Dover Council at risk of bankruptcy over food import checks

Food coming into the country has to be checked, in particular illicit pork products which could pose the risk of containing African Swine Fever

A council is warning it could be at risk of bankruptcy as £3m of government funding for port checks is withdrawn.

Dover District Council (DCC) is responsible for checking food for diseases as it enters the UK, including African swine fever.

The authority will now have to plug the funding gap, which it warns will "severely deplete" council reserves.

The government said it was working with the Port of Dover on "future support options".

Deputy leader of DDC, Jamie Pout, said without adequate funding the council would "have to make serious decisions about port health services in this district".

"It's not right that local taxpayers should fund this but we will continue to provide what we see is a project of national importance," he added.

In recent weeks, port officials have highlighted the risk of African swine fever entering the UK from illegal meat and a group of MPs said funding cuts to spot checks and the relocation of the food check centre could increase this risk.

A report published by DDC ahead of a council meeting on the cuts said the department for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) was withdrawing 66% of port health authority funding from Dover in 2024/25.

The remaining funding would be cut in 2025/26, the report said.

Increased risk of bankruptcy

The report said the cuts would "severely deplete the council's limited reserves" and greatly increased the risk of DCC's finance chiefs having to issue a section 114 notice - effectively declaring bankruptcy.

The authority said it would have to use 33% of all DDC council tax income to fund food checks, increasing to 47% in 2025/26.

Defra said in 2022 it had provided a financial support package to local authorities and port health authorities, which ended in June 2024.

A spokesperson said: "Part of this package enabled port health authorities to support Border Force with enforcing the temporary measures on pork products from the European Union designed to address the risks from African Swine Fever."

"We recognise the strategic importance of the Port of Dover and are continuing to work with the port authority on future support options," the spokesperson added.