefits to Dartford and the wider North Kent area.

As councillors, we are committed to ensuring that the growth and investment taking place in Ebbsfleet delivers real benefits for local communities of Dartford. From jobs and apprenticeships to skills development and business opportunities, it is important that local people are able to share in the success of this ambitious project.

Thank you to the team at Ebbsfleet Development Corporation for their time and hospitality. We look forward to continuing to work together with KCC and our partners to maximise the opportunities that Ebbsfleet can bring to Dartford and the wider community.

27/08/2026

🚄 Creating Opportunities for Young People & Bringing International Trains Back to Ebbsfleet

Recently, I had a really positive couple of visits looking at how we can create more opportunities for local people across Dartford and North Kent.

We started by meeting with North Kent College, where we had a really useful conversation about skills, training and making sure the education and training available locally actually connects people with the jobs being created on our doorstep.

We then visited Ebbsfleet alongside KCC Leader Cllr Linden Kemkaran and Cabinet Member for Economic Development Cllr David Wimble, where we met with Sara Waller, Chief Executive of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, and her team to hear more about the plans for the area.

One of the biggest things I took away from both discussions was the importance of making sure local people - and particularly our young people - genuinely benefit from the investment taking place around us.

We are hearing more and more about young people struggling to find work and get that crucial first opportunity to start building a career. With so much happening across Dartford and North Kent, I don’t want our young people simply watching that growth happen around them. I want them to be part of it.

That means better routes into apprenticeships, training and employment, and giving people the skills and connections they need to access careers in areas such as construction, engineering, technology and other growing industries.

We also talked about something I know many local residents feel strongly about - bringing international rail services back to Ebbsfleet International.

Having direct International services back at Ebbsfleet would be a huge boost for our area, improving connectivity and making the most of a station and piece of infrastructure we already have.

🚄 Would you use Ebbsfleet to travel to Europe?

If so, please take a moment to register your demand and help strengthen the case:

👇 https://bringbackeurotrains.com/campaigns/register-your-demand/

A big thank you to everyone at North Kent College, and to Sara Waller and the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation team, for taking the time to meet with us. There is a huge amount of opportunity coming to this part of Kent, and I want to make sure local people are right at the heart of it.

27/08/2026

🚄 HELP BRING INTERNATIONAL TRAINS BACK TO EBBSFLEET

There is now a real opportunity to bring international rail services back to Ebbsfleet International - but we need to prove the passenger demand is there.

Kent County Council is today urging residents to complete the Bring Back Euro Trains passenger survey, which is gathering evidence of where people would travel, how often they would use international services and which Kent station they would use.

Nearly 14,000 people have already responded.

This matters because new international rail services are being planned - but a stop at Ebbsfleet is not guaranteed.

📍 If you live in Dartford or the surrounding area and would use Ebbsfleet to travel to Europe, please complete the survey.

Whether that's Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Disneyland Paris or elsewhere - register the journey you would actually make.

The more demand we can demonstrate from Dartford and North Kent, the stronger the case for international trains stopping at Ebbsfleet again.

👇 COMPLETE THE SURVEY HERE:
https://bringbackeurotrains.com/campaigns/register-your-demand/

Please share - every response helps build the evidence for Ebbsfleet. 🚄

25/08/2026

Yesterday evening I caught up again with Dartford’s Community Wardens at Fleetdown Library. It was really good to sit down with them and hear more about what they’re dealing with locally at the moment.

There are only three of them covering Dartford, and I don’t think people always realise just how much work they actually do behind the scenes. Although they each have particular areas they focus on, they’ll always try to help wherever they can across the borough.

A big shoutout to these three fantastic ladies for everything they do for our local communities. It’s always a pleasure catching up with them and hearing about the work they’re doing. 👏

If you ever have something you think the wardens may be able to help with, please do get in touch with them.

I’ll also keep sharing their events, drop-ins and other activities on my socials whenever they have something coming up, so hopefully more residents can see what’s happening and make use of the support available locally.

24/08/2026

🚨 KNIGHTS REACH: BASILDON BOUGHT 86 FLATS IN JUNE - AND WE’VE UNCOVERED NEWHAM’S PLAN TO BUY 153

In 2024, residents in Dartford raised serious concerns when it emerged that Basildon Council was considering acquiring homes at the new Knights Reach development - the large housing development in Stone opposite Darent Valley Hospital.

We now know what happened, and Cllr Ryan Waters for Dartford East, whose division includes Knights Reach, has uncovered evidence that another council was looking at the development too.

Following Ryan's investigation, a Freedom of Information response from Basildon Council has confirmed that it purchased:

➡️ 43 flats at Knights Reach on 24 June 2026

➡️ another 43 flats on 25 June 2026

That is 86 flats at Knights Reach purchased by Basildon Council.

But the investigation has uncovered something else which, as far as we can establish, has never previously been brought to the attention of Dartford residents.

Newham Council separately developed plans to purchase the freehold of 153 residential properties at Knights Reach.

Newham's own documents say the properties were intended to provide affordable accommodation for households in housing need and to reduce the Council's reliance on costly temporary accommodation.

The proposal had progressed far enough to be formally entered into Newham's Forward Plan as a Key Decision, with Cabinet due to consider the acquisition on 15 September 2026.

But the proposal has now been withdrawn.

Remarkably, Newham's published paperwork contains a field marked "Reason withdrawn:" but no reason is given.

Ryan has now submitted further Freedom of Information requests to Newham and Basildon to establish what happened, how advanced Newham's proposed purchase was, why it was withdrawn, and the full details of Basildon's completed purchases.

We're also asking questions about the wider picture at Knights Reach.

Dartford Borough Council itself has a long-term arrangement involving 138 homes at Knights Reach, intended to bring Dartford households who have been placed outside the borough back into Dartford.

So we now know that three different councils have had major housing arrangements or proposed acquisitions involving the same Dartford development.

That raises a very serious question for our town:

How can such large numbers of homes on a major new Dartford development be bought or controlled by different councils, particularly authorities from outside Dartford, without local residents having any meaningful say?

And if it can happen at Knights Reach, what prevents another outside council doing the same thing on another Dartford development tomorrow?

Reform Dartford has long opposed the scale of mass housebuilding in our borough. Dartford has already taken enormous levels of development, while residents see the consequences through greater pressure on our roads, schools, GPs and other local services.

But if Dartford Borough Council is going to continue approving thousands more homes despite those concerns, then we most certainly do not believe large numbers of those new homes should then be bulk-purchased or controlled by councils from outside Dartford, with local residents having little or no say.

Dartford residents are being expected to live with the consequences of this development. At the very least, they should be able to expect that the new homes being built in our borough are not simply available for other authorities to acquire in large blocks without proper transparency, scrutiny or consideration of the impact on the local community.

We don't believe Dartford should simply have to accept that this can happen again.

That's why Cllr Ryan Waters for Dartford East is launching a petition calling for action both locally and nationally to protect new housing developments, improve transparency and give host communities a proper voice when outside councils seek to acquire large numbers of homes.

👇 Please sign and share Ryan's petition:

https://www.petitiononline.uk/protect_dartfords_new_homes

Our investigation will continue. We want to establish exactly who owns or controls which parts of Knights Reach, what the councils knew and when, and what powers already exist, or need to be created, to prevent this happening without proper local scrutiny in future.

We will publish the evidence and further findings as the investigation develops.

24/08/2026

Reform UK will prioritise young British-born workers and veterans for social housing. ✅

Labour called the plan "unserious and unworkable" and accused Reform of pushing "gimmicks and division".

21/08/2026

Unlock Your Potential with English and Maths Courses at Kent Adult Education Whether you're looking to improve your confidence, gain a recognised qualification, progress in your career, or simply strengthen your everyday skills, Kent Adult Education offers a range of English and Maths courses des...

20/08/2026

A fantastic day at Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet as pupils received their GCSE results! 🎉

Dartford West Cllr Beverley Fordham - KCC Councillor, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, was there to meet students, hear about their results and talk about their plans for the future.

There was plenty to celebrate too, with Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet achieving its best-ever GCSE results - a brilliant achievement for the pupils, staff and everyone who has supported them along the way.

To every young person receiving results today, congratulations on all your hard work. Whatever grades you received, there are so many different routes and opportunities ahead, and support is there if you need it.

Wishing every student across Kent the very best for whatever comes next. 🩵

20/08/2026

💬 A message from Cllr Beverley Fordham, Dartford West Councillor and KCC Cabinet Member for Education and Skills who was ar the Leigh Academy Ebbsfleet today:

“Congratulations to everyone who received their GCSE results! 🤞📚🎓

You’ve worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and you should be so proud of yourselves, whatever your results may be.

Remember, one set of results does not define you or your future. ❤️

A huge thank you also to all the amazing teachers and staff for their dedication, encouragement, patience and support throughout the journey. Your hard work and commitment have made such a difference to our young people. 👏🍎💙

Wishing everyone the very best for the next chapter - you’ve got this! ✨🌟”

Cllr Beverley Fordham
Dartford West Councillor & KCC Cabinet Member for Education and Skills

20/08/2026

It’s time for a British Skills Revolution, with more apprenticeships for young British people. ✅

YOUNG Brits will have 30 per cent of their apprentice wages covered by the taxpayer under Reform plans for a major “skills revolution”. Nigel Farage’s party say they will save sma…