Councillor's blunder leaves blushes at Datchet Travellers' site meeting - Berkshire

From the Windsor Ascot and Eton Express

There were blushes at a consultation to discuss a new Travellers' site in Datchet when a councillor read out the wrong statement.

Newly appointed Royal Borough cabinet member for planning, Cllr M.J. Saunders, chaired the meeting at St Mary's CE Primary School yesterday evening in front of hundreds of members of the community and Travellers.

He began by reading out a statement from the school's headteacher, Mrs Winter, but this turned out to be minutes of a private conversation.

Cllr Saunders read out: "With 25 per cent of pupils coming from travelling families and 75 per cent of pupils coming from well to do families, we are worried more well to do families will not want to put their children in the school if the Travellers' site goes ahead."

At this point, Mrs Winter spoke out, saying Cllr Saunders was quoting from a conversation which was meant to be confidential.

She proceeded to read out the school’s official statement: "We are making a statement of neutrality, given our policy of welcoming all children we will not wish to comment on the issue."

Cllr Saunders apologised, saying he had been handed the wrong piece of paper.

The consultation meeting progressed to discuss proposals by the council to provide 10 plots for Travellers' mobile homes on a field reached from Mill Place and based behind houses in Horton Road.

Many householders were concerned about the risk of flooding on the land and about its status as greenbelt, with two sites in Waltham St Lawrence and Horton turned down for similar reasons.

Cllr Saunders said: "A need has been shown for affordable housing for Traveller families with 14 already on a waiting list for the Mill Place site.

"We are under an obligation as part of the National Planning Policy Framework to make a provision for travellers living in the community for five years, and under exceptional circumstances it is possible to build on greenbelt and floodplain land."

He added that the Environment Agency will perform an assessment of the site and will conduct a site specific risk assessment, which the cabinet would consider.

One resident was concerned the road leading from Mill Place to the new Travellers’ site would be damaged with excess use. Simon Hurrell, head of planning, said the council would consider improving the state of the road as part of the planning application.

One man got up and said: “Me and my family have been in Datchet for many years and we are members of the community too. I want you to remember that we are talking about children here without homes and all we want to do is to look after our families.”

Both Cllr Saunders and Mr Hurrell asked for householders to send them their feedback, which will be compiled in a report to be considered by cabinet at a meeting on January 24.

Datchet Parish councillor Ewan Larcombe has proposed to hold a parish poll which will give people the opportunity to have a vote on the issue, but Datchet Parish Council chairwoman Linda O’Flynn wished to hold fire on the debate.

She said: "The parish council still needs more information so we can’t say any more until the council get to the planning application stage. People are opposed about a lot of things but we need to think about the general principle."