TWO new consultation groups are to be set up by Dover Harbour Board so that local residents, port users and staff can have their say on the way the port is run. The formation of the Port Users Group and the Port Consultative Committee was announced at the board's annual consultative meeting at the cruise terminal on Wednesday.

Managing director Bob Goldfield said the Port Users Group would involve the board's operational staff, as well as representatives from the port's users, operators and agents. The Consultative Committee will include local residents associations which represent a large number of people, and members of the local community including the MP and council members and officials.

The changes are part of a re-structuring which is taking place at the board, which will establish three directorships, commercial, operational and finance and support services. Mr Goldfield said the present structure, dating from the 1990s, had served the board well during the past 10 years. "But now the situation has changed," he said. "We need a more flexible structure to address today's issues."

One of the directorships will include two new departments, head of corporate affairs and head of marketing and business development. Mr Goldfield said the marketing team needed to go out aggressively to attract more business. And Dover needed to be represented on groups which made decisions about future planning and infrastructure for the town.

Mr Goldfield also stressed the importance of people throughout the country - and abroad - having a better perception of Dover. As the board's new MD and Register, Mr Goldfield said he wanted the board to look at a long-term master plan, looking 30 years ahead.