Labour’s Dover parliamentary candidate Clair Hawkins has spoken out over the proposed salary of the Port of Dover’s community director, and is calling for the interview panel to be reassessed.

The role would reportedly require two or three days of work each month for a salary of £26,500.

Ms Hawkins claims this is “out of kilter” with workers’ wages.

She is also calling for Dover Harbour Board to reassess the interview panel, which she claims is made up of Conservative politicians.

She said: “Boards should have a duty to make sure remuneration for board members is not out of kilter with workers’ wages but Dover Harbour Board should also reassess the interview panel appointing the community director.

“The only people I’m aware are on the interview panel are politicians.

“These include leader of Dover District Council Paul Watkins, who unsuccessfully stood to be Tory MP for Dover and Deal in 2005 on a platform of port privatisation, and the current Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, whose plan for the Port of Dover was also to privatise it albeit under the name of ‘community ownership’.”

She added: “Politicians rightly cannot apply to be a community director, but why does the interview panel seem full of them?”

The idea for a community director is part of plans to regenerate the port as well as making sure the community is more involved.

But Ms Hawkins said this isn't enough. She said there should also be better representation of workers on the board.

She added: “The role of community director is important but by itself is not enough.

“I have long called for Dover Harbour Board to be strengthened with local worker, resident and business representation.

“This would bring important knowledge, experience and perspective to the table and help the board prove that it has the best interests of the workers and local community at heart.”

Tim Waggott, chief executive for the Port of Dover, explained that the community director salary indicated the importance of the role.

He added: “The remuneration is in line with all non-executive positions, and goes to indicate the equal importance placed upon this new board position that will serve to further bring the port and community together under a shared vision.

“Our employees continue to enjoy very competitive remuneration packages, which include the added and valuable benefits of a final salary pension scheme, the prospect of an annual performance bonus and, more recently, private healthcare.

“Basic wages have also risen in each of the last few years whilst many organisations have faced pay freezes.”

MP for Dover and Deal Charlie Elphicke said the Dover Board remuneration panel was a cross-party affair.

“Having campaigned passionately to stop Labour’s port sell-off, I am delighted we are seeing a community-led port rise at the docks.

“I am so proud elected representatives of our community are continuing to work together cross-party with the harbour board on the interviewing panel.

“I am delighted the panel will include the Labour Mayor of Dover, the leader of Dover District Council, the chairman of the Local Enterprise Partnership and the member of Parliament.

“This will ensure we get genuine community directors where all levels of government and representative groups have been involved in the selection.”