Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided an update on partnership work undertaken by officers around visitor economy and inward investment since the closure of both Visit Kent and Locate in Kent in September 2025. It sought Cabinet approval to proceed with a joint delivery model that safeguarded regional competitiveness, retained key assets and prepared the ground for future devolution.

Medway Council was working with Kent County Council on the urgent reinstatement of a Visitor Economy and Inward Investment service to cover the whole Kent and Medway area.

The recommended approach was to establish a new, partnership-led, in-house team that would deliver essential services to support tourism and attract business investment across the area.

The proposed service would focus on destination marketing, sector coordination, market intelligence and investor engagement. It aimed to maintain Kent and Medway’s competitiveness in this area and could offer a blueprint for the delivery of similar services in any future devolution arrangements.

Reasons:

Our work on visitor economy and inward services has been supplemented by activities led by Visit Kent and Locate in Kent since the Council’s inception. There is an opportunity to continue good work in partnership with Kent County Council and to work together to retain some of the important assets previously held by both organisations.

The establishment of an in-house team has been determined as the most expeditious and effective way forward for the period up to March 2027. The team will have a footprint in Medway and our engagement will necessitate a £21,000 supplement to the budget which has previously been allocated to this area of work.