Council accused in row over proposals for Travellers site - Leeds

From the Yorkshire Post

A CHIEF executive of a Yorkshire council has apologised after the authority was accused of undermining grassroots democracy and failing to keep villagers informed of controversial plans for a new Travellers site.

Parish councillors in the village of Burn have claimed they were not kept in the loop about a decision by Selby District Council to push ahead with the proposals for the new site on a former wartime airfield.

The district council’s executive has agreed to contact the Homes and Communities Agency, which owns the land on Burn Airfield after inheriting it from the now-defunct regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

The Yorkshire Post understands that the district council’s chief executive, Martin Connor, has apologised to the parish council’s vice-chairman, Phil Storr, during a telephone conversation.

Burn Parish Council’s chairman, Chris Phillipson, said: “They now say they will consult with the parish council, but that is only after we have expressed our anger over the lack of information and consultation up to this point.

“As a parish council we are disgusted that this recommendation has actually got to the executive committee without us being consulted. We feel we have been deliberately left out of any discussions.”

Another part of the airfield already provides 15 pitches, although the parish council stressed that the Travellers who already live there are “very well integrated” and have not caused any problems.

A survey was carried out last month and confirmed villagers’ wishes that no other section of the airfield should be used to accommodate Travellers.

Coun Phillipson added: “It is the parish council’s intention to uphold these wishes.”

The Yorkshire Post revealed yesterday that Selby District Council is looking to create 15 new pitches on Burn Airfield as part of a 15-year strategy to accommodate travellers across the district. Elsewhere in the district there are already 12 pitches located in Carlton, but the district council has a statutory requirement to meet demand.

A district council spokeswoman stressed the authority is committed to working with “all the interested local groups”, and added: “This is just the beginning of the process.”