Haringey Council accused of ‘broken promises’ by furious Irish Travellers’ community - London

From the Totenham and Wood Green Journal

eaders of Haringey’s Irish Traveller’s community have accused the council of ‘broken promises’ over proposed cuts to Travellers’ services.

Furious members of the borough’s travelling community say they were promised a consultation meeting by Haringey Council over plans to reduce the two-person social work team which works specifically with Gypsies and Irish Traveller residents.

Representatives of the community had an initial with the council in July at Wood Green Library after the travellers complained at the prospect of cuts.

But they say they have heard nothing since, and fear the service could disappear altogether. The protests have been led by Lord Avebury, of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Gypsies and Travellers, who wrote to the council to express concern.

“As members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, we fear that the quality of the consultation may not measure up to best practice,” he wrote.

Representatives of two public traveller sites in Haringey and a number of housed travellers have also handed in letters of protest.

One resident, Bridget McCarthy, said: “They have made no contact. I identified myself at the meeting and said that I was a housed Traveller; my address is on their computers and they never even sent a letter saying whether the consultation is going ahead or not.”

Martin McDonagh, of Clyde Road in Wood Green, added: “Haringey Travellers’ team’s work and help is needed very much with the travelling people and I am speaking on behalf of myself and all my family and hundreds of other Travelling people in the borough who would be very sorry to see them go. We will do whatever it takes to make the Council see sense.”

Haringey Council insists no decision has yet been made over the future of the service, and insisted a second consultation would take place.

“A council spokesperson said: “We are working with colleagues and partner agencies to develop a comprehensive assessment of the needs of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in the borough. “This will help us decide the best ways in which we can support these communities going forward. No decisions have yet been taken on this and a consultation will take place before any decisions are ma