Kent could lose out on government funding to northern cities in the run up to the next election unless it makes a stronger case for support, writes Andrew Metcalf

The North is mobilising and calling for greater powers.

Chancellor George Osborne, a Cheshire MP, has put the prospect of a northern region on the agenda, floating plans to build a high-speed rail link across Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Hull – dubbed HS3.

Devolution is already happening. Greater Manchester is to gain significant decision-making powers after the Chancellor signed an agreement to give the city a directly-elected mayor with powers over transport, housing, planning and policing – in effect a Boris of the North.

The Chancellor has argued five ingredients would create a connected northern powerhouse. These include successful businesses, modern high-speed transport, big science investments, top universities and strong leadership.

Kent already has these ingredients but is it making the most of them?

Bridging the economic gap is to be commended, but this shouldn’t be done at the expense of the South.

There’s a need for greater recognition by the government, and civil servants, that the only net contributing regions to the Treasury are London and the South East.

But the region needs to better communicate the case for government support. It needs to respond to the challenge, develop its case for funding, and win the argument that the government should not ignore its winners.

We need to explain why every pound spent in Kent and the South East will deliver the best possible return on investment for the country as a whole.

The responsibility for making the case for our corner of the country rests with several organisations. These include the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), Kent County Council and its counterparts in Essex and East Sussex, and unitary authorities like Medway Council.

What we need is one strong and consistent voice.

Nothing focuses the mind of an MP like an election. The time is right for SELEP to argue the case for greater investment in the region.

The next big conversation with government is how to fund a small number of bigger projects, those that will deliver a tangible difference for Kent.

SELEP will be arguing as loud as possible for investment in:

• New Lower Thames Crossing
• Ebbsfleet garden city
• M2 improvements through to the Port of Dover
• New Junction 5a on the M2

We also need to tackle the issues we share across Kent, Essex and East Sussex.

We need greater support for our rural economy and regeneration of coastal communities, as well as significant investment in skills, training and innovation.

And when we’ve got high-level government support for Kent’s major projects we need to ensure the planning authorities and politicians are fully signed-up, so we can capitalise on the economic opportunities.

Andrew Metcalf represents business as an alternate member of SELEP and sits on the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership and Kent Business Advisory Board.