Agenda item

David Wimble (Cabinet Member for Economic Developments and Special Projects) and Alex Riley (Programme Manager-Sectors & Economic Partnerships) were in attendance

1: The Cabinet Member discussed the following:

a)    Introduced a report and the seeking of support for the continuation of the in-house delivery model for the Visit Kent and Invest Kent services through the Growth and Communities team. Members were advised that the services had played an important role in attracting visitors, businesses and investment to Kent and Medway, supporting economic growth, job creation and the local economy.

b)    Kent's visitor economy was worth approximately £4.1 billion annually, supporting more than 82,000 jobs across around 6,000 businesses. The Committee was informed that, following the closure of Visit Kent and Locate in Kent in 2025, Kent County Council and Medway Council had acted quickly to bring the services in-house and ensure continuity of delivery.

c)     It was reported that, despite operating with a team of six officers compared with more than 25 staff previously, the service had successfully stabilised delivery, rebuilt key relationships and raised the profile of Kent and Medway among visitors, investors and businesses and the service demonstrated the effectiveness of the in-house model and the commitment of the staff involved.

2: Members discussed the following:

a)    Concern was expressed regarding the closure of a previous attraction and the impact this had on local visitors and the wider visitor economy.

b)    The committee recognised the value of the visitor economy and the importance of continued support from the Council to assist its development and long-term success. Members expressed their support for the project.

c)    Questions were raised regarding the suitability and sustainability of the proposed operating model in the short to medium term, particularly should Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) be delayed.

d)    Officers responded that a new operating model had been established to maintain county-wide investment promotion and visitor economy functions. The officer outlined progress made to date and the approach being taken to ensure the services could demonstrate value and remain adaptable in the context of local government reorganisation.

e)    LGR had presented challenges for any county-wide service operating without a strategic authority and noted that longer-term arrangements would need to be considered as governance structures evolved.

f)      Members sought assurances regarding the performance management framework for the service, including the monitoring reports, key performance indicators (KPI) and value for money assessments that would be used to evaluate delivery and effectiveness.

g)    In response, officers outlined the proposed approach for the Invest Kent and Visit Kent functions, including arrangements for performance management, sector prioritisation and alignment with Kent and Medway's emerging economic growth strategy. Officers explained how the upcoming Growth Plan would drive a targeted approach.

h)    Members highlighted the KCC £1.27 million contribution in the past and queried if avenues of ‘leveraging ‘were being explored and the benefits to KCC.

i)      Officers advised that the service had successfully secured approximately £150,000 of leveraged funding during its first six months of operation. Additionally, the officer expanded upon the recently launched partnership model for Invest Kent to drive income into the service. Officers remained conscious of the need to leverage additional funding due to financial constraints.

j)      Acknowledged the hard work underway from the small team in place and queried how the endeavour would link to the current Grow in Kent initiative. Officers outlined the development and operation of the Invest Kent and Visit Kent functions, including governance arrangements, branding, performance monitoring and overall structure.

k)    Members discussed the lack of available KCC merchandising material at the recent Kent County show and the Councils lack off acknowledgment of St Augustine’s day, highlighting the desire to see KCC celebrate local associated cultures. The Cabinet Member addressed the concerns and the financial constraints associated with generating merchandise.

l)      Raised the exploratory work underway to deliver a visit to Kent card. This endeavour would allow for discounts for families attending Kents many attractions. Officers further discussed that different models for alternative funding were being explored, and the 40 partners had signed up for the Visits Kent service. Delivery for those partners would remain the primary focus.

m)  Officers expanded further that as more funding was leveraged the teams could potentially expand in response. Officers also clarified questions on the previous Brand Kent terminology being a working title that was in place prior to liquidation. Grow in Kent would be the current title encompassing ongoing works.

RESOLVED to endorse the proposed decision, namely:

a)    APPROVE the continuation of the existing in-house provision model for the delivery of Visitor Economy and Inward Investment services, delivered through the Grow in Kent team, beyond 31 March 2027.

b)    APPROVE the use of approved Kent County Council budgets and any relevant external funding or income to support the continued delivery of the in-house service.

c)     DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport, in consultation with the S151 officer, to agree, finalise and manage all funding arrangements associated with the continued delivery of the service.

     d)   DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment     and Transport to take all necessary actions, including (but not limited to), negotiating, finalising terms and entering into contracts or other legal agreements, and amending or terminating those agreements as required to implement the decision and maintain the continued delivery of the service