Statement from the Leader and Chief Executive
We have bold and ambitious plans for a sustainable future for the Dover District. Our Corporate Plan is designed to encourage, facilitate and deliver a stronger local economy with opportunities for everyone to reach their ambitions. We want to stimulate new investment by rethinking our destination offer, making local people proud of where they live, and encouraging more people to visit.
We want to maintain our District’s long-held place as the “Gateway to England” and we want to protect our iconic natural environment and the rich heritage for which we are world renowned, with a renewed vigour on addressing climate change and sustainability.
‘Dover 2020 Vision’ captures our aspirations for the future with a revised Local Plan, the launch of our new Strategic Tourism & Visitor Strategy, and the international opportunities of The Open golf championship returning to Sandwich. For the benefit of the whole District we want to build an important destination reputation for Dover Town, harnessing the national and international potential of being the Gateway to UK/Europe and home to Europe’s busiest roll-on roll-off ferry port.
We’ve put residents, businesses and visitors are at the heart of our vision for the District. We are committed to working with partners and investors to realise their ambitions and aspirations, recognising that our District is open for business and ready to seize new opportunities.
The evolving climate change agenda is central to the Council’s thinking. The Council has a leadership role in delivering a better environment for everyone and helping to inspire individuals, businesses and other organisations to commit to act to reduce the District’s carbon footprint. Climate change is therefore embedded in each of the key themes.
We’re proud of our past and excited by the future. Let’s work together to realise the ambitions and aspirations sets out in this Plan and help create a place where we can all be proud to live, work and play.
This Plan sets out a clear direction for all services delivered by the Council and, through this direction, seeks to ensure that all plans are aligned and the Council, both organisationally and financially, will be in the best position to deliver and facilitate these objectives.
Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Leader of Dover District Council
Nadeem Aziz, Chief Executive