Building business relationships

We want to be the most business-friendly council in England. We will:

• Develop a dynamic and ongoing relationship with businesses, providing strategic leadership and practical support to the diverse Kent economy, tailored to the needs of each sector. We will publish a Sectors Strategy detailing the practical measures we will take to deliver this approach.
• Make KCC the most business-friendly council in England and, working with our partners, seek to ensure that as much local public sector procurement is with as many Kent-based companies as possible.
• Encourage a culture of enterprise in Kent through further development of KCC’s vocational programme, education business partnerships and the apprenticeship programme. This will develop the right skills, aptitudes and attitudes for the entrepreneurs and employees of the future.
• Continue to invest in business infrastructure such as transport links, business park development and the development of business incubation facilities to encourage business development and growth.
• Create and sustain a Kent Business Support Centre to link with KCC, providing Kent firms with easy access to information and contacts, opening up opportunities within our framework for tendering and sub-contracting and signposting new business opportunities, grants and support.
• Simplify our procurement so that it is small business friendly. We will make sure upcoming tenders are advertised and work with businesses so that they understand KCC’s procurement processes and know what is expected from tenders.
• Identify and signpost Kent business to important new market opportunities such as KCC’s multi-million pound Building Schools for the Future programme and our wider capital programme.
• Seek to secure the opportunities presented by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Maximise the opportunities associated with the substantial programme of housing, community infrastructure and commercial development in North Kent, Ashford and elsewhere in Kent.
• Market Kent robustly to as location for inward investment.
• Develop and promote Kent as a destination for UK and international visitors.
• Work more closely with business representative organisations to lobby central government and the European Union to abolish regulations and red tape that impede business development.
• Continue to work to bring forward key new business parks and support the work to attract new businesses to Kent.
• Provide pragmatic support that helps Kent’s businesses weather shocks such as the credit crunch.