Agenda item

To note the work that has taken place since March 2017 and to consider and endorse or make  recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services on the proposed decision for Kent County Council  to underwrite the final 28% of contingency for the project, a sum of £243, 220. This is within the context that other funding partners collectively have contributed a further £1, 929, 425 towards the project since March 2017.

Stephanie Holt-Castle (Head of Countryside, Leisure and Sport) was in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr M Hill, OBE, Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services introduced the report which set out Kent County Council’s position in relation to the Open Golf Championship and its decision to underwrite the final 28% of contingency for the project, a sum of £243,220, should it be called upon. Mr Hill reminded Members of the significant economic benefits affiliated with the Open Golf and the extent of work that had been undertaken by Kent County Council and its partners to ensure that the Open Golf returns to Sandwich for a further two Championships.

2.    Mrs Holt-Castle said that the Open Golf Championship was a prestigious event which offered significant economic benefits to Kent and the South East. She said that the Open in 2011 had generated a £77 million benefit to Kent and that the economic impact for 2020 was forecasted to be more than £85 million, of which £26.8 million would be direct additional spend. To secure the Open Golf, critical transport improvements were required at Sandwich station to facilitate the number of expected spectators, without the infrastructure in place The R&A would not invite Kent to host the event. Since March 2017, Kent County Council led a value engineering process to reduce the cost of the required infrastructure by £400,810 and was successful in receiving a £1.9 million investment from South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) which helped to negotiate a three Championship agreement, thereby maximising the economic impact from the public-sector investment and enabling long term planning up to 2036. The final significant development was that Network Rail had also agreed to fund the Power Draw element of the project which would support the power supply required for a 12-car train. She advised the committee that due to the way in which rail projects were contracted, this meant that there had to be a 35% contingency within the contracted price; the majority of which would be paid by the core investors with Kent County Council underwriting the final 28%, is required.

3.    In response to questions raised around Visit Kent and the efforts that had been made to promote Kent and the opportunities for businesses, Mrs Holt-Castle said that the Tourism Working Group had been established by Visit Kent and that Kent County Council was an active participant in the group. The Kent Golf Partnership was also established through Visit Kent which focused on the tourism market and how to maximise opportunities and benefits around this. The R&A who own the rights of the Championship also wanted to grow the number of young people attending the event and have looked at elements such as offering free tickets and potential camping sites where young people could stay to be within close proximity to the event and where they could also enjoy other benefits offered by Kent. In regard to the Inward Investment Steering Group, it was anticipated that Locate in Kent would chair the meeting and that Kent County Council would sit on this; once formerly established. Mrs Holt-Castle agreed to bring any plans to future Cabinet Committees.

4.    In response to concerns raised regarding the failed Park & Ride system during the 2011 Open Golf Championship, Mrs Holt-Castle said that this had been a result of the obstruction caused by the level crossing which needed to be down for 42 minutes in every hour in that year, owing to the platforms not being long enough for 12-car trains. The Open Golf project would deliver platform extensions and a second footbridge at the Sandwich railway station which in turn would enable longer trains to stop there during the event without blocking the level crossing. These improvements would also allow other modes of transport to move with greater ease, improve the safety of spectators and enhance the visitor experience.

5.    With regards to what Kent County Council is doing to improve its engagement with international spectators, Mrs Holt-Castle said that The R&A have established a visitor bureau which they didn’t have in 2011 and that the Visit Kent lead officer had extensive experience working on the Open Golf Championships in Scotland, therefore bringing with her a breadth of knowledge to the Kent project. In terms of the work done to engage with young people in sport, this would fall within the remit of the Sport Working Group; in 2011 Kent County Council Sport, Leisure and Olympics Service received the European Golf Association Award for Positive Impact – Young People for its work around The Open.

6.    Members commended the work of the officers, Network Rail and other contributors in their efforts to help Kent secure the Open Golf Championship.

7.    RESOLVED that:

(a)  the committee note the work that has taken place since March 2017; and

(b)  the proposed decision for Kent County Council to underwrite the final 28% of contingency for the project, a sum of £243,220, be endorsed.