Gypsy and Traveller charity offers to speak to worried residents - Sussex

From yourlocalguardian.co.uk

A charity representing the Gypsy and Traveller community has offered to meet residents worried about plans to create new permanent Traveller sites in the borough.

The offer came from Mike Doherty, of the Travellers Movement, together with George Lister, chairman of the Sussex Traveller and Gypsy Group, who wrote another open letter to Timothy Nathan, chairman of Stamford Ward Residents’ Association (SWRA).

Epsom Council is currently working on drawing up a list of sites, which Councillor Sheila Carlson revealed originally included areas of scrubland near the smart new Manor Park development and a portion of Hook Road Arena.

Prior to Coun Carlson’s comments, residents from Stamford Ward, where Manor Park is situated, had already contacted this newspaper saying the list of potential sites had been leaked to them.

The council had said it would publish the list on its website on February 10, along with a draft consultation paper on the issue, prior to it coming before the council’s planning policy committee on February 19.

But it was besieged by worried residents, and angry councillors who had not been briefed about the plans, and had to postpone releasing a list of potential sites until later in the year saying "more work" needs to be done on them.

In the open letter, Mr Doherty and Mr Lister last week said they would like to meet members of SWRA and bring along a representative from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Police Association, a professional membership organisation that represents the interests serving Gypsy, Roma and Traveller police officers.

The letter stated: "We are not sure if either ‘the job’ counts as a ‘normal job’, but we believe that a serving Roman Gypsy, Roma or Irish Traveller police office would be an ideal person to counter what we believes is the generally held misconception that Gypsies and Travellers are automatically criminals and/or parasites and outside of society."

At a meeting of Epsom’s full council last week, questions were raised around the issue.

Councillor Jean Steer asked Councillor Michael Arthur, chairman of the planning policy committee, about the current provision for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation in the borough and why the council is looking to increase it.

In his written reply, Coun Arthur said: "There are currently 30 pitches on the Traveller sites at Cox Lane and Kiln Lane.

"In accordance with government guidance the council is expected to review and maintain an adequate supply of pitches for Gypsies and Travellers to ensure existing and future projected needs can be met.

"Without adequate supply there is a risk that planning inspectors could make ad hoc decisions in response to planning applications leading to pitches being established in inappropriate locations."

Councillor Sheila Carlson asked Coun Arthur why the council’s consultation on proposed Gypsy and Traveller sites has been so "poorly managed" and whether the council had identified who had leaked information about the potential sites.

In his written reply, Coun Arthur said he did not accept that the process had been poorly managed.

He said: "Having reviewed the matter in discussion with the relevant officers, I have concluded that further work is required both to understand future need and to identify suitable sites.

"It is regrettable that premature and misleading information found its way into the media and I am of course aware of the concerns then expressed by our residents.

"It serves as a reminder of the need for information to be handled with sensitivity and tact before elected members have a chance to fully evaluate it."