Report makes pitch for traveller places - Hampshire

MORE caravan pitches for Gypsies or Irish Travellers are required, an interim report by borough council officers has concluded.

The report reckons five pitches, each with sufficient space for a caravan and a mobile home, are probably necessary, along with a temporary stopping place.

The officers’ report says the pitches should be near Basingstoke because that is where most of the unauthorised camps were set up.

It does, however, say that such provision is probably not a legal requirement and the five pitches should be on private sites.

The survey was based on all available information, including a questionnaire of travelling families.

The survey’s findings, presented to members of the community wellbeing committee, were that: * There were 53 Gypsy or Traveller children at schools in the borough in 2011, 37 of whom were living in houses.

* A total of 23 travellers were living on authorised or unauthorised sites * Two respondents had lived by the roadside for at least six years in the borough * 171 caravans were reported on 56 unauthorised sites last year, but 41 encampments were of the same group moving around * There are five pitches with permission in the borough – all granted since 2006 – at Pamber Heath (three), Monk Sherborne and Bishops Green. This is a very low figure compared with the rest of Hampshire * The borough needs an official traveller strategy to fight planning appeals over inappropriate sites * Failure to make permanent sites available is a risk, despite “lack of up-to-date evidence about the housing needs of local Gypsies and Travellers”

* The borough should work with neighbouring authorities on providing a network of short-stay transit sites The committee considered the report and agreed to hear more evidence in the summer after more research.

Highclere ward councillor John Izett said the survey seemed like “a stab in the dark” and he was not convinced by its findings or the questionnaire of Travellers, to which there were only 10 full replies.

He said: “Answering questionnaires is not high on the list of lifestyle choices for this particular travelling community.”

Committee chairman Cllr Robert Taylor said more certain information was needed.