Dover District Council is welcoming the Secretary of State for Transport's decision to launch a consultation on the criteria for the sale of major trust ports, which was announced yesterday.
Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader of Dover District Council, said: "We welcome the launch of this consultation, and are pleased to see that the Secretary of State has recognised many of the issues we have raised in our earlier representations in response to the proposed sale of the Port of Dover."
Proposed criteria include that a sale will not be approved 'unless the sale is considered likely to deliver an ongoing and significant level of community participation in the port.' This includes 'the ability to influence the port's long term development and may include the right to receive a share in the profits of the port.'
Other proposed criteria look at the future development of the port, fair price, fair competition, sale process, employee involvement, and transport networks.
Cllr Paul Watkins said: "We are pleased to see this recognition of the importance of community participation, including people's ability to influence the port's development. We are also heartened to see that there is a recognised need to ensure that strategic transport networks are protected. We will continue to work with our partners in the community, and whichever bodies deliver the Council's stated objectives, and we look forward to making an appropriate response to this consultation."
