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31 March 2005 meeting with GOSE and SEEDA
Meeting with SEEDA and GOSE
Thursday 31st March, 2pm
At The University of Kent,
Senate Building, Committee Room One.
Present:
SEEDA: Pam Alexander (Chief Executive), Susan Priest (Area Director for Kent & Medway),
GOSE: Mark Bilsborough (Kent Director),
C4B:Michael Head, Ian Brown, Colin Carmichael, Clive Relf, Fiona Beer, Paul Barrett, Jan Thornby, Carol Barron, Su Brown, Ron Donmall, Eileen
Hargreaves, Peter Drummond, Amy Ausitin, Kevin Bush, Tony Bartlett, Sharon Brown.
Apologies: George Wilson, Prof Phil Davies, Peter Hawkes, Stephen Deakin, Jonathan Watts.
Welcome to Pam Alexander, Chief Executive, SEEDA, Dr Susan Priest, SEEDA, and Mark Bilsborough, Kent Director, GOSE.
Welcome
Michael Head (MH) called upon GOSE and SEEDA to help assist and support the work of C4B. He also stressed how essential it was for both organisations to recognise that the District was forward thinking and acting and committed to economic development and improvement, not a complacent cathedral city bound by its history.
Many thanks to SEEDA who have awarded C4B £30,000 through the Local Strategic Partnership, for our money box, the only clause is that we must then raise £90,000 to match it.
C4B Presentation
Clive Relf (CR) gave a presentation, C4B's vision and information about the board, composition,etc. The main vision to work towards a better community, for us all to live and work.
Things achieved by the board :- lobbying for the A2 slips, links with schools, better communication with local businesses via our Business Ambassador and better support from KCC.
Canterbury, recognition for its Cathedral, history, its surrounding countryside, good shops and a great place on the map, but it has another side, poor wages, low graduate retention, bad transport infrastructure. There has been a decline in private sector jobs and businesses. Need for good quality office space in Canterbury otherwise existing businesses will move out of out District. Also we must aim to improve retention of graduates.
What we need from SEEDA and GOSE. Recognition of issues and desire to move forward. Support towards a new hitech business park and the A2 Slips.
C4B are determined to see changes, they are frustrated by the lack of action in the District.
Pam Alexanders (PA) response She was delighted to be in Canterbury, it is very vibrant as a city and has a high profile regarding tourism.
Its an important strategic time at the moment, C4B's projects are in effect all strategic issues.
SEEDA's new Corporate Plan is due out soon, it puts Knowledge and Knowledge Transfer into Community ideas
There are five key objectives -
- Innovation Supporting Businesses.
- Enterprise SEEDA takes over the contract for Business Link from the 1st April 05.
- Sustainable Communities Quality Places
- Area based regeneration Direct support, greatest needs.
- Strategic Influence Bringing together, working with others.
There are a lot of skill based problems in the South East, a real shortage of qualified people to undertake certain jobs.
There is a review of the Regional Economic Strategy its commences with Jim Brathwaite, Chairman SEEDA, attending a meeting 15/16th June with the Kent Economic Partnership.
The SEERA Plan is very important, it lays out the growth within Kent, we must assess the need for growth both the need for housing and economically.
SEEDA are backing the need for Brownfield sites to be used as smaller housing sites, such as the Marlowe Theatre site.
Enterprise Hubs are very successful, and graduate retention is very important.
SEEDA are behind us all the way with our education challenges and the business park.
Mark Bilsboroughs (MB) response GOSE sits between central government and the region. It oversees transport plans all planning policy's, DEFRA, and several other government departments. They play a key role in the planning system, they are interpreteurs of the rules.
They comment on transport schemes, and Local Authority transport plans. Also coordinating Local Strategic Partnership's in the region.
Local Authorities were tested, by Comprehensive Performance Assessment's Canterbury achieving excellent' in their role as a Council.
Canterbury has lots of ideas MB impressed with the projects. We need to build and develop carefully.
MB agreed that it is vital for fast rail and road links to London from our District.
Our lack of student retention, could be due to our size. We must look to sell Canterbury as Kent, aim at better marketing.
The growth areas are Ashford and the Thames Gateway, District must have things to offer that other areas cannot ie, leisure, Cathedral,etc.
GOSE can listen and be advocates for our cause, to help within our District.
Colin Carmichaels (CX, CCC) The City Council is still linked to elements of no change' but things are moving on and everything is moving forward. Planning Strategy has changed over the years. We need to extend the picture to cover East Kent, to redefine it.
The Infrastructure, Roads and Rail needs improving we need investment. Who is responsible for what? there is a lot of confusion, it needs to be clearer.
SEEDA are very positive have given lots of support and funding for projects.
The A2 slips are now very important, otherwise we could end up being strangled. Once Ashford has expanded and Thanet has grown, Canterbury will be the missing link.
Discussion/Questions
How do we forsee that large housing developments will cope with the extra skilled construction workers that will be needed?
MB - Most workers will be prepared to move around the country to where the work is. There would also be a need to train up skilled workers in our area.
It was put that the Learning and Skills Council had done a good job, but there was an area missing, the pre sixteen year olds, needed addressing. It is vital that the five to fourteen year olds are not forgotten, this was an important age.
Susan Priest (SP), commented that SEEDA and KCC were running a pilot scheme and they were not sure at which age to start, she would take this further. They realise that there is a missing gap, the next generation needs support and it will take time.
Herne Bay for regeneration, this is a real issue it must be driven forward it needs to be put on the map.
The A2 slips led to a discussion are they regional or national status? MB will readdress the issue with the Highways Agency. He assured the board that there voice had been heard and that he would take it to the Department of Transport.
Broad Oak Reservoir There were concerns over the water supply needed once the new housing infrastructure was in place, existing supply's would not cope.
There was concern over the run off' from the development leading into the River Stour, and impact on Canterbury. The Environment Agency needs to address it. PA and SP are both on the board for Ashford's Future at which they will raise issues.
The meeting was concluded with Kevin Bush Vice Chair, C4B, thanking PA, SP and MB and giving a short summary of the meeting, and issues discussed.
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