The Front Page. - Copy 160 (Peoples Port Meeting at Town Hall)
4 March 2011
As I understand it anyway and in a nutshell for easy absorption..the Port does not have a price. The Peoples Port guys can sustain debt facilities of £200 million and this is what they will pay for the Port. They will have added cash assets of £70million, £50 million will be distributed into the town and seafront to improve its aspect, although how this is to be done nobody seems quite sure. The Port generates £60 million turnover per annum.
Ten votes were needed to force a referendum, a referendum that will cost the towns taxpayers £15,000. These ten votes were easily exceeded. The general feeling suggested that the first priority was to keep the French out, to keep the French from buying it, and that it should be owned by the people of Dover. Many voted for the referendum. However it was pointed out by Mayor Sue Jones..the result of the poll would not be binding!
If any reader wants to add something further please do so by using the box below. Would be delighted to see further explanations, further understandings etc.etc. Also..dont miss the BIG thread on this in our Forum section. PaulB
A Port of Dover spokesperson said, "we remain absolutely convinced that our voluntary scheme, developed over a number of years and with extensive consultation, represents the best and only option for a sustainable and growing port business with the key interests of both the UK economy and the local community at its heart. Properly costed, economically viable and deliverable, we look forward to a positive decision by the Minister in due course as we continue to work through our official process towards a new and transformational relationship with all our stakeholders."
Top picture shows a section of the crowd. A wider angle lens would have been needed to fit everyone in. Big turnout. Extra chairs were added along the sides and the gallery upstairs also had to be open to meet demand. In the foreground you can see local Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke with a couple of well known forumites..Peter Garstin of Blakes giving the thumbsup and Terry Nunn who was the man on the mike for the evening.
Huge Turnout at Town Hall.
Trying to understand the rudimentaries of the People's Port is like trying to understand the fundamentals of David Cameron's Big Society..just when you think you've got it..its slips out of your grasp like a bar of soap in the shower. The Meeting thursday night March 3 was packed out with standing room only, but somehow these meetings seem to raise just as many questions as they answer.As I understand it anyway and in a nutshell for easy absorption..the Port does not have a price. The Peoples Port guys can sustain debt facilities of £200 million and this is what they will pay for the Port. They will have added cash assets of £70million, £50 million will be distributed into the town and seafront to improve its aspect, although how this is to be done nobody seems quite sure. The Port generates £60 million turnover per annum.
Ten votes were needed to force a referendum, a referendum that will cost the towns taxpayers £15,000. These ten votes were easily exceeded. The general feeling suggested that the first priority was to keep the French out, to keep the French from buying it, and that it should be owned by the people of Dover. Many voted for the referendum. However it was pointed out by Mayor Sue Jones..the result of the poll would not be binding!
If any reader wants to add something further please do so by using the box below. Would be delighted to see further explanations, further understandings etc.etc. Also..dont miss the BIG thread on this in our Forum section. PaulB
* Just in from DHB...
The Port of Dover comment in response to Thursday night's vote for a referendum on the people's port scheme at Dover Town Hall.
A Port of Dover spokesperson said, "we remain absolutely convinced that our voluntary scheme, developed over a number of years and with extensive consultation, represents the best and only option for a sustainable and growing port business with the key interests of both the UK economy and the local community at its heart. Properly costed, economically viable and deliverable, we look forward to a positive decision by the Minister in due course as we continue to work through our official process towards a new and transformational relationship with all our stakeholders."
Top picture shows a section of the crowd. A wider angle lens would have been needed to fit everyone in. Big turnout. Extra chairs were added along the sides and the gallery upstairs also had to be open to meet demand. In the foreground you can see local Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke with a couple of well known forumites..Peter Garstin of Blakes giving the thumbsup and Terry Nunn who was the man on the mike for the evening.
- Hello. Where has the wise comment gone which was here yesterday evening? It's contents also mentioned Gwyn Prosser, that one. Is it possible that comments differing to your own views are removed? What made my blood boil was the poorly worded and anonymous flyer that found it's way through my letterbox, it's use of grammar atrocious. The posting to which I refer was quite correct, it is not going to happen. I have lived in Dover all my life, seventy years in fact, so you could say I am aware of it's history, it's good and bad points also. I agree with that comment inasmuch that Dover is never going to pick itself up, and will always be, no matter how much money is spent on it, a town that people pass through, like the Charlton Shopping Centre. Do you really believe that our conservative MP is doing anything other than trying to gain political points? If you do then that is one of the reasons it will fail. I am aware of not a single soul who is interested in this ludicrous project, let alone have the money to invest.
- Hi...wish I had read the posting which mentioned Gywn Prosser, and Marg, you are very wise to bring up the political posturing of our conservative MP. Please note the deliberate use of a non caps c for conservative. I am aware of just one person who (might) vote in this idiotic referendum. I even know a few people who have some sort of interest in Dover, but not one of them with any concern regarding the People's Port of Dover. It seems to appeal mostly to the older folk of Dover, and I guess this is natural. You know, like not wishing those confounded French to own anything we have. Why, didn't we spend centuries keeping them out! Don't misunderstand me, I have nothing whatsoever against older people, I'm one of them myself, but I try to keep ahead of those who set out to make names for themselves. If those same people had spent some of their time trying to sort out the dreadful mess which Dover is in I would give them my support. What difference does it make who runs the port. We will never not ever benefit from it, and the answer is blatantly obvious. PLEASE NOTE...Dover is a town people PASS THROUGH. This will never change, come what may. Marg was quite correct about the anonymous flyers, they annoyed me too. Stand up and be counted, and let us all see who you are.