Ashford Borough Council Leads the UK with AI Innovation in Border Controls

Ashford Borough Council Leads the UK with AI Innovation in Border Controls 

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) is proud to announce a pioneering step in the digital transformation of UK border controls. 

Since the opening of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) function at the Sevington Border Control Post in April 2024, ABC has managed the highest volume of commercial freight in the UK—a challenge requiring both precision and efficiency. 

To meet this demand, ABC partnered with Salesforce Ltd and Cospire Technologies to develop the UK’s first fully automated AI‑driven import document checking system. This groundbreaking solution uses Intelligent Document Processing to capture and structure unstructured import documents, enabling Artificial Intelligence to carry out the initial compliance checks traditionally performed manually.

Cospire Technologies worked closely with ABC teams through a bottom‑up review of the existing process, customising the Salesforce platform to replicate our manual checks while strengthening assurance and accuracy. 

The result: A trans formative, first‑of‑its‑kind system within the UK import industry that increases staff capacity, enhances compliance, and improves the speed and quality of official controls. 

And importantly,  Thanks to this investment and the increased staff output it delivers; ABC will hold its current charges for official controls for 2026/27 — with no inflationary increase. Ashford Borough Council is proud to be leading the way in innovation, efficiency, and service to trade.