Leeds-wide hunt for Travellers sites

Council chiefs are to run the rule over 300 sites across Leeds in their search for potential new Gypsy and Traveller camps.

The sites to be looked at are currently under wraps and a senior councillor is pressing for the list to be made available to all council members.

The council wants to provide 12 pitches for accommodation for 12 Leeds “roadside families” to try to reduce the number of unauthorised encampments, which between 2004-10 cost the authority £1.9m in clean-up and legal costs.

A set of criteria to guide the search were approved by the council’s Executive Board and they indicate that top priority will be given to available council-owned prospective residential brownfield sites around the city.
Government guidance that “where possible sites should be located near to housing for the settled community to promote better relations” will also be taken into account.

Coun Andrew Carter, the council’s Conservative group leader, told the board: “Three hundred sites are being looked at. Can that list be made available to all council members?

“I want to see the sites so that I can do my own work as set down by the criteria.”

He also argued that illegal encampments should be made a criminal rather than civil offence, saying: “This would allow the police to act more quickly.”

Coun Stewart Golton, Liberal Democrat group leader, said the vast majority of the 300 sites would not be suitable and would be dismissed,

He suggested a list need only be made available when the 300 had been “distilled down” to sites which, under the criteria, had the potential to be developed as Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

He added: “I appreciate this is a necessary policy to go into given we have all been affected by illegal camps but the process needs to be conducted slowly and transparently.”

Coun Peter Gruen, executive member for housing and neighbourhoods, said: “The work will be deliberate, thorough and transparent but this isn’t the right time to talk about sites that won’t make it onto a list of possible camps.

“When prioritised sites are available I will bring them to the Executive Board.”