Exploring strategy for Travellers' site - Dorset

From the Daily Echo

CIVIC leaders will consider establishing a ‘temporary stopping place’ in a bid to address Poole’s Traveller issue, which has cost council tax-payers more than £200,000 over seven years.

Borough of Poole planning policy manager Nigel Jacobs briefly outlined the idea at a Civic Centre meeting yesterday, which had been called to address the borough’s Gypsy and Traveller strategy.

After a two-hour session, including presentations and a lively question and answer session, chairman Cllr Judy Butt outlined six main points the council would be taking forward.

These are:

A commitment to carry on with the search for a transit site.
To take up the offer of MP Robert Syms to meet with the Home Office to consider varying the law on authorities sharing transit sites.
To consider searching for a temporary stopping site.
To consider the use of pre-injunctions, to take legal advice on this.
Provision of toilets and skips for Travellers.
To review communications and access to the council website so the community knows what is happening.

Poole councillors, local residents, Dorset Police Assistant Chief Constable David Lewis, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill, and Poole MPs Robert Syms and Annette Brooke were among those speaking at the meeting.

Residents spoke of a range of issues including possible places for transit sites, greater protection for public open spaces, intimidation by Travellers and costs of clearing up.

Delivering these concluding points Cllr Butt said: “We do need to provide more protection, but protection is not going to come, because of cost and other factors, in the way of fortress Poole.

“We will do our best where possible to put in extra forms of protection, but there isn’t going to be blanket protection.

“But we hope, with these six main planks put in place, this will offer more effective management, ergo protection, for our borough.”