Local Growth Plan – Cross‑Cutting Priorities Workshop | Kent & Medway

Shaping the Foundations for Growth Across Kent & Medway

Your insight. Our investment. Real impact for the local economy.

Some of the most important barriers to growth cut across sectors. Kent & Medway’s councils, universities and colleges are developing a single, long‑term Local Growth Plan – and this workshop focuses on the foundations that enable growth across the whole economy.

This Cross‑cutting Workshop is your opportunity to influence where attention, collaboration and investment are focused over the next 10 years.

Why Attend?

This is not a presentation‑led event. It’s a working session to guide strategic decision‑makers.

We are asking participants to:

• Identify shared barriers affecting multiple sectors
• Highlight cross‑cutting opportunities that enable growth at scale
• Help prioritise actions that support delivery across the entire Local Growth Plan

What you tell us will:

• Directly inform the Kent & Medway Local Growth Plan
• Shape coordinated investment and delivery approaches
• Influence engagement with central government on priority enablers

In short: this is where system‑wide insight turns into action.

What is the Local Growth Plan?

The Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (KMEP), working with Metro Dynamics, is developing a 10 year Local Growth Plan to set a clear economic direction for the region.

Local Growth Plans are requested by central government and are becoming a core way government understands local economies, sets priorities, and decides where to work jointly with regions.

Government has been clear that Local Growth Plans must, as a minimum:
• Set out a single, joined up vision for economic growth, shaped with input from businesses and other partners
• Provide a robust, evidence based picture of the regional economy, identifying distinctive sector strengths and opportunities, aligned with the national Industrial Strategy
• Identify clear shared priorities for joint working between local areas and central government, creating a platform for collaboration and coordinated action
• Include a focused investment pipeline of priority projects (typically 4–10 per region) that are critical to unlocking growth

Cross-Cutting Workshop - what we'll focus on

Building on the completed evidence base, the session will explore:

• Skills and workforce systems
• Infrastructure, connectivity and place
• Innovation, finance and investment
• Mechanisms for collaboration and delivery across sectors

Who should attend?

This session is particularly valuable for:

• Businesses operating across multiple sectors
• Skills and training providers
• Infrastructure, finance and investment organisations
• Public and private sector delivery partners
• Councils, Universities and College leaders and staff

Networking included

Attendance is free, and places are limited.

A complimentary buffet lunch will be provided, offering opportunities to connect with partners shaping growth across Kent & Medway.

Part of a wider programme

This workshop is part of a coordinated series shaping the Local Growth Plan across Kent & Medway during the week of 11 May. You are welcome to attend multiple sessions, including:
• Digital – Mon 11 May
• Agri-food & Agri-tech – Weds 13 May
• Energy – Thurs14 May
• Ports, Transport & Logistics – Fri 15 May