by Graham Tutthillgtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

People in Dover are to be asked how they would like the millions of pounds from any port sale to be spent in the community.

That is one of the questions to be asked in a consultation on the proposed sale of the Port of Dover launched this week.

It will culminate in a public meeting in three weeks’ time. Dover Harbour Board bosses say the sale represents a golden opportunity for the town’s regeneration.

The harbour board chiefs say they want to hear how the people of the town want the money being put into a community trust from the privatisation to be spent.

The board is guaranteeing a £10 million payment if and when the sale takes place – and another £1 million a year for the first five years.

And it says that depending how that money is used, it could generate millions more as well as hundreds of jobs.

The government’s decision on whether to approve the privatisation proposal is in abeyance.

It is pending a six-week consultation on the new criteria which Transport Secretary Philip Hammond put forward last month for the sale of trust ports such as Dover. That is due to end on June 27.

The harbour board brought in consultants Arup to calculate how much benefit the community trust could have on the local economy.

Their report, published on Tuesday, says that with matched funding from other sources, total expenditure in the local economy could be £33 million over the first five years and £2.75 million a year after that.

When other factors are taken into account, those figures could rise to as much as £95 million and £60 million respectively.

Full story in this week's Dover Mercury.