Minutes:
This item was taken after Item 8.
Mr James Pearson was in attendance for this item.
(a) Libraries, Registrations and Archives had been awarded the Customer Service Excellence Award for 2023 which had been held by the service since 2010. During the assessment sites were visited across the service including ten libraries, a mobile library, Kent Archives, Sevenoaks Museum and Oakwood House. Mrs Bell thanked all the staff within the service for their efforts and congratulated them on the achievement.
(b) Temporary local studies collection access, based in the Shepway Youth Hub building at 5 Grace Hill, are available in Folkestone town centre from Monday 20 November 2023. Mrs Bell said long term options continued to be explored for the reopening of a permanent town centre library for Folkestone and full library services would continue in the meantime and be delivered from the nearest alternative libraries.
(c) The Library at Dover Discovery Centre closed on Monday 30 October for essential works to take place. In addition to library services, the building, when works were completed, would host a nursery, adult education centre, the good day programme and integrated children’s services. For the duration of the work temporary library services would be offered at the Gateway building from Monday 13 November.
(d) The Herne Bay Library reopened on 24 October and feedback had been positive. Mrs Bell was looking forward to visiting the launch event on 10 November.
(e) Mrs Bell explained why Dover Discovery Centre and Herne Bay Library had undergone renovation works and Folkestone Library remained closed. She said Dover Discovery Centre was a planned joint project with Dover District Council, had had funding set aside in the Major Capital Programme for a number of years and received funding from external funding schemes. Herne Bay Library had a similar history with decisions going back to 2013.
(f) In October Mrs Bell joined the Culture and Creative Economy Service at Kent Libraries to welcome Mr Darren Henley CBE, Chief Executive of Arts Council England to experience the Council’s Playground project. This project was a unique programme of creative activity for babies and their families to promote the importance and positive impacts of creative play.
(g) Mrs Bell attended the Creative Kent Conference in October where cultural leaders came together to reflect on priority themes of workforce, next generation and placemaking, and to hear about the emerging national picture.
(h) The John Downton Awards, an art exhibition held at Sessions House, would open in November. The exhibition was inspired by Miss Hilda Downton in memory of her brother John Downton and celebrated the creativity of the county’s young artists.
(i) Over 1,000 miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path had been completed and the Ramsgate to Whitstable stretch was now open.
(j) Mrs Bell co-hosted a breakfast briefing in October with Active Kent and Medway which brought together Leaders and senior officers and Members from across Kent and Medway to discuss the importance of being physically active.
(k) Mrs Bell attended the official opening of Oakwood House on 1 November 2023.
2. Mrs Bell and Mr Oakford responded to the following questions and comments from Members:
(a) A Member asked about the steps being taken to restore Folkestone Library and to preserve it as a listed building, Mr Oakford said the Council continued to look at the options available whilst considering the Council’s current financial situation. He said the Council currently did not have the funds needed to restore the building.
(b) A Member asked about the coverage of the mobile library service and Mrs Bell said this was a popular service within communities. Mr Pearson noted the importance of expanding the service and welcomed ideas on how the potential of the service could be maximised, alongside physical libraries, and recognised the significance of the mobile service for those who could not access services any other way.
3. Mr Murphy, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, provided an update on the following:
(a) Visit Kent had been awarded Destination Management Organisation of the year at the UK awards for excellence in 2023.
(b) Under the No Use Empty (NUE) Scheme six self-contained flats with a community room had been built at a site of a derelict former dance studio in Folkestone. This was funded by a NUE loan for £820,000 and top up funds from Folkestone & Hythe District Council. Construction on 24 business units at Honeywood Parkway, also under the NUE scheme, were due to be completed in Autumn 2023. This was the biggest NUE commercial unit that had been completed by the Council and would make a positive contribution to the economy of Dover and reinforce connections with the continent.
(c) The Kent and Medway Business Fund (KMBF) would open to new applicants on 21 November and the launch event would be opened by Ella Brocklebank, Head of Communications and Business Development, Jenner Construction Group, with introductions to the scheme made by Sir Paul Carter. Mr Murphy paid tribute to Sir Paul Carter and the KMBF team for the success of the scheme.
(d) Mr Murphy attended the Kent and Property Market along with the Leader, to promote the annual Kent and Property Market launch brochure. The event was attended by over 300 people.
(e) On 10 November Mr Murphy would visit Panettone in Aylesford, for the official opening of an 800,000 square foot distribution centre.
4. Mr Jones, Corporate Director Growth, Environment and Transport, provided an update on the following:
(a) The Economy team continued to work on the transition of the Local Enterprise Partnership following the closure of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership. The work was underpinned by the Kent and Medway Economic Framework which was currently being finalised.
(b) Kent Ambassadors visited the border force facilities at the Port of Dover to see how work was undertaken in relation to illegal smuggling of drugs and tobacco.
(c) The Kent Food Partnership led by Produced in Kent organised a Kent food Summit at the University of Kent on 6 October 2023. Highlights of this had been incorporated in the draft Kent Food Strategy currently being developed.
(d) Funding had been secured for the Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) Service to refurbish the KCC owned GRT sites and work began in October on the first of the sites. The works meant that four further pitches would be available in the next three months.
(e) Trading Standards had carried out safety checks on premises storing and selling fireworks. The team also looked at illicit tobacco and a joint operation with Kent Police Neighbourhood Taskforce had removed a significant amount of illegal tobacco from shops in Maidstone.
(f) The Kent Scientific Services team had been working with Mid Kent College to support their technical education programme, specifically the T level courses in science. The laboratory was recognised at an event at the science museum in London.
(g) Mr Jones thanked all the operational teams who supported businesses and communities during Storm Ciaran.
RESOLVED to note the verbal updates.