Flintshire calls for more help accommodation Travellers and Gypsies from neighbouring counties

From the Flintshire Chronicle

COUNTY councillors want neighbouring authorities to do more to cater for Gypsies after it was revealed more than half of Traveller provision in North Wales is in Flintshire.

The county currently provides 58% of all caravan pitches for Travellers across the region – with more in the pipeline.

And members of Flintshire County Council’s cabinet say it is time for the region’s other council to step up.

A study by Bangor University found 91% of all North Wales Gypsy and Traveller provision was in Flintshire and Wrexham, and neither Denbighshire or Conwy has any authorised sites.

Deputy council leader Bernie Attridge said: “Flintshire is the most significant provider [of Gypsy facilities].

“Other North Wales authorities have to have their fair share, it shouldn’t just be left to Flintshire and Wrexham.”

Sealand and Queensferry councillor Chris Jones said it was ‘unfair’ Flintshire is currently accommodating the majority of Travellers when some counties do not cater for them at all.

“Others have got to realise they’ve got to have their own sites – Flintshire has got its quota,” she added.

Welsh Government guidance urges councils ‘to work in a regional capacity and share a legal, moral and financial responsibility to address the accommodation inequality experienced by the Gypsy and Traveller community’.

There are currently authorised sites in Bagillt, Gwespyr, Hope, Queensferry, Sandycroft.

The only council-owned one – Riverside Park in Queensferry – could soon be doubled in size to accommodate a total of 40 Gypsy families.

Plans for another private site on Magazine Lane in Ewloe were thrown out last summer.

Cllr Jones said that as long as other authorities fail to act, applications for private Gypsy sites in Flintshire would continue to be submitted.

She added: “Our neighbours aren’t playing ball. We’ve done our bit, they should be helping us out.”

Cllr Helen Brown said the county ‘has got quite enough’ Gypsy sites.

According to the most recent figures Flintshire accommodates at least 66 Traveller caravans. Wrexham has 33% of the overall North Wales provision, while the remaining counties offer just 10 caravan berths between them.

Cllr Dave Wisinger, who has two Gypsy sites in his ward, said: “It’s a very tricky thing putting Traveller sites anywhere because we know people get emotional over them and it causes lots of trouble, but we’ve got no option.

“Flintshire is dealing with the problem and other counties will have to get to grips with it, it can’t be brushed under the carpet.”