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PaulB - This would not be a stockmarket listing remember. This would be a Trust, established by Charlie, governed by Trustees who are local (selection procedures need to be clarified), that raises cash by offering Dover Bonds to local people and in that way this can be a controlled capitalisation. Bonds could, for instance, be offered in a number of 'tranches'.
First to local residents of Dover District (about 80,000 adults), in say multiples of £10 enabling anyone who wishes to to buy in with no upper limit.
Then a second tranche to Port employees, not just DHB but also those working for companies associated with the Port. A clear definition needs to be drawn up for these and maybe a maximum investment might be set per person but stuill with the £10 minimum. This would widen the catchment as all those who qualify would not necessarily be Dover residents.
Another, third traunche, could be for Corporate investors, specifically for Port related companies. For this a minimum and maximum value might be set (£1,000 - £500,000 maybe).
You could then do a third tranche for general investors who are resident in East Kent - say a minimum in this case of £100 and a maximum of, say £50,000 or £100,000.
Any balance of monies required might then be raised as corporate borrowing from the City by the Trust on commercial terms. There are several ways that could be done.
Bond holders would get a dividend in the form of an interest payment that might be used towards the purchase of more bonds or as a fixed income. The bonds themselves can be traded as they would have a capital value. I am not sure if it is possible for the Trust to require first refusal to buy any bonds back before being subject to the open market but that would be desirable.
Can I just say here that I have no inside knowledge of what Charlie plans or what will actually happen. I am speculating here and suggesting only what might happen.
The Trust would get a revenue income from the Port operators and possible other sources (there might be one Port operator and some revenue earning property might not be placed at the disposal of such operators).
That revenue would go to pay those who lent the Trust money including commercial lenders and bond holders with any surplus being used for regeneration projects.
How that regeneration money would be handled and spent is something that would need to be determined. Personally I would not like it to simply be handed to DDC or any other local authority, though local authorities might be 'bidders' for regeneration cash to the Trustees. We dont want millions spent on consultants and endless feasability studies in the manner that councils tend to do.