Helen Grant Batting for Business

BUSINESS FORUM ENGAGES KENT'S RURAL LEADERS.

Maidstone & The Weald Business Forum's third event is attended and applauded by over 100 of Kent's most influential agricultural movers and shakers.

It all started after 96% of the responses from a local business survey indicated that the business community in Maidstone & the Weald did not think the government understood their needs.

Businesswoman Helen Grant decided to change all of that by setting up her politically orientated business forum as a direct line of communication between local businesses, local government and the Shadow Cabinet. Her third forum event in 12 months attracted many of the most important employers and business people in mid Kent's rural business sector to hear about to what a Conservative government will do for farmers and the rural community, and to and give the delegates a platform to put questions to the panel.

The venue was The Weald of Kent Golf Hotel in Headcorn, the subject was 'The Future of Farming' and the guest speakers were the Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Wildlife, Mr Richard Benyon MP, Leader of Swale Borough Council, National Chairman of the LGA Rural Commission and farmer Mr Andrew Bowles, and Hadlow College's Director of Finance and Resources Mr Mark Lumsden-Taylor.

Closing comments were made by well known local farmer and Chairman of the Kent Agricultural Society George Jessel DL. He remarked upon the absence of first-hand knowledge for this sector in the current government and their lack of understanding of rural affairs generally. He went on to compliment the members of the panel on their clear and complex knowledge of the issues people in Kent's agricultural community are facing every day.

Helen Grant said that she was delighted with the exceptional turnout of delegates, the quality of the speakers and the content of the questions that came from the floor. "In this, our third Forum event, we have been very focused on the issues affecting a major part of the constituency here in Maidstone & the Weald, the rural business sector. I believe this vital part of our economy, and our community, has been ignored for many years by Labour. Hopefully we will have a chance to change for the better if the Conservatives are elected into government at the next election, using some of the pragmatic policies set out by Shadow Minister Richard Benyon today".

Farming at Centre of Rural Business Forum

SHADOW environment minister Richard Benyon hopes to see a golden age for Kent farmers during the next few years.

Mr Benyon told 150 people at a rural business seminar in Headcorn that the government had not given enough respect to the rural community.

"I want to see a golden age for farming," he said. "I don't think there will be a more important time for farmers since the 1940s because you will be producing food which is an honourable thing to do. something to be proud of and which has not been given the respect it deserves for far too long."

Mr Benyon was speaking at the Maidstone and The Weald Rural Business Forum, held at the Weald of Kent Hotel, Headcorn.

The event was the third business forum organised by Helen Grant, prospective Tory candidate for Maidstone and the Weald.

She said: "By 2050, the world's population will be around six billion. We need to feed ourselves and farming is going to be essential. We have to look after our farmers."

Mrs Grant emphasised the importance of supporting rural businesses, efficient rural transport and affordable housing.

Maidstone & The Weald Agricultural Survey 2010

Please take the time to complete our Agricultural Survey - Click Here for further details.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Wildlife - Mr Richard Benyon.

Richard's family runs the Englefield Estate in Berkshire which includes 3500 acres of woodland, 22 let farms, rural and urban housing and a Home Farm.

Until his election as an MP in 2005, Richard ran the Home Farm which was mixed arable and dairy.

In Westminster he is a member of the team that monitors the work of DEFRA and formulates Conservative policy in this area.

Leader of Kent County Council - Mr Paul Carter

KCC's corporate offices are located in Maidstone. It is the UK's largest local authority and serves a population of over 1.3 million. In December 2009 the Audit Commission assessed KCC as joint top performer among all county councils in England and one of only three that are considered to be "performing excellently".

Paul expressed an immediate interest in taking this opportunity to engage with our rural business sector. In addition to his KCC role he is a consummate businessman himself, running his own successful property, construction and retail companies.

Hadlow College Director of Finance and Resources - Mr Mark Lumsden-Taylor.

Hadlow College is Kent's premier land-based college and one of the top three such colleges in the United Kingdom.

Formerly a divisional head in the corporate accountancy sector in the city, Mark has become passionately involved in rural sector regeneration during his 7 years at Hadlow College, particularly with regard to agriculture and the promotion of UK-produced food. He is a Board member of the Kent County Agriculture Society, a Board Member of the Rural Innovation Unit, advises various other bodies and speaks regularly on a wide range of rural affairs, most specifically in relation to the sector's training and skill needs.

Maidstone & The Weald Business Forum

Background

In my business I have been fighting Gordon Brown's recession first hand, both as a solicitor helping clients deal with their problems and as a businesswoman seeking to preserve the jobs and livelihoods of my own team of staff.

It is vital that I understand that needs of business people in Maidstone & The Weald through this troubled time too, because business survival means job survival.

After surveying 1600 business owners and senior managers in the constituency in 2008 I decided to set up this Business Forum.

It's purpose is to provide a clear communication channel between business people, local government and our opposition shadow cabinet, to seek local solutions and apply as much pressure as possible on the Labour government to remove some of the many obstacles to growth and profitability imposed by them over the last 12 years.

In 2009 we presented two well attended events;

Get Britain Working - with Rt Hon Theresa May

The first, at the Russell Hotel on the Boxley Road on Tuesday 6th January 2009, included a presentation about how the Conservatives will 'Get Britain Working Again' by the Rt Hon Theresa May, Shadow Speaker of the House of Commons and Shadow Cabinet Minister. She outlined the Conservative plan to help people through the recession and to listed to ideas and proposals from the audience.

How to Beat the Recession - with Theo Paphitis

The second event at Oakwood House in Maidstone on 31st March featured my friend and BBC's Dragon's Den businessman Theo Paphitis. He offered his take on how to deal with the prevailing economic situation from a business person's perspective. Conservative Party Chairman Eric Pickles was also there to present the Conservative Party's approach to the many questions and ideas raised by the audience at the launch of the Forum.

Helen Grant

Member of Parliament for Maidstone & The Weald