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Welcome to the Monday edition of the Kent Business Newsletter.

This week we start with a sharp warning from Berry Recruitment, which says the Apprenticeship Levy is leaving employers paying in but struggling to get value back. With unused funds set to expire faster, the call for a simpler and more flexible system is getting louder.

There is also a strong focus on businesses creating impact beyond the balance sheet. West Malling contractor Magrock is marking ten years with a new community legacy programme, while Medway’s KKB Group has been named Kent’s Champion Employer of the Year after years of investment in apprentices and workplace training.

And in Ebbsfleet, a major new housing scheme shows how rental homes can cut bills, improve energy performance and support greener neighbourhoods.

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A leading recruiter has called for a major rethink of the Apprenticeship Levy, saying the system is failing employers and leaving large sums of money unused. Lee Gamble, managing director of Berry Recruitment, said the firm builds up a sizeable levy pot each year but struggles to spend it because the rules are too narrow. The business, which has a branch in Maidstone, runs its own apprenticeship scheme for consultants, yet levy funds can only be used for approved apprenticeship training and end-point assessments through registered providers. It cannot be used for in-house training or travel costs, even when that training is directly tied to apprentice development.

Gamble said the problem is made worse because levy charges also apply to temporary workers, while many apprenticeship courses last at least 12 months and do not suit short-term roles. He warned that from next year, unused funds will begin to expire after 12 months, turning the levy into what many firms may see as another tax. Catriona Donald of Azets said the current rules are too complex and risk sending even more money back to government instead of into training. With youth unemployment rising and employers under pressure from higher costs, the call for a simpler, more flexible system is growing louder.

➡️ Read what firms say is blocking apprentice hiring.

West Malling based Magrock has marked its 10-year anniversary by pairing business growth with a fresh push into community impact. Founded in 2016 by brothers Richard and David Brewer with directors Kylie Boarer and Dean Pask, the contractor began with a small team and quickly gained ground. Its first £1 million contract came within a year, delivering a mezzanine floor for Clipper Logistics before completing work at Pretty Little Thing’s Sheffield distribution centre. By 2018, Magrock had secured its first new-build contract, and by 2022 it had delivered its first £10 million project, opening the door to schemes worth more than £20 million across retail, logistics, commercial, fit-out and refurbishment.

Now employing more than 120 people and targeting £125 million turnover, Magrock operates through two regional offices covering London and South, and Midlands and North. The company says its progress has been shaped by long-term client relationships and a culture built around passion, trust and respect. To mark the milestone, it has launched a new website, refreshed its brand and introduced the Magrock 10 Impact Series. Projects include a South Downs residential weekend for 60 inner-city children, mentor training with The Mason Foundation for neurodiverse young people, and support for Kent charity Involve to create a Digital Inclusion & Community Hub for residents facing digital exclusion.

➡️ See how Magrock is turning growth into local action.

Chartway Partnerships Group has completed Alkerden 5B at Ebbsfleet Garden City, turning a former quarry into a mixed-tenure neighbourhood with 121 Build-to-Rent homes, 33 shared ownership homes and eight affordable homes. Delivered with Packaged Living and Moat, the scheme brings together professionally managed rental housing, lower running costs and long-term investment in place. Its most eye-catching feature is 47 Octopus Energy Zero Bills homes, where photovoltaic panels and Tesla Powerwall batteries are designed to remove residents’ energy bills, with surplus power exported back to the grid. In a rental market still under pressure from high household costs, that gives this development real weight.

The wider scheme also pushes hard on energy performance and construction standards. A total of 121 homes are rated EPC A, with the rest rated EPC B, while smart meters and Utopi systems give residents closer control over usage. Timber frame construction, hybrid generators and the reuse of about 17,000m³ of material also helped cut environmental impact during delivery. Beyond the homes themselves, the project adds landscaped spaces, sustainable drainage linked to a central lake and biodiversity features including hedgehog houses and a bug hotel. It also supported local training through T-Level placements, apprenticeships and work with North Kent College, before finishing months ahead of programme and collecting major industry awards.

➡️ Discover what made this neighbourhood finish early and win awards.

KKB Group has been named Employer of the Year at the Kent Apprenticeship Awards, with judges praising the Medway firm’s long-term commitment to local training and the strong support it gives young staff. The award was presented at Priestfield Stadium in June 2026, where KKB trainee Alfie Wells also picked up Apprentice of the Year in the Early Career category. Organisers said the judging panel was struck by the way the business had created a workplace where an apprentice could thrive, pointing to Alfie’s work ethic as a clear reflection of the backing and opportunities built around him. It was the night’s leading employer award at an event that celebrated the growing role of apprenticeships across Kent.

The win caps a strong period for KKB, which has been based in Medway since 2010 and became employee-owned in 2022. Over the past five years, the enabling works contractor has delivered structured workplace training for local recruits, all of whom now hold full-time roles on civil engineering and infrastructure projects across the UK. In 2025 alone, KKB delivered 522 hours of skills-based training to its 80 staff, up 7% year on year. The business has also backed local community groups, supported cultural events and reached Platinum status in the Medway Healthy Workplaces programme, giving extra weight to its claims about social responsibility.

➡️ See why judges singled out KKB’s training culture.

Faversham brewer Shepherd Neame has partnered with Kent-based Foodari to supply fresh fruit and vegetables across its managed pubs and hotels. The deal supports local sourcing, lower food miles and regional growers, with Newlands Farm in Teynham among the suppliers. Read more.

The Kent & Medway Manufacturing Focus Group brought local employers to MidKent College’s Institute of Technology in Maidstone. The visit focused on technical skills, employer-led training and building a stronger future workforce pipeline. Read more.

The University of Kent hosted the Canterbury Business Show at its Sibson Building. The event brought together local businesses for networking, expert talks and sessions on start-ups, business growth and team performance. Read more.

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