The post you are reporting:
If DHB thought that they were actually going to win out on this, they would already have posted their final proposal and we would be having the statutory consultation period on it now.
Just over 1% of the local population have purchased a share so far, more each day and week...this is for a project that, as yet, is still working towards success and currently owns no assets.
How many people (as a percentage of the population) are fully paid up members of say English Heritage (which owns rather a lot and promises rather more in direct benefits than the DPPT does)? Well they have 750,000 members nationwide - that's 0.01% of the general population, or the National Trust (which owns even more and has considerable direct individual benefits associated with membership) with 3.8million paid up members nationally, which is about 6% of the general population (assuming general population to be close on 65m).
1% of the general population of an area being fully paid up members of an organisation that is still to successfully complete its main objective is a pretty good indication of a much wider support base many of whom still 'waits to see' the outcome (I have several thousands of emails of support from across the District and more than 1500 from further afield, so I am well aware that many people support what we are doing without feeling able, for whatever reason, at this point to put a tenner in for a paid up share). No one is laughing, nothing has backfired. Prior to opening the membership to all, just 12 members were sufficient to organise a campaign that saw the people of Dover influence a major change to Government policy and a change to legislation on the subjects of Trust ports and DHB. Now that there are more than a thousand members, those are just the pioneers, and growing, what this movement says carries even more weight. Has anything that some other person has come up with garnered the paid up support of more than 1 person (deliberately keeping names out of it)?
Bending the rules will not, in fact make the Government's life easier. If DHB fail to meet the criteria satisfactorily and incorporate those elements that the stakeholders have clearly said are essential, then their proposal will fail. If the government decide that DHB should continue to be allowed still more extra time to try, then any revised and elaborated proposal from them will be subject to a further 42 day consultation period and we can all examine it and make further representations prior to the decision minister announcing on the subject.
We all want and need a decision, but it is of such vital importance to us in Dover and also to our nation that it is the right decision, one that keeps this port (which has monopolistic tendencies) accountable to its stakeholders whilst allowing it to access funds as and when required for growth and development.