Minutes:
1. Mr Hill, Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, gave a verbal update on the following:
(a) The Libraries, Registration and Archives Service maintained its rating of ‘Compliance Plus’ in all twenty-seven elements of the Customer Service Excellence Award, showing continued innovation and development of the services. Mr Hill said this was a good testament to the dedication and hard work of library staff.
(b) Following the Arts Council England’s announcement of funding for National Portfolio Organisations (NPO), Mr Hill was pleased to report that the number within Kent had risen from ten to sixteen, including Kent Libraries, one of a few in the country with that status.
(c) Turner Contemporary had selected a new Chairman, Mr Matthew Slotover, following the departure of the current Chairman, Mr Clive Stephens, at the end of 2022. Mr Slotover had an extensive arts and business background and co-founded Frieze in 1991.
(d) Mr Hill, along with the Chairman, launched the new Changing Places facility at Lullingstone Country Park, the third Changing Places facility in country parks for disabled visitors.
2. Mr Murphy, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, gave a verbal update on the following:
(a) Mr Murphy attended the Kent & Medway Apprentice Graduation Ceremony 2022 at Rochester Cathedral on 14 October 2022 and highlighted the Council’s role within the provision of apprenticeships and its close working with partners including the Employment Taskforce.
(b) An Infrastructure All Members Briefing took place on 31 October 2022 and was attended by over fifty Members and Officers.
(c) The annual Kent Property Market Report was published on 8 November 2022 by the Economic Development team, in partnership with Caxtons property consultants and Locate in Kent and provided an insight and analysis of the performance of the area’s property and key projects supporting the county’s growth and economic development. The report can be accessed here.
(d) Mr Murphy presented an award at the Kent Invicta Chamber Business Awards 2022 on 17 November 2022 for Kent’s Most Promising New Business.
(e) The Council and Folkestone and Hythe District Council had set up a joint working group to progress the application for Dungeness Power Station, and Kent MP Mr Damien Collins was meeting with Rolls Royce who were interested in Dungeness as one of their sites.
(f) The Council had worked with district and borough councils to submit applications for government Investment Zones, prior to the government’s announcement that Investment Zones would no longer be progressed.
3. Mr Jones, Corporate Director for Growth Environment and Transport, gave a verbal update on the following:
(a) The Active Kent and Medway programme, funded by Sport England, had invested £320,000 in supporting 74 projects and had created opportunities for 5,500 people across Kent.
(b) Customer Service Officers in the Libraries, Registration and Archive Service were working hard to ensure sufficient birth and death registration appointments were in place over the winter to meet demand.
(c) Work at Oakwood House, which would house the Register Office, Coroners Service and Maidstone Adult Education Centre was progressing well, and the venue was being advertised for future ceremonies.
(d) Mr Jones noted a few points regarding the government’s Autumn Statement, Levelling Up, Investment Zones and shared prosperity. The allocation of the second round of Levelling Up funding was expected to be announced by the end of 2022.
(e) The cost-of-living crisis had increased the risk to residents significantly and there had been a large increase in scam calls. The Public Protection Group, between November 2022 and March 2023, was leading a warning campaign to help protect vulnerable residents and support legitimate businesses. The campaign would cover consumer rights, counterfeit goods, scams, loan sharks and product safety, and would provide businesses with free advice offered by Kent Trading Standards. The campaign involved Kent Trading Standards, Kent Scientific Services, community wardens and external partners.
RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted.