Travellers' site purchase costs villagers £10 a year - Cambridgeshire

From Cambridge News

The sale of a former Travellers’ site to a parish council has been agreed in a deal which will put about £10 on villagers’ annual tax bills.

Cambridgeshire County Council has agreed to sell the once notorious plots at Mettle Hill to Meldreth Parish Council, subject to contract, for a price thought to be around £122,500 – confirming residents’ victory in their campaign to stop the site reopening for Travellers.

South Cambridgeshire District Council withdrew its bid to buy the site earlier this month when the parish council made its offer and after 4,000 signed a petition against the plans, fearing a return of the crime and vandalism which blighted Mettle Hill before it closed in 1996.

The parish council has agreed to take out a loan to bankroll the purchase, and this will be repaid over 25 years, putting about £10 on the annual council tax bill for the average band D household in Meldreth.

Cllr Rob Searles, vice-chairman of the parish council, argued this was a small price to pay.

He said: “We are very pleased with the outcome – common sense has prevailed. I think people will be very pleased that don’t have to worry about the threat of the site reopening.

“We had been saying we would be prepared to buy the land and find an alternative use and we will be starting that process in the new year.”

Villagers were worried about the impact of a reopened Travellers’ site on the travelling Showpeople who live opposite Mettle Hill, and one option will explore whether the land should provide more space for them.

Meanwhile, it has emerged the district council has been deluged with complaints about its handling of the deal, with more than 150 standards complaints being lodged against Cllr Mark Howell, the cabinet member for housing.

Last night he said: “I will defend my position robustly, but at this stage I cannot comment any further as all cases are subject to confidentiality until they have been fully looked into independently.”

A county council spokesman said: “We have written to the parish council confirming we have accepted their offer for Mettle Hill, and are in the process of selling it to them.”