A key taskforce is considering the local impact and opportunity of ‘Brexit’ on the Dover district. Membership of the Dover District Brexit Taskforce, convened by Cllr Keith Morris, Leader of Dover District Council, includes:
- Charlie Elphicke MP (Dover & Deal)
- Craig Mackinlay MP (Thanet South, Member of the Commons Select Committee on Exiting the EU)
- Cllr Mark Dance, KCC Cabinet Member for Economic Development
- Richard Christian, Head of Policy & Communication, Port of Dover
- John Keefe, Director of Public Affairs, GetLink
- Nadeem Aziz, Chief Executive, Dover District Council
- Tim Ingleton, Head of Inward Investment, Dover District Council.
Cllr Keith Morris, said: “Brexit is coming and we need to be prepared. Whilst the key decisions will be taken at a national level it’s important that decision makers are aware of the implications locally. The aim of the Taskforce is to influence decision making, prepare local services, lobby for increased investment in infrastructure, and seek out any opportunities that Brexit presents, and most importantly to put the people of Dover and the wider district first.”
The Port of Dover is Europe’s busiest roll-on/roll-off port accounting for 27.3 million tonnes of freight and over 11.7 million passengers annually. Eurotunnel accounts for a further 21.3 million tonnes of freight and 10.4 million passengers. Nowhere else in the UK can handle this type and volume of traffic. The Port of Dover, ferry operators, the Channel Tunnel, and related industries are major employers in the Dover district.
Key issues identified by the Taskforce, include:
- Knock-on effects of increased border controls and port dwell times on local roads and communities, including air quality
- Urgent need for investment in critical road infrastructure (A2 dualling, M2 improvements, Lower Thames crossing, lorry parking)
- Identifying opportunities for new technologies to help create a ‘frictionless’ border
- Maximising opportunities created by ‘Brexit’ (e.g. freight forwarding jobs)
- Resource implications for Port Health under a ‘hard border’
- Impact of ‘Brexit’ perception on inward investment and tourism
- Maintaining the strong working relationship with local authorities in the Pas-de-Calais
Dover District Council is the port health authority for the Port of Dover, responsible for monitoring the safety of imported food which is not of animal origin, infectious disease control, ship inspections, food safety, and hygiene standards and general public health within the Port District, which also includes the Channel Tunnel.
Cllr Keith Morris, said: “Port Health is one area where the Council will itself have to make key decisions depending on what the final deal looks like. With a ‘hard border’ there would need to be a much more rigorous inspection regime which would mean more resources.”
More than any other town in the UK, Dover will be in the spotlight as Brexit draws nearer. A key role for the Taskforce is to ensure that the negative perceptions created by Brexit do not adversely affect the district’s inward investment and tourism agendas.
Cllr Keith Morris concluded: “We’re currently seeing record levels of investment across the district as investors and developers recognise the strength and potential of our location. One of the key aims of the Taskforce is to champion the message that Dover is open for business and will always extend a warm welcome to visitors from Europe and beyond.”
In the coming weeks and months, the Dover District Brexit Taskforce will be taking evidence from a wide range of organisations, including groups representing hauliers, businesses, and the local community.
Posted on 15 June 2018