Minutes:
(a) Options were being explored on reinvestment into Kent’s visitor economy, following the demise of Visit Kent and its parent company GoToPlaces, including collaboration with stakeholders.
(b) The Kent & Medway Connect to Work supported employment programme was in operation. KCC had recently been allocated an additional £400,000 for 2025-26 to extend delivery and support a further 113 people to start the programme during the financial year.
(c) 12 training providers had been appointed to deliver 60 skills bootcamps across Kent and Medway. Since July, 137 learners had enrolled and a bespoke construction course linked to Lower Thames Crossing was planned for November, with a possible second course in February.
(d) In May, the No Use Empty (NUE) scheme received a Special Recognition Award after returning over 8,700 long term empty properties back into use since 2005. Recent visits included projects in Dover and Thanet, as well as to the opening of The Old Wine Warehouse in Ramsgate, which had been transformed into three distinct spaces with support from NUE and the Kent and Medway Business Fund (KMBF).
(e) The KMBF scheme offered interest- free loans of up to £600k to support business growth. Since April, 11 loans to local businesses had been recommended for approval across various sectors, including automative, technology support and life sciences.
(f) Significant progress had been made on implementing the Kent and Medway Economic Framework (KMEF) strategy, supported by residual funding from the close of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP). Efforts were focussed on five overarching ambitions and projects included the Kent and Medway Local Growth Plan, Innovation Partnership and Bring Back Eurostar campaign.
(g) The Get Kent and Medway Working Plan was a new strategy addressing health, work and skills which had been developed by KCC’s economy team and funded by the Department of Work and Pensions. Key focus areas included young people, unemployed women and those with long- term health conditions.
(h) The ‘Bring Back Eurostar’ event, due to take place on 26 September, would highlight the economic impact of unused stations on the local economy and set out why the service should be restored to Kent.
(i) In August, Mr King met with Ms Caroline Hallett, Director of the Kent Foundation, a charity that works to support young entrepreneurs across Kent. He also met with several inspiring entrepreneurs including the young founder of a fashion brand in Gravesend.
(j) KCC continued to work with partners in France, Belgium and the Netherlands through the Straits Committee to support cross- border collaboration. Current work included support for the Bring Back Eurostar campaign and developing business and innovation links in the food and drink sector. Mr King recently met with the Committee team and 16 Dutch planners and economic officers also visited Folkestone and Dover to study development plans, high- speed rail impact and the Port of Dover’s 2050 masterplan.
(a) It was confirmed that Members would be invited to the Bring Back Eurostar Event on the 26th of September.
(b) KCC’s work with Borough Councils was ongoing, with the shared goal of highlighting the ‘Bring Back Euro Trains’ group’s petition at the Bring Back Eurostar event.
(a) On the 15 August, Community Wardens in Thanet organised a multi- agency community safety engagement event in Birchington. This was attended by residents, Kent Police, Trading Standards, Citizens Advice and Age UK.
(b) Mr Webb paid tribute to Senior Coroner Roger Hatch who retired at the end of June after over 20 years of service to Kent families. He also welcomed Ian Potter, who had been appointed as Area Coroner for Kent and Medway.
(c) Trading Standards Operations Manager Clive Phillips was recognised for his work as Deputy Chair of the Kent and Medway Multi- Agency Approach to Fraud Panel by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.
(d) Kent Trading Standards supported a national operation targeting a London warehouse that seized over 25 tonnes of unsafe and counterfeit goods, intended to be supplied to the retail market.
(e) The Trading Standards vape team carried out an operation at a mini market in Snodland that resulted in the discovery of illegal vape products leading to an arrest and uncovering of crystal meth.
(f) Concerning the Registration service, 2,907 ceremonies had been delivered across 200 venues in Kent in 2025 so far, an increase of 0.4% from the previous year.
(g) West Malling library was to reopen on the 9 September following refurbishment. Stanhope library would reopen on the 15 September following works to co- locate the family centre to enhance service delivery as part of the Kent Community project. Further co- locations were planned.
(h) Active Kent and Medway’s impact report from the Opening Schools Facilities Project highlighted how schools had supported physical and mental wellbeing by opening facilities outside teaching hours. The report set out participating schools, examples and guidance for other schools.
(i) The next round of Free Access for National Sports People (FANS) small grant funding had just opened, offering free off-peak access to leisure centres and small grants to support talented athletes.
(a) Mr Jones welcomed that parish funding was now being received for some community warden posts. Negotiations with the service’s first commercial partner for additional funding for wardens had also reached an advanced stage.
(b) Trading Standards officers had been addressing an issue in East Kent whereby underground electric cables were interfering with telephone services, breaching electromagnetic compatibility regulations. The power cable owners had now agreed to significantly invest in their relocation to improve service performance for residents.
(c) Mr Jones provided an overview of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, highlighting its success both operationally and in terms of community engagement. The challenge, themed Story Garden, involved nearly 18,000 children across the county, led to over 2,500 new library memberships, and contributed positively to reading levels and capabilities among children in Kent.
(d) Mr Jones outlined the temporary solutions in place as part of the long- term plans to restore library services in Folkestone. This included the temporary site on Sandgate road, which was able to provide residents the full range of library services in one location. Proposals for the former Grace Hill property were expected by the end of October, to be reported back on to committee in 2026.
(e) The annual Library, Registrations and Archives annual survey, sent out in April, received over 8,500 responses. The overall satisfaction rate stood at circa 95% and Mr Jones congratulated the service on the high response rate and positive feedback received. Registration surveys sent to customers in attendance of birth or death appointments and marriage or civil partnerships, also returned a satisfaction rate in excess of 95%.
(f) An active travel Kent and Medway conference was to be held on 15 October at the Detling Event Centre and was aimed at professionals working across health, leisure, local government and physical activity sectors. The event’s keynote speakers would include Lisa Dodd and Sarah Philpot and all Members were welcomed to attend.
RESOLVED to note the updates.