What is the Kent & Medway Economic Partnership?

The Kent and Medway Economic Partnership Board is chaired by the private sector and is made up of twenty one members, 17 business representatives, 14 local authority leaders and one representative from higher and further education. The board has sought to ensure that there is a balanced representation of businesses and local authorities, reflecting Kent and Medway’s geography and the diversity of its business base.

KMEP Terms of Reference can be found here.

The role of the KMEP can be summarised as being to:-

• Approve, drive forward and monitor a strategic economic plan for Kent and Medway;

• Consider strategic economic investment priorities through funds such as the Single Local Growth Fund, European structural and investment funds and other public funding sources that may become available;

• Determine and monitor the use of all funding devolved from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership to Kent and Medway;

• Act as the commissioning body for projects and programmes in Kent and Medway funded through the Single Local Growth Fund and the European Structural and Investment Funds;

• Consider and develop responses to new economic opportunities and challenges in Kent and Medway;

• Ensure a strong voice for Kent and Medway business and government at national and regional level, including through the South East LEP.

The Kent and Medway Economic Partnership will be responsible for the delivery of the objectives set out in Kent and Medway’s Growth Plan ‘Unlocking the Potential: Going for Growth.’ The Growth Deal sets out the actions that businesses and local authorities in Kent and Medway, together with the South East LEP and central Government will take to drive forward delivery. It sets out the case for Local Growth Fund investment in Kent and Medway as part of an intelligent funding package, alongside the new European structural fund programme, existing Regional Growth Funds, developer contributions and local authority funds. The Growth Plan, as part of the Strategic Economic Plan, was submitted to the government at the end of March 2014.

The Register of Interests for KMEP Board Members can be found here.

About the South East LEP:

The South East Local Economic Partnership (SELEP) is one of the 39 partnership bodies across the UK and covers East Sussex, Kent, Medway, Southend and Thurrock. It brings together business, local government and education partners and aims to drive economic growth by setting priorities for investment in the area. More information about SELEP can be found here.

The 2014 version of the South East LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan is available here.