Agenda item

(Report by Mr Dance, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Economic Development, Mr Cockburn, Corporate Director Business Strategy & Support)

1.               The Chairman invited the Director of Economic Development, Ms Cooper, to introduce the report.  Ms Cooper gave a summary of the events since the Cabinet Committee received the presentation from Mrs Charlotte Hastings from Seven Hills at its meeting held on 21 November, which included the following:

• The launch of “Grow for it” held on 28 November at Dover Cruise Terminal was considered successful with many business people in attendance.
• Many of those businesses pledged their support to the campaign by offering their stories as successful businesses in East Kent and/or using their space to advertise the campaign.  Work was currently being undertaken to follow up those pledges.
• Advertisements had been displayed in London on bus sides and in the underground from 28 November to 13 December 2012. Feedback as to the impact was awaited on the advertising campaign.
• The website had also been launched.

The plans for the next quarter were as follows:

• There would be sector debates, which included a digital and creative debate on 21 February 2013 called “Wanted Digital Pioneers -Innovations for the 21^st Century” to coincide with Games Expo East Kent “GEEK” in Margate.  Work was currently being undertaken on the programme and the speakers.
• Plans were underway to hold a Tourism Conference on Wednesday, 20 March 2013 at Dover Cruise Terminal.  The programme would reflect what had been achieved in tourism in the past 10 years with Visit Kent and the challenges and opportunities for the future.  This would include looking at new markets and  how to adapt to those markets.
• Further developments were to be made to the website to include a “tool kit” for businesses.
• Another bus tour was being planned which may be in conjunction with the tourism conference.
• Seven Hills was meeting with the Economic Development Officers from each of the Districts.  A meeting was due to be held on 11 January 2013.
• Ways of measuring the advertising campaign was currently taking place.

2.               Members were given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions which included the following:-

a)    A Member considered that it was difficult to gauge the mood of business but there was evidence of positivity within the stock market and advertising. It was suggested that KCC needed to capture this as there could be benefits for Kent.  Ms Cooper concurred saying that at the last meeting of the Business Advisory Board, business representatives said that they could see some real indicators of growth particularly in marketing and support services.  Ms Cooper suggested that in economic development terms KCC had been working to help businesses cope with the recession, this was the time for KCC to start to capitalise on growth.

b)    In reply to a question, Ms Cooper advised that it was anticipated that the marketing programme would run for three years subject to results.  The aim of this programme was to access markets through a fresh approach to portraying East Kent.  There were two markets; the first was in East Kent with an aim to retain and grow the businesses in East Kent and the second was the London market and beyond, looking at; who were the investors, who now wanted to come out of London because their business could operate elsewhere. How this was capture would be through Locate in Kent with applications coming through the expansion of East Kent.  Seven Hills was able to tap into new areas and how the campaign should be pitched by promoting East Kent’s connectivity, good quality of life and good value. 

c)     A Member suggested that more local businesses need to be encouraged to attend the events in East Kent.

d)    In reply to a question, Ms Cooper advised that all of the pledges were categorised and immediately followed up by Seven Hills.

Ms Cooper mentioned the City of Culture bid for 2017, as East Kent had come together to bid for this to become a “City of Culture”, Seven Hills would be supporting the bid A meeting was due to be held on 22 January with cultural organisations  to discuss how the bid would be written.

3.               RESOLVED that:-

a)         the responses to comments and questions by Member be noted; and

b)         the progress with the Grow for It campaign and the proposed next steps outlined in paragraph 4 of the report.