Decision details

Reason for the decision:

Current contracts end on 30 April 2023 (Locate in Kent) and 31 March 2023 (Visit Kent).

Background:

Locate in Kent provides inward investment services to help support Kent businesses to expand within Kent and to attract business investment into Kent. It has a proven track record of success. Visit Kent promotes the Kent visitor economy which is a major contributor to the Kent economy.

The proposed one-year extension will allow time for Locate in Kent and Visit Kent to make organisational changes to reflect reduced budget allocation following the approval of the KCC budget in February 2023 and for the Council to agree new and more focused output measures to be delivered by the two organisations.

Options (other options considered but discarded):

For each organisation to plan for budget reductions independently. This was rejected in favour of both working together to make savings in back office and administrative functions to ensure impacts to service provision are less impacted by the budget reductions.

How the proposed decision supports Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026: (https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/strategies-and-policies/corporate-policies/our-council-strategy)

Inward investment and promoting the visitor economy supports Priority 1, Levelling up Kent.

Data Protection implications:

The current agreements with Locate in Kent and Visit Kent require the two organisations to comply with the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). These will carry forward with the extension of the agreements.

As Cabinet Member for Economic Development, I agree to;

(i)             extend to March 2024 the current contract with Locate in Kent and the grant agreement with Visit Kent for the provision of inward investment services and the promotion of the visitor economy in Kent; and

(ii)            delegate authority to the Director Growth and Communities authority to award and enter appropriate contractual arrangements as necessary to implement the decision.