KENT Invicta Chamber of Commerce and Industry is growing from strength to strength and now represents a record 1,213 businesses across the county.

At the annual meeting at its Ashford Business Point headquarters at Sevington, re-elected chairman Graham Gaplin outlined programmes delivered during the year which had been planned as one of consolidation but had become one of rapid expansion.

That has included taking on the west Kent areas which includes Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge to make it by far the largest chamber in the county.

Although the Enterprise Agency element of their work has been halted through lack of government funds to deliver start-up training, business advisors continue monitoring small business and the training of prisoners set for release.

They have won government funds and support from the South Kent Business Education Partnership and South East England Development Agency to launch a Young Chamber organisation which will link with schools for students to discover how business operates before entering the world of work.

In the next year he said not only would they continue to deliver the vast range of services to members, but help expand opportunities across the Channel and beyond.

The chamber is working to provide export documentation, and with the county council and Canterbury Christ Church University, to provide a European programme for start-up and expansion support for small trans-national businesses.

He said: "This enterprising attitude which adds much value to the Chamber could not go ahead without the dedicated staff team we have."

That view was seconded by chief executive Chris Capron who said the board, committee and staff were the lifeblood of the chamber, which like all businesses had faced a difficult year.

He said: "It has been tough but we have passed all targets and are proud to be the only chamber in the south that can state we produced a positive result."

He thanked all members for their support and civic leaders from Ashford, Canterbury and Maidstone for attending the meeting.

After lunch, Chris Bailey the Bank of England agent for the South East, gave an update and his predictions for economic prospects in the short and long term.