Agenda item

Proposition on Swale – Kieran Mansfield, Economy and Community Services Manager, Swale Borough Council

Locate in Kent update on inward investment – Paul Wookey, Chief Executive

(Verbal presentations by Mr A Bowles, Leader of Swale Borough Council, accompanied by Mr K Mansfield, Economy and Community Services Manager, Swale Borough Council,  and Mr P Wookey, Chief Executive, Locate in Kent)

1.            The Leader of Swale Borough Council, Mr Bowles, and Mr Mansfield, Economy and Community Services Manager, Swale Borough Council, gave a presentation using overheads on the current and future aspirations for economic growth in Swale.

2.            Mr Bowles and Mr Mansfield responded to questions by Members which included the following:-

a)    Mr Mansfield advised that although there had been discussions with Universities linked into the particular technologies in companies within the Kent Science Park there was more focus on securing a Further Education facility. 

b)    Mr Bowles advised that there was a major leakage of retail spending from the borough’s town centre to Canterbury, Maidstone and Bluewater.  It was considered that the economic regeneration of the Town Centre would bring employment and an improvement on the viability of the existing high street.

c)    Mr Bowles considered that local residents had been consulted and now wanted to see the results.    He considered that Swale was one of the most successful boroughs in completing housing projects, some of which were affordable housing. Housing close to the railway station and town centre had to be suitable for those areas.  Parking within the town centre had been calculated on the number of visitors expected and designed accordingly.

3.            Mr Dance advised that there had been discussing the possibility of hosting a small conference for Maritime industries.  There were a lot of building projects happening along the Medway and Thames Rivers and the rivers could be utilised to transport aggregate and metal.  He saw Swale and Sheerness as major players in this.  Mr Bowles said that he supported the initiatives and reminded the Committee that the Port of Ridham had its own rail head.

Mr Wookey, Chief Executive, Locate in Kent

4.            The Cabinet Member, Mr Dance, introduced the item explaining that Locate in Kent’s budget: the contribution was being reduced by £100k per year.  The foreign investment budget was agreed at £150k per annum for up to 3 years to be reviewed after year two.

5.            The Chief Executive of Locate in Kent, Mr Wookey, gave a presentation using overheads.  Locate in Kent had been in a new contractual arrangement with KCC from March 2014. He explained that Locate in Kent’s role was to attract new investment into Kent and create jobs in types of industries that Kent wished to attract.  Locate in Kent also supported businesses and investors that had already invested in the County.

6.            Mr Wookey noted comments and responded to questions by Members as follows:

a)    Mr Wookey explained that the targets set for Locate in Kent were based on the number of jobs created. Under the contractual arrangements there were various service levels and service credits which were monitored on a monthly basis and assessed each March.

b)    Mr Wookey agreed with the comment that perceptions on quality of life depended on who and where you were, as there were many different inequalities.    It would be difficult to attract high quality high value jobs in an area where the perception was poor.  Mr Wookey advised that when an area is regenerated the perceptions improved.  Mr Hill gave the example of the work carried out in Margate and Folkestone through the creative quarter.

c)    Mr Wookey agreed to report back to this Cabinet Committee on the progress of the Kent Life Science Network.

7.            RESOLVED that:-

a)    the responses to questions by Members be noted;

b)    a report be submitted to a future meeting on the Kent Life Science Network; and

c)    the information given in the presentations by Mr Bowles, Mr Mansfield;  and Mr Wookey be noted with thanks.