Your Councillors

MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

ECONOMIC REGENERATION AND LEISURE COMMITTEE

4 JUNE 2019

REFERENCE FROM POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE

MOTION � ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

At the meeting of the Council held on 27 February 2019, the following motion was moved by Councillor Harper, seconded by Councillor McKay:

This Council notes the considerable progress made in economic development over the last 5 years including:

� Maidstone East

� Brunswick Street

� Union Street

� The Business Terrace

� Kent Medical Campus Innovation Centre

Looking forward to the update of the Economic Development Strategy in the future, the Council should promote a positive role in Economic Development which can be achieved through encouraging and directly investing in:

� The arts

� Parks and open spaces improvements

� The destination management plan

� The visitor and leisure economy

� Promoting low or carbon neutral growth

� and also building on our current rich assets

We additionally need to safeguard all current employment land especially when the impact of permitted development rights is considered.

This Council therefore resolves to ensure that the Economic Development Strategy, when next reviewed and updated, takes into account the above areas.

During the discussion, with the agreement of the mover and the seconder, paragraph 3 of the motion was amended as follows:

We additionally need to safeguard ~~all~~ current employment land especially when the impact of permitted development rights is considered.

A number of other amendments to the motion were suggested as follows:

� Amend paragraph 2 of the motion to read:

� Amend paragraph 4 of the motion to read:

This Council therefore resolves to ensure that the Economic Development Strategy, when next reviewed and updated, ~~takes into~~ ~~account~~ considers the above areas.

� Amend the list included in paragraph 2 of the motion to include reference to office space.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.5, the motion, as amended, and the other suggested amendments were referred to the Policy and Resources Committee for consideration.

Subsequently, at its meeting on 27 March 2019, the Policy and Resources Committee resolved:

That the consideration of the reference from Council � Motion � Economic Development Strategy, be moved to the second meeting of the relevant committee after the annual meeting.

RECOMMENDED:� That the Committee consider the motion, as amended, relating to the Economic Development Strategy and the other amendments suggested by Members at the Council meeting.