Don't let them sell Dover, Gateway to England - please help us!

[boxtops]

Dear all, this is long but important!

http://www.thisiskent...360-detail/story.html

If you recognise the importance of the Port of Dover in this country's history, and its iconic status for those returning to our shores, please help us. The Port of Dover is at great risk of being sold off by Dover Harbour Board to the highest bidder - we are told that there is interest from the French, the Germans and the Chinese. We don't want a Gibraltar-like situation in Kent, we want to run our own port as a Community Land Trust, not to line the pockets of the Fat Cats in Dover Harbour Board. We want Dover's port to benefit the town - the requirements for selling any Trust port are that the sale should have Community benefit, and Sustainability - none of which the DHB proposal evidences. They suggest a 5-year period of investment in our little town - after which, zilch, and no guarantees of a sustainable on-going investment from the Port profits for local people.

http://www.doverport....Public%20document.pdf

this is the website of the viable alternative http://www.peoplesport.org.uk/

We went to a meeting of the Dover People's Port initiative last night, and we are asked to invite as many people as possible (national, local, or worldwide) to write to the Department for Transport, their MP, Dave, Ed, anyone at the House of Commons and House of Lords, to flood Parliament with objections - if there is sufficient weight, the Minister for Transport has to consider the objections. The Dover People's Port is being supported vociferously by cross-party MPs - our MP Charlie Elphicke, and the Labour peer Lord Maurce Glasman were both on the platform at the meeting last night.

(more on next post)

[boxtops]

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!

[sandyRoe]

What about starting a petition on Care2causes?
http://www.thepetitio...on=fb_connect&fb_id=0

[boxtops]

Thank you sandy, but it was suggested to us last night that a petition is not a good way forward, the DPP wants us to write and email individually - it was suggested that a petition is only treated as one group objection when it reaches the Ministers. We need the "voice of the people" in droves, rather than names on a sheet.

[albaqwerty]

I was going to ask if there was an on-line petition. Hope there is or will be.
I doubt if my local MP would bother his shirt tho, I will write and voice my opinion tho.

[emmie]

will try, this is happening all over Britain, and i have yet to see that ordinary folk have swayed governments, boards or whoever is in charge to change their minds. I did read about this a few weeks back, admittedly in the DM, and their take on it seemed to be don't let the Germans get their hands on it, due to the significance of past conflicts. They had a poont. I will read through the links etc and get back to you. Sad to say i can't see this going any way other than all the airports, ports, and businesses that have been British owned for generations, that is sold to the highest bidder.

[emmie]

online petition would be better..

[boxtops]

thank you alba, every one sent is one more, and the objections can go to the DSI central email too [email protected]

[boxtops]

^ DSI? Doh! DFT!

[emmie]

sorry had a point, typo. This is a serious matter i know, so if you can supply a petition on line will happily add my comments.

[boxtops]

em, we want to buck the trend - and we do have a viable alternative. Not sure that any take-over of airports etc has ever had an alternative proposal put forward by those who want the new organisation to benefit local people, not those selling it off. The jobs at Dover Harbour Board for the locals have gone down from 1000 to current 300 - it's all about money at the moment, we want it for local investment and sustainability.

[emmie]

Boxy, sadly it's usually about money, some don't seem the long term implications, only the cash till register.

[albaqwerty]

Thank you for the emali addy. Will get one off shortly.

I may be 500 or so miles away but I feel quite strongly about this.

Dover should be for the Dover residents and for the rest of the world. Not for a private company to sully.

[emmie]

and sully it they will, promises made are usually soon broken.

[boxtops]

I've emailed and suggested an on-line petition - I'll let you know if DPP will set one up.

[boxtops]

thank you alba, much appreciated.

[Dee Sa]

twice I have tried to register with peoplesport- they send me the email to confirm and then it comes up -this is not a valid address !

[boxtops]

Dee, is that via the website? - try [email protected], if there is something the matter with the web link, they need to know. (or tell me, and I'll tell 'em)

[albaqwerty]

email sent Boxy. Will now search for Charlie's email addy and my local MP's too.

[DTCwordfan]

This is what I have sent by e-mail, Boxie:

"Dear Sir, Madam,

I wish to lodge my objection to this as the chance to privatise and see the
operation pass into foreign hands is, to say the least, nuts. It should be
destined for the local community - as long as it is a trust.

We here in the SW of Cornwall have enough problems with Falmouth, Local
Newspapers and Private Eyes passim where out of County owners and certain
individuals have colluded, ultimately not for the benefit of the Falmouth
community at large.

I would hate to see this occur with Dover and draw the conclusion that if it
remains within a local community trust, then the people of Dover will benefit
and shape their destiny, which surely should be a politically acceptable
situation within the guidelines of the Big Society, as outlined by the Prime
Minister.

Yours faithfully"

[emmie]

DT, can i plagiarise a bit of that, couldn't put it any better.