Cross Channel Partnership Working

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The Leader of Dover District Council has welcomed opportunities for Local Authorities to work together at a meeting organised by French authorities in Calais, looking at the year ahead.

Cllr Paul Watkins was the specially invited guest speaker at the 'Ceremonie des Vœux' held in Calais on Wednesday (13 January), celebrating French-British relationships and launching the municipal year ahead. The ceremony was organised by the Communaute d'Agglomeration du Calaisis.

Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader of Dover District Council said: "We welcome the continued relationship which our communities have established with CAP Calaisis, complementing Kent's wider relationships with the Pas de Calais and Nord/Pas de Calais.

"Cross channel partnership working brings advantages to our collective communities, with a range of opportunities to foster cultural and economic benefits. This includes opportunities from the Open Golf Championship, which returns to Sandwich in 2011, and opportunities for the Olympic torch to pass through our communities. Green tourism also has the potential to bring major economic returns to support improving use of our heritage, cliffs and castles, which we look forward to developing further through European funding.

"Our ports and transport terminals are of course a major economic focus. We were excited to participate in the public debate into options for the Calais Port Expansion being proposed as part of the Calais 2015 Project. Both our ports need to expand at the same pace. Through our geographic location and the contribution we make to the UK and European agenda as part of the gateways to and from our countries, our two communities are forever in the forefront of the world's gaze. Dover District and the wider Kent community look forward to 2010 as a groundbreaking year to continue to take our common interests forward."

Published on Tuesday, 19 January 2010 at 6:58pm