by Rhys Griffiths

A CHARITABLE trust has been established by Charlie Elphicke MP with a view to eventually taking over the Port of Dover.

The new organisation, registered as an industrial and provident society with the Financial Services Authority, is the centrepiece of his vision for a "people's port" in which the community would own the town's biggest asset.

Mr Elphicke, a former tax lawyer himself, has used his own money to instruct lawyers to establish the Dover People's Port Trust, which will officially come into existence at the end of this month.

Initially, people will be able to pay a £10 fee to become members of the society, before elections are held to form a board to run the trust.

The formation of a charitable body with the aim of taking over ownership of the Port of Dover was revealed by the MP at an extraordinary meeting of Dover Town Council last Thursday.

"I need to put my money where my mouth is and show people I'm deadly serious about this," Mr Elphicke told the Express the morning after he addressed the council.

"The people of our community should be able to own out port – this is what the big society is all about. It's a charitable company with charitable status.

"What I'm really interested in is hearing from people who are interested in joining in and helping to make it happen. I can't do this on my own, but are there people who care about our port and want to get involved?"

Mr Elphicke told the council he had gained the support of the ferry operators for his idea of a community-led takeover of the port, as opposed to the sell-off proposed by Dover Harbour Board (DHB).

The DHB proposal is currently under consultation by the Department for Transport.

Harbour board chief executive Bob Goldfield was also given the chance to speak at the meeting, and he attacked the Conservative MP over his column in this newspaper last week.

Dismissing the MP's claims about management pay-offs, he said: "All of this is emotional blackmail. I urge you to look at the numbers."

The council resolved unanimously to amend its original submission to the Secretary of State, requesting the Government give due attention to Mr Elphicke's proposal.

See Dr Goldfield's letter on page 20