Friday 22 November 2013

Spotlight on parish council's handling of new Travellers' site - Berkshire

From the Slough and South Bucks Observer

A DEBATE is to be held about how a parish council handled an application for a new Travellers’ site.

Datchet parish council will debate how they handled the application for the 10-pitch Traveller and Gypsy site on land in Datchet Common, Horton Road, at a meeting on Monday, December 2.

The motion submitted by former vice chairman of the council Ewan Larcombe was approved at a meeting on Monday (18/11) and will be discussed in the public part of the meeting, rather than behind closed doors in a 'part two’ style.

Cllr Larcombe believes the application was inadequately handled by the parish council and residents were 'disenfranchised’ during the process.

Cllr Larcombe said: “I am happy we will be debating it in public and not behind closed doors in a part two.”

The Royal Borough has agreed to put forward £350,000 funding to help build the site and entered into a 99-year lease for the Mill Place land at £30,000 per year.

Cllr Larcombe is to also complain about this to the Royal Borough.

UKIP cllr Tom Bursnall has raised similar concerns and this week vowed to not let the issue drop.

Cllr David Coppinger, cabinet member for adult services which includes housing, has previously said the council had no choice about the arrangement.

The plan is awaiting final approval from the secretary of state due to the fact the Windsor Urban Development Control panel overruled their planning officers in giving the proposal the thumbs up, despite warnings over flood risk.

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