Enabling growth

Kent & Medway Economic Partnership

Julie Foley Area Manager , South London and East Sussex 12th December 2016 Our broad environmental remit

flood and coastal risk management

regulation of major industry

waste management

contaminated land

agriculture

navigation

fisheries, conservation and ecology

water quality and resources Flood risk in Kent In Kent currently 85,557 homes and businesses at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea Number of properties at risk of tidal/fluvial flooding in Kent Yorkshire Lincolnshire Total Project Expenditure 2016/17-2020/21 Kent Hampshire Surrey Greater London Essex Oxfordshire Norfolk Lancashire Devon Derbyshire Cornwall Suffolk Dorset Somerset West Midlands West Sussex East Sussex Leicestershire Tyne & Wear County Durham Cambridgeshire Greater Manchester Northumberland Nottinghamshire Cheshire Gloucestershire Buckinghamshire Cumbria Yorkshire Berkshire Hertfordshire £375M Isle of Wight Staffordshire Worcestershire Lincolnshire Bedfordshire Wiltshire Merseyside £239M Shropshire Warwickshire Herefordshire Kent Northamptonshire Bristol Isles of Scilly £189M Unidentified Properties better protected: Yorkshire 97,097 Lincolnshire 41,161 Kent 27,313 Partnership funding successes The £24.6million Sandwich Town Tidal Defence Scheme was delivered in partnership with Pfizer and Kent County Council

It protects 488 homes and 94 businesses and created the right conditions for growth

Discovery Park LDO continues to enable the planning process Our role in enabling strategic growth

‘Yes, if’ approach - enabling sustainable growth

Working with the Kent Developers Group, planning applicants and local authorities on strategic development proposals

Encouraging pre-application discussions to resolve issues early and identify opportunities for creating better places Case study: Ebbsfleet

Close working at a strategic level

Environmental issues: Foul drainage infrastructure Ground contamination Flood risk – coastal, fluvial and groundwater flooding Biodiversity (mitigating & enhancing habitat)

Longer timescales provide opportunities for greater ambition

Partnership contributions are essential in unlocking Government funding

Homes and Partnership Government Scheme business contribution allocation benefitting required Increase capacity of £5.8 million

Leigh + 1,475 properties £11.3 million (£2.5m - KCC Hildenborough £0.5m - TMBC embankments £2.8m - ?) 505 homes and East Peckham £4.2 million £3.4 million 62 businesses

Without partnership contributions, this government funding will be lost. Partnership working is the key to success and innovation The Medway Flood Partnership will bring together the wide variety of work that needs to be done by partners and communities to help manage the risk of flooding. Invest in traditional defences Community resilience and awareness Channel and ditch management

Natural flood Integrated management Medway flood action plan Infrastructure resilience Preparing for winter 2016/17

Regular Review maintenance Roads and governance Property level bridges resilience We are Winter Ready

National ‘Winter readiness’ plan ensures we are better placed to respond to future floods

Excellent flood warning service

500 local staff trained and ready

Major Incident Plans prepared for the South and East Coasts

Close working with Kent Resilience Forum

Key points

Kent is a big winner for government investment in capital projects.

To unlock government funding for FCRM projects, we need partnership funding.

Early engagement and our ‘yes if’ approach to developers enables economic growth across Kent.

Partnership working is key to success and innovation.

Thank you Kent and Medway FE Area Review Update

Louise Aitken SELEP Skills Lead Paul Winter Chair, Kent and Medway Skills Commission

Kent and Medway Economic Partnership 12th December 2016

Further Education Area Reviews • In July 2015, the government announced a rolling programme of around 40 local area reviews to be completed by March 2017 covering all Further Education and sixth form Colleges in

• The reviews are designed to ensure that colleges are financially stable, efficient and well positioned to meet the needs of individual students and the demands of employers in the long-term Further Education Area Reviews • The first Kent and Medway Area Review Steering Group took place on Thursday 8th December

• The South East LEP, Kent and Medway Skills Commission and Kent and Medway Local Authorities submitted a joint response and gave a joint presentation on student and employer need

• The meeting was attended by the FE Commissioner, college Principals & Chairs of Governors, Department for Education and Skills Funding Agency representatives Further Education Area Reviews • The joint presentation set out the economic growth needs for Kent and Medway and sector Guild approach, utilising the KMEP Workforce Skills Evidence Base and supporting information

4 Further Education Area Reviews

Challenges outlined included: • Increasing L3+ technical apprenticeships in priority sectors • Increasing English and Maths attainment • Increasing awareness of growth sectors through Careers Information, Advice and Guidance • College sector specialisms • Collaborative approach with schools, universities, employers and individuals • Supporting adults to retrain and planning pathways for vulnerable learners Further Education Area Reviews Next steps: • The SFA have also invited input from MPs, district councils, universities, colleges in Sussex, Essex, London and Surrey, Trade Unions, BEIS, DCLG, training providers, college students, schools and employers. Additional employer responses can be provided • Kent County Council will facilitate college attendance at school area meetings taking place • The next Steering Group meeting will be on Friday 3rd February and colleges will provide a response to the presentation given at the first steering group • Further steering groups will take place to March 2017 • A final report will be produced following this with recommendations LEP Skills & Employability Strategy

 To have an agreed, clear and ambitious vision, objectives and priorities  Consultation – commenced, with questionnaire to be circulated and to be added to SELEP website (www.southeastlep.com)  Compiling Evidence Base - commenced  Drafting Strategy – Headlines Jan / Feb  Final version and launch - by April 2017 Employer Guilds Purpose

An interface between industry and education

Each Guild is a forum for employers and education & training providers, from Kent & Medway, within a defined sector

Membership

Currently • 200 employers across seven guilds • 30 education/training providers – FE Colleges – Training Providers – HE Colleges • Local Authorities – (KCC, Districts & Medway) Action Plans

• Employer led initiatives in schools & colleges • Producing promotional material • Creating work experience & work placements • Supporting careers events • Establishing a directory of employers • Promoting apprenticeships

Impact [1]

Projects so far… • Big sector conversations, bringing together learners with employers in a ‘market place’ – Hospitality & Catering – Land Based

• Sharing practice through newsletters – Construction & Built Environment – Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing Big Hospitality Conversation Guild Engineering - Newsletter Impact [2]

Schools/colleges… Employers… Wrotham School, • Dover Harbour Board Goodwin , Holmesdale, • P&B Metals Harvey Grammar, • Viking Recruitment Ashford North, • Megger Towers, MEP Engineering Aylesford, • Brockhill, • Pfizer East , • Biddenden Vineyards Hadlow College, • Kent Rural PLC Mid Kent College • Wirebelt + 20 Coastal schools (CEC), • Bouyges UK each with employer + numerous others engaged in careers fairs and events Impact [3]

• Charter mark employer quality mark for supporting education/training provision – Pilot with Construction & Built Environment – Requirement for visits, work placements, traineeships and apprenticeships

• Informed and influenced SELEP funding – giving employers a voice in the development of training facilities Next steps...

• Sector conversations • Conference (March 2017) • Kent Choices local • CEC partnerships • Charter mark • Website • Pledges re Apprenticeships

How KMEP can help...

• Ambassadors for Guilds

• Funding and/or staff time

• Support Guild bid to SELEP/ESF

Kent Developers Group

Kent Developers Group

• KDG is a group of organisations actively involved with the delivery of quality sustainable development in Kent and Medway • Representing all developers in Kent: commercial and residential • Working very closely with all groups in Kent and Medway and elsewhere

Kent Developers Group

• Established in 1990’s, in support of KCC. • Originally a commercial property led organisation • Formed to establish quality development in Kent • A group of like minded individuals, committed to making a difference in Kent • Also here to Help, giving advice to KCC, the Districts, other stakeholders - not setting more regulation

Kent Developers Group

• Kent Developers Group (KDG) is a unique association of 30 plus owners and developers of the main commercial, housing and regeneration sites in Kent and Medway. • Here to encourage an effective working relationship between the private and public sectors, aiming to remove barriers to growth and bring about deliverable development and a functional property market. • Working with KCC, KHG, KPOG, Design South East and the SELEP to deliver future prosperity to Kent, promoting a close and trusting working environment. • Addressing strategic issues across Kent and Medway and influencing major public sector organisations such as DCLG, the Highways Agency, the Environment Agency and Natural England. • Addressing key issues across Kent and Medway that restrict and hinder OUR growth ambitions KDG Members KDG Associate Members Kent Developers Group Housing

• We are not building enough homes • 190,000 Homes required by 2031, just under twice our current delivery rate. • Delivery dramatically affected by the recession, but even before not building enough • Projections are good but still not enough Kent Developers Group Small Developers

• Before recession, 50% of the homes were produced by small developers • Now, more like 20 - 30% • They have all the same issues as multi nationals and more • Lack the resources, clout and finance • One thing they can do is deliver quickly Kent Developers Group Commercial Development

• 135,000 Jobs required by 2031, places for people to work, locally • The County needs to be prosperous • Speculative commercial development dried up throughout the recession, three speculative commercial developers in Kent • Banks require occupiers committed up front, nothing for prospective occupiers to see • Need encouragement, not barriers Kent Developers Group Quality Development

• We need planned, properly thought out development, delivering what the community needs • Proper consultation and dialogue • Leadership, an understanding that this is our problem, the communities’ problem too • Trust, working together, making the decisions • Do appeal decisions reflect a communities requirements?

Kent Developers Group Development impediments

• Enough things make development difficult and costly – Delays to the planning process – Ecology, Archaeology – Infrastructure delivery – Utility companies – Viability, especially in some coastal areas • Lets not add to this locally Kent Developers Group Development impediments

• 90% Of problems are for us to resolve ourselves • 10% Caused by others • Always focused on 90% • Now addressing the 10% as well Kent Developers Group Specific Projects

• Working with Natural England and the Environment Agency • Addressing Viability • Looking at how we can influence utility companies • Stakeholder engagement and PR • Planning protocol

Kent Developers Group Kent Planning Protocol

• Joint initiative KPOG, KDG and KHG • Signed by Leaders and Chief execs, endorsed by Government • About learning best practice and continuous improvement • Involves consultees • About resources • Affects commercial and housing development alike

Kent Developers Group Planning Protocol

• Recognised as a real opportunity • We need to deliver on Housing and growth • Leadership required • Numbers accepted through the Growth and Infrastructure framework, now including commercial

Kent Developers Group Planning Protocol

• Kent and Medway are renowned for cooperation, working together • Recognised by our neighbours and government • KDG has been good at this • All parties encouraged by the success • Can we influence Government?

Kent Developers Group Lobbying Government

• Recent meeting, established barriers to housing delivery and job creation • Followed up by letter to Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government • Measures in support of the Growth and Infrastructure Framework

Kent Developers Group Reflecting on • Gap in Infrastructure funding • Strategic approach to utilities investment • Freedoms for Registered Providers • Promotion of Extra Care facilities • Increased freedoms for Garden Cities and Towns • Promotion of commercial growth

Kent Developers Group Suggested Solutions

• Gap funding for Infrastructure in line with the Ashford/HCA model for 10a. • Working with utilities on their investment plans • Examining Regulators investment rules and customer service standards

Kent Developers Group Suggested Solutions

• Recognising the part all types of developer play in delivery • Specific RP’s delivery model and freedoms • Help for Smaller Developers • Support for retirement housing and extra care facilities, allocated sites and additional grant

Kent Developers Group Suggested Solutions

• Freedom for strategic growth in Garden Cities and towns - infrastructure funding and land ownership • Encouraged the employment agenda alongside housing • Alternative commercial delivery models, Canterbury and Ashford

Kent Developers Group Working together

• In short • A lot going on – not accepting of barriers • What can we address? • Stalled sites • Delivery on commercial development • Here to Help?