This is what DPP is asking people to email to those who have influence to stop this sell-off - it needs to be done initially by 27 July, but later correspondence will also put additional pressure on those making the decisions:
"I am writing to ask you to help stop our port being sold off abroad to the French or whoever.
"Dover Harbour Board has made its final proposals for their privatisation. You can help to stop it by writing an email or a letter now to the Department for Transport. The key points you need to make to make the difference are:
Ø The Shareholding of the community through PDCT (the DHB's proposed Port of Dover Community Trust) is NOT significant.
Ø £20m of shares for the Community in a £200-250m company is only 8%-10%. It is well below the level of 20% that would be a significant shareholding.
Ø The Shareholding of the community through PDCT is NOT enduring (they talk about a 5-year term, then what?).
Ø The shares can be traded. By definition this makes the PDCT stake NOT enduring. Moreover, reserved matters (PDCT vetos over Opco Decisions) can be removed without reference to the community at any time after a ‘minded to approve’ decision by Government.
Ø The Partnership Directors’ influence to modify/change board resolutions is worthless unless they both agree the same course of action. The method employed for their appointment makes such an outcome unlikely and hence this mechanism is NOT Significant and NOT enduring
Ø The new forums are advisory only and recommendations from them are non-binding/can be ignored by the board of Opco. Hence the forums have little point and are essentially worthless
Ø The PDCT link with Opco will lapse and ceases to exist altogether if the PDCT shareholding is reduced through sale of shares to less than £10m.
You need to begin your email or letter with the words "I oppose the Dover Harbour Board privatisation scheme" and then set out the points above in your own words. It's very important everyone writes to the DfT in their own words, please do not copy the above points verbatim, so they will know how strongly each of us feels about the future of our port. Only when we've stopped the privatisation can we get the People's Port.
Please send your response to
[email protected] or Secretary of State, Maritime Commerce and Infrastructure Division, Department for Transport, Zone 2/29, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR."
If you are willing to do this (and copy your email to the Chairman of DPP,
[email protected]) those of us who love the Port of Dover and want it to stay Forever England will be exceeding grateful.
Thank you!