by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Some Pfizer jobs may be saved by outsourcing and other deals, it is understood.

Sources close to talks between the new Kent taskforce, which met for the first time yesterday, and company chiefs, suggest the drugs giant is looking at ways of maintaining research at Sandwich through third party agreements. There are also hopes for an enterprise park along the lines at the former ICI site at Runcorn, which now employs more people than it did before.

Behind-the-scenes activity may explain the cautious optimism voiced last night in Turner Contemporary, Margate, by Kent County Council leader Paul Carter.

He declined to give details, but told Thanet business people that his initial pessimism about the prospects for East Kent after Pfizer's decision to pull out within 24 months and lay off most of its 2,400 staff, had given way to cautious optimism.

"Having met and talked to a lot of people, I am cautiously optimistic that we can reduce the impact," he said. "Pfizer are keen not to over-promise and underplay some of the good things I know about that I can't talk about."

He added: "Hopefully over the next three, four or five months, they will come to fruition and give hope to an enormous number of people, not just those working at Pfizer, but also the supply chain that's supported Pfizer at Sandwich."

• For more on the Pfizer closure, see our special report