Minutes:
1. Mr Paul King, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Coastal Regeneration, provided an update on the following:
a) Thanks were expressed to Members and officers for their contribution to various strategic plans and events including the No Use Empty (NUE) scheme, 'Grow in Kent' Ashford and Ebbsfleet event, and Regional Energy Plans.
b) Mr King had recently attended and spoken at the launch of the 2025-26 Kent Property Market Report, held at the Ashford International Hotel on 5 November. He commended the event and the further progress anticipated following the creation of the new Grow in Kent team (Visitor Economy and Inward Investment).
c) Praise was given to Steve Grimshaw, who had received additional funding from the Kent and Medway Business Fund (KMBF) towards the project. Business cases for further investment were ongoing with the KMBF Advisory Board.
d) There had been significant engagement with members of the public and various District Councils to discuss the future of economic development and Mr King encouraged Committee Members to share their constituents’ views on this matter.
e) A visit had been made to the Northfleet Harbourside development, specifically to wharfs, local businesses and the scheme’s developers.
f) Whilst visiting the Isle of Sheppey, Mr King had attended meetings on challenges faced by the community, specifically for those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
g) As a Member of the Neighbourhood Board for Ramsgate and Thanet Growth Board, Mr King had been able to assist in decisions regarding government funding.
h) Other visits included to the Eurotunnel to witness the new Entry/Exit System (EES) and to the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) to discuss their recent investments and future plans.
2. In response to comments and questions from Members and guests, discussion covered the following:
a) Discussions were ongoing on the specific policy wording surrounding the NUE additional investment, which would be communicated once confirmed.
b) During the visit to Eurotunnel, Mr King met with the Director of Public and Corporate Affairs, Mr John Keefe to discuss the £70 million investment in the EES system, the system roll- out and their management of traffic flow.
c) Mr King provided an overview of his involvement in North Kent growth opportunities, including recent meetings for the Lower Thames Crossing and future endeavours to aid the county’s small and medium enterprises.
3. Mrs Mary Lawes, Deputy Cabinet Member for Communities, provided an update on the following:
a) Community Wardens remained a priority, with Parish Councils committing to fund additional Wardens and further options for financial support being explored. Community Wardens were also undergoing a training programme focussed on youth engagement, anti- social behaviour and harm reduction.
b) The Trading Standards Ports Team had hosted Mrs Lawes on a visit to their operations at Dover Port and Sevington. Mrs Lawes informed the Committee of the volume of non- compliant and unsafe items entering the market through both ports and the postal system.
c) Trading Standards had also supported a National Crime Agency operation in Kent targeting premises linked to organised crime and money laundering. The operation was successful and soon to be proceeding to Court.
d) Three defendants had been found guilty of fraud relating to the supply of solar panels following a Trading Standards investigation and subsequent trial at Maidstone Crown Court.
e) A Trading Standards campaign to tackle acid attacks was ongoing, as Kent had ranked as the 4th worst- affected region in England and Wales for corrosive substance attacks. To assist in delivering this, a dashboard was being created to compile relevant data and assign resources to target the distribution of acidic substances.
f) Mrs Lawes had visited the recently re- opened Dover Discovery Centre that had unveiled a new design of their library space. Mrs Lawes and Mr Webb had also travelled to multiple other libraries across Kent and Mrs Lawes praised the passion and innovation displayed in all locations they visited.
g) Temple Hill, Cranbrook and Sittingbourne libraries were all temporarily closed until early 2026, due to ongoing works. Sittingbourne library was undergoing a new layout redesign to increase its capacity, funded by developer contributions.
h) Works on Stanhope library had already been completed and further co- locations at Cliftonville and Queenborough were expected to be delivered in early 2026.
i) The LRA service recently had its annual Customer Service Excellence assessment. The LRA achieved beyond the core standard and increased its Compliance Plus points by one to a total of 25, reflecting outstanding performance and best practice.
j) The ‘Kent Speak their Name’ Suicide Memorial Quilt had been hosted at a number of libraires around Kent including Broadstairs and Rochester libraries. The quilt was comprised of personalised squares representing the victims of suicide and their loved ones.
k) The Active Kent & Medway annual conference held at the Kent Showground on 15 October was attended by over 200 delegates, including Mr Webb, Sport England Strategic Director, Lisa Dodd- Mayne and local Channel swimmer, Sarah Philpott.
l) The Community Safety Team had organised and hosted a domestic homicide learning event focussed on the impact on mothers who had been separated from their children. Over 170 professionals attended and excellent feedback had been received.
m) Kent Scientific Services had recently signed a new contract for Felixstowe Port which was praised by Mrs Lawes.
n) Senior Coroner Mrs Patricia Harding had attended the High Sheriff of Kent’s Justice Service at Canterbury Cathedral, addressed by Lord Reed, the President of the Supreme Court.
4. In response to comments and questions from Members and guests, discussion covered the following:
a) Mr King and Mrs Lawes confirmed that financial investment and relevant expert advice would be explored surrounding a potential refurbishment of the Old Roundhouse Theatre in Dover.
b) Mrs Lawes established that the new Kent Scientific Services contract at Felixstowe Port was focussed on food and animal feed products.
c) Solar panel fraud in Kent had involved both the sale of counterfeit goods and poor installation practices.
d) The rise in acid attacks in Kent were concentrated in Dartford and Gravesham, however the Trading Standards dashboard was still collecting data on location.
e) Mrs Lawes highlighted a focus on utilising libraries as co- working and community hubs in Kent, with potential activities such as history talks and gardening to keep libraries popular community spaces.
f) Mrs Stephanie Holt- Castle, Director of Growth and Communities, confirmed that a paper on the role of Community Wardens in individual districts could be considered. Mrs Lawes elaborated that Dartford Community Wardens were engaging in a water safety campaign due to a number of accidents around reservoirs.
g) Mrs Holt- Castle explained that KCC is eligible for a small financial benefit from certain criminal fines, however these amounts were usually minimal. She confirmed the interested Member would be provided a separate briefing.
5. Mr Simon Jones, Corporate Director for Growth, Environment and Transport (GET), provided an update on the following:
a) KCC’s economy team were developing opportunities linked to the Lower Thames Crossing and Gatwick Airport schemes to ensure Kent businesses and local providers were in a position to support these projects. Work included identifying supplier requirements, contractor obligations, value for money and apprenticeships. A skills hub in Gravesend had also been launched for the Lower Thames Crossing scheme.
b) Concerning the creative economy, Jasmin Vardimon, an international dance company had showcased its latest production, Now, at its bespoke home in Ashford. KCC had played a central role in the creation of JV Home, a flagship cultural and economic development that aimed to stimulate Kent’s creative and business sectors. KCC led a dual- purpose development including a bespoke facility for the Jasmine Vardimon Company (JVC) and 29 light industrial units to support local economic growth. Mr Jones praised the success of the creative enterprise quarter and encouraged Committee Members to attend these local productions.
c) KCC’s Public Health team were in collaboration with the Kent Trading Standards Team to address the issue of unregulated aesthetic treatments. Mr Jones assured the Committee that this economic and health issue was a priority for the service.
d) Following from the Summer Reading Challenge, Mr Jones highlighted a series of winter- mini reading challenges that would build on the LRA’s work to encourage reading within Kent.
e) Mr Jones reminded Members to call attention to the increase in door- stop and online crime during the Christmas period to their residents.
6. RESOLVED to note the updates.