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ERL Committee 20/04/21:

Draft Economic Development Strategy: Appendix One.

Changes have been made to the draft Economic Development Strategy published with the report. The most up to date Strategy is dated April 2021.

The main difference between the original draft EDS strategy circulated and the correct version are as follows:

Under Priority 1 ‘Open for Business’

More emphasis has been given to the enabling and positive role the public sector brings to the local economy. The following paragraph has been moved from Priority 2 to Priority 1 on page 18:

“The public sector has traditionally provided a strong source of local economic activity reflecting Maidstone’s role as Kent’s county town. Organisations such as Kent County Council and the Borough Council are significant employers in their own right, and in turn support a range of direct and indirect benefits including local spending and procurement opportunities for local businesses. Looking ahead, we want to see a strong public sector at the heart of an open, collaborative and thriving business culture here in Maidstone. “

The following Enabling Factor has also been transferred from Priority 2 to Priority 1 to reinforce the context of the public sector in Priority 1:

“Influencing the public sector to consolidate activity here in the Borough”

Action Plan

The only other change is in the Action Plan on page 25, the last action has been changed from “Exploring the feasibility of establishing new dedicated business hubs in the Borough” to “Consider investing in industrial and warehousing premises to help de-risk new employment sites coming forward.”