howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the dreaded word "consultation" appears.
how long would it be likely to last and who would carry out the consultation and with whom?
Guest 1694- Registered: 24 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,087
42 day public consultation period. Submissions from stakeholders invited in the same way as in 2010. Hopefully there will be opportunity for the public to ask questions and some public meetings. It is up to all of us as stakeholders in the port to make the consultation a meaningful one and to ensure that any sale to remote private equity buyers does not get the go ahead.
Dovorians have already made a huge difference to the way in which Trust Ports and their future is considered by government. It was clearly the strength of public opinion in favour of community ownership expressed through the referendum that led to the most important element for consideration becoming the community element.
Alex, DHB told the Secretary of State that they would present a revised, enhanced and elaborated proposal for privatisation in light of the new criteria way back in October last year. They are in the Times and Lloyds List today saying that they will bring forward publication as soon as possible, BG told the times that it could come within a week, and Roger Mountford told the annual public meeting last night that they would publish in the very near future. DHB have a board meeting today I believe and will probably make the decision as to the actual date of publication at that meeting. So, there is no question, they will re-present a revised proposal.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
looks like things are moving apace again, d.h.b. presenting their bid which they must have had ready for a long time and a consultation period of only 6 weeks.
good news all round.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
DHB will have had two submissions ready for release, the decision as to which one to release depending on which way the s.31 decision went.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the decision was only likely to go one way, the ferry companies must have spent a small fortune on legal costs.
makes you wonder if sea france paid theirs before going under.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Both sides of the argument were on Tv last night...I've put pictures of both guys, Bob Goldfield on one hand, Charlie Elphicke on the other, on the frontpage with a link through to this thread. Lots of info in the previous pages of this thread and above for all to see..many thanks guys for that.
Charlie did last night what most politicians do..they automatically rubbish the opposition without making their own case. I personally thought it was a pity that Charlie said on a TV channel that goes right across the South East of England that Dover Seafront has suffered "years of neglect"... meaning it had suffered years of neglect under DHB. Of course this is completely untrue. We have never seen our seafront in better condition. It has been rebuilt, remodelled, redesigned..and even now as I write we are being resurfaced...see the thread Removing the Seafront Benches. I think we must have one of the best seafronts on the southcoast right now. Perhaps only a side issue but worth correcting.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Part of it maybe, though I do not like the design, but the other half is neglected.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
PaulB, there is a lot more to the seafront than the smart promenade you can see from your window.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
I think it was unfortunate terminology used by Charlie because even from a wider view than I'm getting here in Boland Towers, the all round seafront is very good from the marina, the hotels, the seafront centre.. down etc etc..so perhaps a different tack is needed for his cause.
If Charlie wants to drop me a line and clarify his position I would be happy to add it on here..always happy to do that. We havent heard from him in a while.
My concern is that Dover, and we all know this, does not have the best of image further afield..the punters watching TV last night from further afield would not recognise the nuances but would have their opinions confirmed. We are miles ahead of say Margate or.. but who would know listening to Charlie last night.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
sorry to have missed that, remember charlie rubbishing our seafront before standing outside the award winning newly completed sea sports centre.
before that he was rubbishing english herritage for neglecting the castle just after the great tower had been completed.
i really cannot remember seeing a more pleasant seafront anywhere in this country.
sad that charlie resorts to this populism.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard,zeebruge has a nice sea front to,with bars and restaraunts etc.but wouldnt live there in the winter with all all that sand blowing around.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
The Castle and the Seafront are the jewels in the crown for Dover surely?
Audere est facere.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i would have thought that martin, more worringly i think paulb has put the wrong photo on the front page.
that is is not mr goldfield but hughie green, and i mean that most sincerely.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
Perhaps he can hear opportunity knocking Howard
Audere est facere.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
People in Dover District generally know that our seafront and the Castle are very well looked after, that the Castle also offers a variety of visits to areas of various historical significance within the compound, that entertainment is provided there, information gladly given by the staff...
If this is part of a drive to gather local support, it must surely backfire?
Perhaps it is part of a drive to bring a message over to a wider public nationwide, but in this case it is misleading to say the least.
Certainly not a fair way to campaign.
Would it not be fair and honest to make known to the wider public that the port traffic passing parallel to Dover's seafront is cause of distress?
The port traffic, however, is the source of DHB income, and would be likewise in a DPPT project.
Perhaps a potential buyer (DHB plan) or investor (City non-equity plan), would not want someone sounding off on this topic of port traffic?
Which of these buyers/investors would want to invest money in the construction of a tunnel along Townwall St.?
Si if the local MP is giving out different pictures of Dover to the wider public, claiming something that is definitely not the case, and hiding something else that needs addressing, then we the Dovorians are certainly at risk of becoming an expendable piece on the chess board of big-time business.
Guest 1694- Registered: 24 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,087
From personal experience I know that it is really quite difficult to convey detail in a TV interview, especially a recorded one, and I am sure that reference to the sea-front aimed at a general audience (most of whom will have limited familiarity with Dover) should be read, for those of us who are intimately familiar with it, as the dilapidated Western part of the port and the boarded up areas around Cambridge Terrace.
Perhaps we should also note that money for the new wavy esplanade, designer lighting and the Sea Sports Centre did not come from DHB but via grants from Government and Regional Development agencies.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
all true neil though i should add that ddc done a massive amount of work to bring the agencies together for the new wavy bit.
still not happy with it being rubbished by charlie especially as d.h.b. are responsible for the water quality that has got us in the good beach guide,
incidentally you mention the dilapidated western side and the sad run down cambridge terrace,
what plans do dppt have for them?
Guest 1694- Registered: 24 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,087
Hi Howard, I've posted before that DPPT have plans to return operational areas of the Western side to productive economic port operations activity and as for Cambridge Terrace, it is earmarked for an early refurbishment.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
It was an unfortunate poor choice of words by Charlie to the wider audience on National TV
Our seafront is certainly one of the very best on the south east coast
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Last evening i attended a reception held in the River room in The House of Lords .The Post Office have issuied 26 stamps depicting Icons from around the British Isles .I was there as the W depicted White Cliffs Dover
Interesting .to meet people from Blackpool ,Telford ,East Cheshire,Southend etc. Some MPs were there to support their Chairman or Mayors .
Now I kmow why Charlie was absent .
There was me talking up our district Being POSITIVE