The post you are reporting:
The local paper reported today on a plan that I was aware of being worked on by Charlie Elphicke as a compromise over the Port sale.
Putting it simply - a local community Trust would be set up to act, if you like, as a freeholder over the Port. Charlie's idea is that it would really be a local trust, not some Whitehall appointed body.
The Port would be run through an operating lease to an operator without an actual sale.
This would mitigate a lot of the objections to the Port sale proposals, such as the possibility of it being sold to foreigners, it would create funds for Dover regeneration and, through the operating lease, would provide funds for the government. Over the long term it would probably realise more dosh for HMG than a straight sale would, though, I suspect, less in the short term. Local people would have a real voice in the Port affairs rather than a token one.
The boss of DHB considers it worth looking at and the Minister of Transport is also considering it.
Read the local paper for full details of the plan.
This is what happens when you get a MP with brains, instead of acting as a mere conduit for objection and protest, he finds an alternative compromise that meets most concerns. So well done Charlie.
What next?
Lets face reality, the status quo is not tenable and to merely keep objecting to any kind of privatisation is just whistling into the wind.
This compromise of Charlie's is worth backing and is good for Dover.
He needs the support of the local community in order to get this scheme accepted. He needs and deserves that support.