As Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Special Projects, I agree to continue the in-house Visitor Economy and Inward Investment Service for Kent and Medway, specifically:
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.
This delegation ensures continuity of delivery pending the outcome and implementation of Local Government Reorganisation and devolution arrangements, recognising that no final service model or governance structure has yet been determined for successor authorities