The Milford Haven Port is a people’s port and should remain that way.

This is the message from Pembrokeshire County Council, which strongly opposes Government proposals to sell off the Pembrokeshire Trust Port, along with six others around the UK.

Speaking at Monday’s cabinet meeting, council leader Councillor John Davies said: “From a Pembrokeshire County Council point of view, Milford Haven Port is not for sale.

“It is in my view the People’s Port – the port for the people of Pembrokeshire.

“So much hard work and personal sacrifice has gone into the port and its’ auxiliary industries over the last 50 years, that I would hate to see all that that investment thrown away by its privatisation.

“We will do whatever it takes to try and influence the government as to how important this port is to our community.”

Following Dover’s strong opposition to the proposals, the government has revised the criteria for the port’s sale and is currently consulting it.

And despite not being on the list of formal consultees, cabinet members resolved to write to secretary of state for transport Philip Hammond, indicating their opposition to any proposals to sell off the local Trust Port.

Cllr Davies said Milford Haven had benefited enormously from investments made by the Milford Haven Port Authority.

He said: “The port authority’s economic dividend to our community is hugely important and it is money we want to see remain invested in the county for the economic benefit of the people in this county.

“If the port is privatised, that economic dividend will simply go into the pockets of private individuals and the shareholders of big companies. We cannot surrender the sovereignty of our Port. If privatisation was to happen, those dividends would be lost, and lost for ever.”

Deputy leader Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse told the Cabinet that 35% to 40% of the UK’s energy requirements came through the port, which was currently making around £7.6million profit each year.

“We do now want to see the profits of the Milford Haven Port Authority exported somewhere else,” he said.

“The privatisation of the port authority will bring no benefit to the people of Pembrokeshire whatsoever.”