The post you are reporting:
Alexander, I am disappointed that you take this line. As previously stated, DPPT no more belongs solely to Charlie Elphicke than it belongs to me or any other member, present or future.
The Royal Charter is not challenged by Dover People's Port Trust, nor are consultation and democracy subverted by it. In fact DPPT is being open and democratic in a way that no other organisation has been in this entire process.
No attempt by DPPT is being made to abolish the Royal Charter. DHB, having already undermined the intentions and protections of the Charter, now seeks to have the remaining legal protections that the Charter offers its stakeholders removed altogether by privatising with government approval. DPPT seeks to not only retain the full meaning of the stakeholder relationship as envisaged by the Royal Charter, as amended by successive governments, but to entrench these rights so that they cannot be threatened again at the whim of government or port executive.
DPPT is a legally constituted body. It exists aside from paper and belongs to its members, not to any one person.
I and others also made representations to the Secretary of State as did Charlie. I have since used the laws and constitution of this country to do everything that I can to make sure that our port stays as ours and not some remote private equity owner. I'm afraid that writing a representation as an individual and then sitting back to wait for the vested interests to do as they wished to do all along is not a recipe for protecting our rights or our port and that we need to use the democratic rights that we have under UK law to their fullest degree.
I agree that the public consultations conducted by DHB were open to all persons and organisations who had a right to participate, but believe that they were not meaningful and cannot be meaningful so long as DHB maintain that their plan is the only option. DPPT is following democratic principal and full and meaningful consultation processes.
DHB's constitution does not need to recognise DPPT. DHB is seeking to close itself down and re-open as a private equity company limited by shares (where incidentally the Royal Charter will hold no sway). Without a viable alternative to stand against this plan, DHB will achieve its aim.
I also accept the same ideals of constitution, democracy and public consultation and am ensuring that DPPT observes and follows them to an extent that make it a benchmark for good practice in this regard.