Backing Kent Business commitments

11 December 2008

Kent County Council leaders met with around 100 of the county's businesses and launched a 10-point package of support as part of its Backing Kent Business campaign.

The aim of the campaign is to support Kent's business community, make it easier for local firms to have access to contracts with the council and ensure there are as many Kent jobs for Kent people as possible.

We will work with our partners to:

1. speed up the payment of invoices from 30 days to 20
2. drive forward and deliver KCC's ambitious capital programme of £850m over the next two years maximising employment opportunities for Kent firms
3. establish Kent Property Enterprise Fund 2 and place KCC's vacant unsold property assets into a fund to be worked up into joint venture developments with the private sector
4. expand KCC's approved list of contractors
5. streamline KCC's contracts to make it easier for small and medium sized firms to apply for council contracts and open up and raise awareness of tendering opportunities in and outside Kent
6. provide a "Kent Business Support Centre" on KCC's website and through a team of advisers to improve access to council procurement and support
7. support and signpost businesses towards grant aid available through regional, national and European channels and raise awareness of the Small Business Rate Relief scheme
8. lobby government for a reduction and removal of unnecessary regulation and bureaucracy and lead by example through a review of KCC ecology practices
9. encourage and facilitate a consortia of Kent businesses to compete for larger public sector contracts outside of Kent
10. review Kent's marketing and promote Kent's Unique Selling Points

KCC made a commitment to a new closer working relationship with businesses and partnership organisations including SEEDA (link opens in a new window), Business Link (link opens in a new window), Chambers of Commerce, FSB, IoD and CBI through the Kent Business Support Centre.