Issue - meetings

To receive a report of a review of the current District Deal with Ashford Borough Council and a proposed refresh of the Deal, and to comment on and either endorse or make a recommendation to the Leader of the County Council on the proposed decision to enter into the refreshed deal with Ashford Borough Council.

Mr Dance, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said he had recently attended the Ashford Strategic Board and mentioned the high growth in Ashford and the successful work that had been undertaken with Damian Green, the Member of Parliament for Ashford and all tiers of the Local Government.

Katie Stewart, Director of Environment Planning and Enforcement, introduced the report and commented on the progress that had been made and said that teams had worked together to attract funding and propose two new delivery priorities for the refresh deal around co-ordinating the commissioning of Health and Social Care Infrastructure, joint commitment to promoting Wellbeing, work between the Trading Standards team and the Environmental Health team.

RESOLVED that the Ashford District Deal Review and Refresh be considered and endorsed.

To consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Leader of the County Council on the proposed decision to enter into the refreshed deal with Ashford Borough Council

Katie Stewart (Director of Environment, Planning and Enforcement) and Katie Chantler (Programme Manager – Infrastructure) were in attendance for this item

(1)       Mrs Cooper (Corporate Director of Growth Environment and Transport introduced the item.  She said it was an excellent example of joint working and provided a template for future two-tier working. 

(2)       Ms Stewart said the original Ashford District Deal had been signed in 2015 and at that time it had been considered by both the Environment and Transport and Growth Economic Development and Communities Cabinet Committees.  She said the proposed decision would be considered by the Growth Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee on 21 June 2017.

(3)       Miss Chantler drew Members’ attention to Conningbrook Lakes Country Park and the Newtown Works development which were new projects in the refreshed deal. 

(4)       Mrs Bell said that Ashford Borough Council valued the arrangement and referred in particular to the governance arrangements that were set out in the report.

(5)       Resolved that the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member to enter into the refreshed deal with Ashford Borough Council as set out in the report be endorsed.