Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
Calais had/has the 2nd richest Chamber of Commerce outside of Paris as they received a cut of every ferry ticket sold as part of war damage reparations. This only stopped a few years ago. I would like someone to tell me why we can't levy a £1 on every ticket sold to help Dover pull itself out of the gutter. It would seem a small price for the inconvenience/pollution we are subject to as the busiest port in the world.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
thanks for that confirmation jan, also the point made about most councillors not living in dover itself.
mark
that has come up on here many times over the last few years, a levy on the ferry companies ticket sales would be against european law.
there have also been suggestions of a road toll at or near the docks, but any money raised would go straight to the treasury.
i believe kent county council are working on something where money could be raised to offset the problems caused by the intense traffic.
Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
Howard
I have heard these counter arguments and how the freight would drive another couple of hundred miles to Portsmouth or Harwich rather than pay another £1 but I am not sure I believe any of it.
My suspicion is lack of political will.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the traffic will always come through dover unless there was an unprecedented hike.
the road toll cannot be got around though.
This levy has been raised many times.....and it makes a lot of sense....
However, I heard that the port does make a tax of some kind....but it does not go to the Town, even tho' it should.........
Could it be that the Dover Harbour Board, has become so powerful, that no-one has called it to account.....and only now when there has been talk of privatisation are the chickens coming home to roost................
I would like some clarification.....because over the years,
the Dover Harbour Board has become very powerful.........and completely separate from the Town.....even tho' all of the decisions to give it more revenue have badly affected the Town behind it.......
It is a very Barons and Serfs situation........can someone clarify please?
The Dover Harbour Board seems to have got away with "neighbourhood murder"
taking everything and giving very little back....even tho' it should have.....
They rule the sea-front with a rod of iron....and very little commercial enterprise is allowed, so you have a two barrelled shot gun...with the Council and the Harbour Board......
Dover is looked down on by these people, and none of them live here....the split was allowed, because the DHB was the major employer of the Town, almost like a mafia.......but that is no more.....
However, back to the issue....revenue was taken to go back to the Town...but it never happened...........why? and if it did, where has it gone?
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Charlie, DHB has a charter, and this allows them to collect a revenue from the ferry operators and other firms/companies operating in the DHB area (Eastern and Western Docks and promenade).
This income is to be invested only in the port and the part of the harbour and seafront that is under DHB supervision. All the seafront between the two docks is included in the DHB area.
The charter does not envisage that DHB hand any of this money to another entity; it is used to pay DHB employees and contractors working on behalf of DHB.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
The Seafront from the toilet block opposite Marine Court eastwards to the Eastern Docks is DDC and not DHB controlled.
Audere est facere.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
Jan, I believe the "powers that be" do read the forum but completely ignore what is said, they are only interested in their own back yard.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Kevin
I started a Tourism Strategy for Dover some time ago, but when I was dismissed from Dover Chamber of Commerce in March 2010 I didn't continue with it, so it is half completed on my laptop.
I had also started a Plan of Action for Dover Town, that too, incomplete, is still on my laptop.
I know what should be done to turn Dover into a tourism destination, instead of the "to-it-and-through-it" Town it is now; the "stakeholders" know this, but are completely unmoved by it; they have a list of my projects and initiatives to help move the Town forward and support the businesses, but no one is interested.
I have banged my head on the proverbial brick-wall for many years and worked on my own with the Dover Loyalty Scheme - for two years and it was successful as far as it could have been without any official support, but it was costing me too much money, so I closed it. Many businesses have now started their own Loyalty Scheme, so the idea is a good one.
I also produced (off my own back) the Discover Dover leaflet (30,000 in 2009 - and they all went); very popular and successful and at the time put on board the P & O Ferries and in outlets in Calais, as well as on the new LD Lines ferries that ran for a couple of years between Dover and Boulogne.
This was done, not for profit, but to help the historic sites and attractions here and the businesses.
There are many good ideas from individuals, but as individuals, they cannot be successful, they need a body of support behind them - I know from bitter experience.
Roger
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
as roger says his administration are doing nothing to put back in place tourism
and local business's just plod along.
i agree with scotchie's comments on what could be done except the lifting of the cap, that has been a disaster in the past in other areas and for what we get the council tax is already far to high.
jan;
im afraid you can't dip out on this one, like roger you are one of the movers and shakers in the district council and whilst roger is in the controling administration you to are on the council, so i look forward to your many motions/questiuons to council on pushing this administration to achieve the aims of us dovorians
peter;
i again agree with your view on business rates
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
325 million pounds.....
I understand the Dover Harbour Board has...............in it's CHARTER....does this town not come into their scenario at all?
Why does it control the Sea Front, and any businesses there?
Will the Town come into it with a Sell-Off...and why is the set up different in the French Ports and Southampton/Portsmouth....who have massive investments Town/Port together....
Why is the Dover Harbour Board such a law unto itself
with the neglect of the Town of Dover
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
"Why is the Dover Harbour Board such a law unto itself with the neglect of the Town of Dover "
Think the clue is in the name - Dover HARBOUR Board
Been nice knowing you :)
You mean....
DOVER Harbour Board
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
I mean Dover Harbour BORED !
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Keith, I am not just grumbling about DDC, they have very little money spare to do anything and as we all know are capped, so cannot spend above a certain limit.
If we are party-bashing, it must also be remembered that when Labour were last in power at DDC, they closed the White Cliffs Experience, the Old Town Gaol and the Grand-Shaft and decimated the budget of Dover Museum, so don't try point-scoring on Tourism, as Labour have always been worse.
The Town Council also need to take some responsibility - and who is the major party there ?
Tourism should be/is, very important to Dover's economy, but it is not being exploited fully; Dover as a proper destination would be transformed and everyone would benefit; but, and it is a big but, the Town as we have all said, needs smartening up and being made more welcoming.
We've had another summer wasted, although there have been more visitors to Dover; maybe, just maybe, someone will pick up the mantle and organise things so that next Easter, Dover will really take off - at last.
Roger
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
ROGER;
Thankyou for your reply, and at some point you, together with your administration will have to take responsibility for things not happening.
its a choice thing, you are without doubt passionate about Dover but your administration has chosen NOT to make toursm a high priority as you often point out.
certainly theres no political point scoring from me as labour whilst in control were no better.
but neither makes it any better for dover which was my point.
mine was a post of support for your posts on tourism and more needs to be done
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
neither party can hold their heads up, the reds closed the attractions detailed above.
the blues have not reopened any and the town has becomne steadily scruffier over their 8 years.
capping is not an excuse as it has only recently come into force.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
well said howard
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
I'd be happy with a 10% increase in the DDC part of council tax if it would help regeneration, but I am sure most wouldn't....
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 720- Registered: 20 Jul 2011
- Posts: 114
Isn't it just typical. Paul - bless him - starts a new thread saying forget the past, what would you do with a fresh start ... and what happens? After a couple of suggestions from Mark, everyone starts moaning about the past again. Alan: "Local police don't act" - "Too many pubs in the town centre"; Howard: "Roger explored every avenue but with no end result"; Brian: "bulldoze the whole town from the seafront to Hollis Motors"; (how sensible is that??!!) Reg: "Start with a fresh East Kent Council" (more of the same); Roger says he's going back to sleep because no-one cares; Howard: "I have nothing to say at this time";
So Paul tries again, with a few suggestions of his own ...
Peter replies: "Funding will always be the issue"; Roger gives us another copy of his CV with how hard he has tried but been "dismissed" by all and sundry; we have the inevitable dig at Dover Harbour Board (well done Paul for pointing out it is the Harbour Board, not the Town Board and is not allowed to spend it's money on the town at the moment), and then Howard saying the town has become "steadily sruffier" over the past eight years.
All Paul was asking was, "what would you DO?" Seems there's only one thing most Forumites would do - moan!