An MP and council leader have clashed as their war of words escalates over a proposed port closure.

Kelly Tolhurst supports businesses at Chatham Docks fighting plans to shut the port for good putting 800 jobs at risk.

The Tory MP for Rochester and Strood called out Medway Council leader Alan Jarrett for highlighting "his disdain for businesses" in a recent letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

She said she'd only become aware of the letter in which she was accused of "misleading" Mr Johnson because the Medway Messenger had contacted her.

Cllr Jarrett said Ms Tolhurst had used her position as an MP during a session in parliament last month to present "inaccuracies and assumptions".

In response, Ms Tolhurst said: "I was saddened to read the leader highlight his disdain for the businesses at Chatham Docks. Unfortunately, having read Cllr Jarrett’s letter, it is clear whose side he is on.

"I will continue to raises issues directly with the Prime Minister that are affecting my constituents and I will continue to stand up for my constituency and the people in it and will do so at every level.

"The wider question here is do the Docks have a future as a working commercial Docks and are the local council willing to back local businesses.

"In my six years as an MP, I know there are many operators who want to develop their activity on the River Medway and I believe it is time these businesses received some support and encouragement from Medway Council, which has been desperately missing, and they have shown a complete lack of willingness to engage with, or understand, local businesses.

"The Local Plan will go out to public consultation and it is open to local people to put forward their views on what they would prefer to be in the plan. Medway Council can decide that it should be protecting employment at the Docks, instead of handing it over for blocks of soulless flats.

"This situation has made clear the council’s lack of understanding about the significance and importance of the Docks to our local community, their failure to demonstrate a vision for growth or produce an economic development strategy in Medway.

"The leader of the council’s failure to realise [the number of jobs] shows a worrying lack of understanding about the businesses operating in our local economy."

The campaign to protect jobs and businesses at Chatham Docks has received cross-party support with Labour councillors trying to pass a motion which would commit the council to supporting businesses and retain the industrial use of the site.

Conservative backbencher Cllr Stuart Tranter has also spoken in favour of the businesses along with Ms Tolhurst.

The motion presented at last Thursday's full council meeting was lost with all 15 voting Conservative members and Independent Conservative Cllr Steve Iles opposed. Outgoing Mayor Cllr Habib Tejan and Independents Mick Pendergast and Ron Sands abstained.

The Conservative leader of the council has refused to comment publicly on the proposals by Peel L&P to close down Chatham Docks in 2025 until Ms Tolhurst's appearance on Prime Minister's Questions on March 24.

He and members of the cabinet previously stated the administration would not speak on the issue saying it would "prejudice" the process of the upcoming consultation into the draft Medway Local Plan.

This came after the council's own chief legal officer Perry Holmes told councillors that would not be the case.

In the letter to Mr Johnson, Cllr Jarrett said he wished to present "full facts" and that the authority's "robust process will secure the "right outcome".

He also revealed the authority “at the appropriate time” will support businesses to relocate hinting the council would not block proposals to shut the port.

It also cited points raised in a letter from Peel L&P director James Whittaker about reasons for the company intending to close the site including unsubstantiated claims it would cost £30m to replace lock gates at the port.

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