Last Friday evening I joined a packed Quarterhouse in Folkestone for the tenth anniversary meeting of Go Folkestone. Led by its President Philip Carter and Chairman Cllr Ann Berry this organisation has successfully campaigned for the town and investment in its future. Whilst we remain focused now on creating jobs and supporting businesses in our area, we can still look back at how much progress there has been over the last few years. Ten years ago we were yet to see the high speed rail link, birth of the Creative Quarter, Bouverie Square shopping centre, and the University Centre. Go Folkestone also campaigned to create the Town Council, for the restoration of derelict buildings, supported the Folkestone Youth Project at the Shed in the harbour area and the Step Short campaign to mark the town’s vital role in the First World War. There could not be a better example of the Big Society in action; a group of local volunteers giving up their time to help make their community a better place.
The Go Folkestone meeting also included a presentation by Trevor Minter from the Folkestone Harbour Company, and the architect Sir Terry Farrell on the regeneration plans for the seafront. Next month these plans will available to view at the Triennial Visitors Centre in the Old High Street, and it is expected that the initial application for outline planning permission for the development will be made in the New Year. We are all eagerly awaiting the next stage in this exciting project.
Earlier in the day I joined the Leader of Shepway Council, Robert Bliss and Cabinet member for regeneration Alan Clifton-Holt for a meeting in Boulogne with the town’s Mayor and National Assembly member Frédéric Cuvillier. We were there to promote the work of Bosco, the organisation established by Shepway and Boulogne to attract European investment to our region. Shepway has received investment through this scheme worth over £5million over the last ten years, including the funding to support projects like the regeneration of the lower Leas coastal park. Bosco is already working on new applications for funding and we also discussed how our two communities can work together to support job opportunities for young people.
Expansion East Kent is the organisation that was launched by Kent County Council last week to support applications to the Regional Growth Fund for Shepway, Dover, Canterbury and Thanet. Up to £40 million is available to support the expansion of existing businesses and to attract new investment into the area. Projects can apply for funding to cover up to 50% of the required investment and for costs of between £25,000 and £2.5million. You can find out more about this in the ‘East Kent Grants’ section of the Locate in Kent website www.locateinkent.com. Applications for grants will open in spring 2012. Please also get in touch with me directly if you would like any advice about how to apply. This fund is a great opportunity for the East Kent economy and I want to make sure that we get at much out of it as we possibly can.