Sharpe downturn at Kent Science Park

It is with interest that we note from the latest press release entitled ‘Jobs Figure wrong’ from the Kent Science Park which once again attempts to justify its employment figures, that their employments figures have rapidly deteriorated.

According to their latest head-count the science park has as of 22nd May 2009 1,125 people employed at the park. This figure has been contrasted against the Economic Impact Assessment (EIA) figure of 872 employees. However, this is in fact an incorrect comparison as the EIA actually based its growth forecasts on a baseline figure of 983 employees.

However looking back at a press release on 17th April where the science park claimed that it was home to 77 businesses employing more than 1,250 people we are greatly saddened by the loss of over 125 jobs (10% of the workforce) in just over one month.

The disparity of 125 employees illustrates either how bad the local economy must be faring or alternatively if the figures are not accurate as we have suggested on numerous occasions, it demonstrates the lack of credibility that KSP has to producing this kind of data