From the Express and Star
Travellers who set up an illegal encampment will be forced to move on after a council was granted a court order.
Caravans settled on a site in Mill Street, Walsall, yards from where a similar camp was set up earlier this year.
Walsall Magistrates Court was told that Walsall Council was alerted to the unauthorised encampment, near homes and a mosque, on April 11.
The land is owned by the council but licensed to a third party.
Officers attended the site on the afternoon of April 19 and served an initial notice, requiring that one caravan and a vehicle should leave the land.
Licensing enforcement officer Mark Wilson, giving evidence, told the court that another caravan arrived at the site on Thursday, leading to a second notice being served.
A court summons was served on an occupier of a single caravan a day later, but they did not attend yesterday’s hearing.
Mr Wilson said he revisited the site at 8am yesterday, and there had been one caravan remaining on the land.
Magistrates said they were satisfied with the application, and the authority was granted an enforcement order, allowing the Travellers to be immediately removed from the site.
Travellers also settled on a car park in Mill Street, Ryecroft, in January, with the landowners, Walsall Housing Group, then forced to issue a notice.
There have also been camps set up in Goscote Lodge Crescent, Walsall, and Chester Road North, Brownhills, this year.
Recent figures showed that councils spent more than £60,000 moving on Travellers in the West Midlands region last year.
The largest amount was spent by Sandwell Council, which paid £55,933 in 2011-12 for site security, legal fees and moving waste.
Walsall Council spent £6,600 on bollards and a special grass mound to stop potential incursions, while Wolverhampton City Council spent £1,075 in 2011-12 on legal fees to get the families moved on.
Dudley Council spent £5,000 on clean-up fees after an eviction at a site in Bagley Street in 2010-11.
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Travellers set up camp on busy car park - Lancashire
From the Bolton News
TRAVELLERS have set-up a temporary caravan site at a Bolton car park.
More than 20 caravans and vehicles arrived at the NCP-ran Railway Triangle car park off Great Moor Street on Sunday.
Two horses were also tethered-up on the land.
The site was immediately served with a notice by Bolton Council — who own the land — to move off the site within 24 hours.
NCP arranged for two members of security staff to stand by the car park yesterday.
Other motorists were still able to park their cars in the spare spaces.
Traveller John Sheridan, aged 34, said the group would be moving on today to a bigger site in Oldham.
Mr Sheridan said: “We came here on Sunday and we plan to leave tomorrow as the council have told us we have to leave.
“We came from Wigan and will be going over to a bigger site in Oldham.
“We’ve not had any trouble but we don’t bother anyone and they don’t bother us.
“We’ll keep the place clean and tidy while we’re here.”
If they do not obey the notice, the group will be summoned to court.
A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “We are aware of Travellers on this site and have already served them with a notice to vacate the premises within 24 hours. If they are still there after 24 hours, they will be served with a summons to appear in court.”
see also: The Bolton News - Travellers move to new site in Bolton town centre
TRAVELLERS have set-up a temporary caravan site at a Bolton car park.
More than 20 caravans and vehicles arrived at the NCP-ran Railway Triangle car park off Great Moor Street on Sunday.
Two horses were also tethered-up on the land.
The site was immediately served with a notice by Bolton Council — who own the land — to move off the site within 24 hours.
NCP arranged for two members of security staff to stand by the car park yesterday.
Other motorists were still able to park their cars in the spare spaces.
Traveller John Sheridan, aged 34, said the group would be moving on today to a bigger site in Oldham.
Mr Sheridan said: “We came here on Sunday and we plan to leave tomorrow as the council have told us we have to leave.
“We came from Wigan and will be going over to a bigger site in Oldham.
“We’ve not had any trouble but we don’t bother anyone and they don’t bother us.
“We’ll keep the place clean and tidy while we’re here.”
If they do not obey the notice, the group will be summoned to court.
A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “We are aware of Travellers on this site and have already served them with a notice to vacate the premises within 24 hours. If they are still there after 24 hours, they will be served with a summons to appear in court.”
see also: The Bolton News - Travellers move to new site in Bolton town centre
Travellers homeless as funding not spent - Ireland
From the Irish Times
Families have been left homeless and without water or electricity because Dublin City Council has failed to spend €12 million it was allocated for Traveller accommodation over the past few years, a council meeting has heard.
Halting sites were overcrowded and basic services lacking, which was impacting on the health of some residents, Traveller representatives told a meeting of the council’s strategic policy committee.
Plans to build 118 units for Travellers had not been delivered on while the council had maintained for years that the money was not there to build them, the meeting heard.
Criminality and antisocial behaviour were the reasons projects did not go ahead, said Céline Reilly, the council’s executive officer for housing and residential services. Houses were burned and council staff threatened, she said. Supplying electricity to some sites was a problem “because of the amount of tampering that goes on”, she said. “Houses were burnt. It is not trivial, it is serious,” Ms Reilly added.
Figures from the Department of the Environment show that between 2007 and 2012 Dublin City Council was allocated close to €16 million for Traveller accommodation but drew down less than €4 million over this period.
Overall, councils around the State failed to spend €50 million they had been allocated on Traveller accommodation during that six-year period. Dublin City Council had the highest underspend, followed by Fingal County Council, which underspent by more than €7.5 million and Cork County Council, which underspent by €4.5 million.
Violent behaviour was a problem for staff trying to work on some Dublin sites, said Cllr Bill Tormey of Fine Gael, chairman of the council’s Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee.
Families have been left homeless and without water or electricity because Dublin City Council has failed to spend €12 million it was allocated for Traveller accommodation over the past few years, a council meeting has heard.
Halting sites were overcrowded and basic services lacking, which was impacting on the health of some residents, Traveller representatives told a meeting of the council’s strategic policy committee.
Plans to build 118 units for Travellers had not been delivered on while the council had maintained for years that the money was not there to build them, the meeting heard.
Criminality and antisocial behaviour were the reasons projects did not go ahead, said Céline Reilly, the council’s executive officer for housing and residential services. Houses were burned and council staff threatened, she said. Supplying electricity to some sites was a problem “because of the amount of tampering that goes on”, she said. “Houses were burnt. It is not trivial, it is serious,” Ms Reilly added.
Figures from the Department of the Environment show that between 2007 and 2012 Dublin City Council was allocated close to €16 million for Traveller accommodation but drew down less than €4 million over this period.
Overall, councils around the State failed to spend €50 million they had been allocated on Traveller accommodation during that six-year period. Dublin City Council had the highest underspend, followed by Fingal County Council, which underspent by more than €7.5 million and Cork County Council, which underspent by €4.5 million.
Violent behaviour was a problem for staff trying to work on some Dublin sites, said Cllr Bill Tormey of Fine Gael, chairman of the council’s Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee.
Gypsy family wins right to live on greenfield site between Redruth and Truro - Cornwall
From This Is Cornwall
A Gypsy family has won the right to live on a piece of land between Portreath and Porthtowan.
A Government inspector decided that Cornwall Council was wrong to refuse permission for Gary Emmins, his wife Shelley and daughter Sadie to live on a piece of greenfield land between Porthtowan and Portreath.
And planning inspector Gerry Hollington judged that the “substantial unmet need” for additional Gypsy and Traveller sites in Cornwall had a significant impact on his decision.
Cornwall Council refused permission to Gary Emmins for the change of use of land to a residential caravan site for one family at Pirates, Mile Hill in June 2011.
The development included the siting of a static mobile home, a touring caravan, a portable building and the erection of a day room.
At the planning hearing in March, Mr Hollington described the key issues as whether Mr Emmins was truly a Gypsy, whether the development was sustainable in such a rural location, the effect of the development on highway safety and the neighbouring area, and whether the shortage of alternative Gypsy sites outweighed planning policies.
In his judgement released this week, Mr Hollington concluded that Mr Emmins satisfied the definition of “Gypsies and Travellers”, because he had continued to follow a “sufficiently nomadic habit of life”.
He said that the location was not ideal in sustainability terms, but was “sufficiently sustainable” for it to be acceptable.
The development would create some highway safety issues, but “the degree of harm would be limited by the small size of the site” and the likelihood of car use, rather than walking.
Mr Hollington accepted that the development would be detrimental to the character of the countryside, but said this would be mitigated by the imposition of suitable conditions and refusal of the portable building.
He noted that there was a need in Cornwall to provide a further 146 Gypsy and Traveller pitches by 2020 to achieve a government target of 237.
“It is clear, therefore, that there is a substantial and urgent need for the provision of additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches in Cornwall.
“This is a matter of considerable weight in favour of the appeal proposal,” he said.
In granting Mr Emmins’ appeal, Mr Hollington imposed a number of conditions.
The site may only be occupied by Gypsies and Travellers, up to a maximum of two caravans.
No commercial activities will be allowed on the land.
see also: The West Briton - Inspector backs Gypsy family in its appeal over plans to live on plot
A Gypsy family has won the right to live on a piece of land between Portreath and Porthtowan.
A Government inspector decided that Cornwall Council was wrong to refuse permission for Gary Emmins, his wife Shelley and daughter Sadie to live on a piece of greenfield land between Porthtowan and Portreath.
And planning inspector Gerry Hollington judged that the “substantial unmet need” for additional Gypsy and Traveller sites in Cornwall had a significant impact on his decision.
Cornwall Council refused permission to Gary Emmins for the change of use of land to a residential caravan site for one family at Pirates, Mile Hill in June 2011.
The development included the siting of a static mobile home, a touring caravan, a portable building and the erection of a day room.
At the planning hearing in March, Mr Hollington described the key issues as whether Mr Emmins was truly a Gypsy, whether the development was sustainable in such a rural location, the effect of the development on highway safety and the neighbouring area, and whether the shortage of alternative Gypsy sites outweighed planning policies.
In his judgement released this week, Mr Hollington concluded that Mr Emmins satisfied the definition of “Gypsies and Travellers”, because he had continued to follow a “sufficiently nomadic habit of life”.
He said that the location was not ideal in sustainability terms, but was “sufficiently sustainable” for it to be acceptable.
The development would create some highway safety issues, but “the degree of harm would be limited by the small size of the site” and the likelihood of car use, rather than walking.
Mr Hollington accepted that the development would be detrimental to the character of the countryside, but said this would be mitigated by the imposition of suitable conditions and refusal of the portable building.
He noted that there was a need in Cornwall to provide a further 146 Gypsy and Traveller pitches by 2020 to achieve a government target of 237.
“It is clear, therefore, that there is a substantial and urgent need for the provision of additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches in Cornwall.
“This is a matter of considerable weight in favour of the appeal proposal,” he said.
In granting Mr Emmins’ appeal, Mr Hollington imposed a number of conditions.
The site may only be occupied by Gypsies and Travellers, up to a maximum of two caravans.
No commercial activities will be allowed on the land.
see also: The West Briton - Inspector backs Gypsy family in its appeal over plans to live on plot
Police to investigate offensive website comments over proposed Gypsy site - Cornwall
From the Plymouth Herald
POLICE are to be called in over "offensive and defamatory" online comments about a proposed Gypsy and Traveller site.
Plans to turn part of a car park overlooking Whitsand Bay into a Gypsy site have been put on hold because of the alleged comments.
Moves by Cornwall Housing to build two permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches on Tregantle car park sparked anger from many local people.
Unauthorised Travellers have used the site for years, and if the proposals are approved would be able to stay permanently. The planning application submitted to Cornwall Council would also see improvements to the car park at Tregantle.
At least 160 objectors made their views known on the council's planning website.
But last Friday the comments were removed unexpectedly.
A council spokeswoman said: Cornwall Housing has asked the council to hold the application in abeyance for up to six months due to the nature of many of the responses posted online and on social media sites which they state are extremely offensive and defamatory.
"The comments deemed offensive and/or defamatory will be referred to the police for the appropriate action to be taken. In the meantime all responses have been removed from the council's website.
"The council understands that people may have concerns but has a duty to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers as well as the settled community and this debate needs to be held in a measured way.
"In the interim the council will meet with the parish council to discuss their concerns and the proposals set out in their response to the application."
The council said there had been Travellers living on the site for a number of years.
"As the council does not have alternative sites for Travellers and Gypsies in this area the aim of the application is to reduce the impact of this site on the local area," a spokeswoman said.
Cornwall Housing is Cornwall Council's arms-length housing company.
The planning application covers a part of the Tregantle Fort car park on the B3247 in Tregantle, a few yards from the South West Coast Path and overlooking Tregantle Beach.
The work would include hardstanding, landscaping and amenity block and alterations and improvements to the existing public car park to form 149 formal car parking spaces.
Funding would come from the Homes and Communities Agency The application was originally down to be heard on May 22.
One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Herald they saw around 160 application comments online on Thursday, but on Friday they were wiped from the site.
The resident said most of the erased comments had objected to the building of the site.
Within 24 hours of the comments being removed, another 50 were added, with many complaining about the council's decision to ditch the previous comments. Among the original objectors was R Melville, who said Rame Head was an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
"It is an area Cornwall should be proud of and an area to protect.
"These people should have been moved on several years ago rather than being encouraged to stay and create a precedent for future Gypsies and Travellers."
see also: The Western Morning News - Traveller site plan stalls after wave of online fury
The Cornish Guardian - Travellers' site scheme put on hold temporarily
POLICE are to be called in over "offensive and defamatory" online comments about a proposed Gypsy and Traveller site.
Plans to turn part of a car park overlooking Whitsand Bay into a Gypsy site have been put on hold because of the alleged comments.
Moves by Cornwall Housing to build two permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches on Tregantle car park sparked anger from many local people.
Unauthorised Travellers have used the site for years, and if the proposals are approved would be able to stay permanently. The planning application submitted to Cornwall Council would also see improvements to the car park at Tregantle.
At least 160 objectors made their views known on the council's planning website.
But last Friday the comments were removed unexpectedly.
A council spokeswoman said: Cornwall Housing has asked the council to hold the application in abeyance for up to six months due to the nature of many of the responses posted online and on social media sites which they state are extremely offensive and defamatory.
"The comments deemed offensive and/or defamatory will be referred to the police for the appropriate action to be taken. In the meantime all responses have been removed from the council's website.
"The council understands that people may have concerns but has a duty to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers as well as the settled community and this debate needs to be held in a measured way.
"In the interim the council will meet with the parish council to discuss their concerns and the proposals set out in their response to the application."
The council said there had been Travellers living on the site for a number of years.
"As the council does not have alternative sites for Travellers and Gypsies in this area the aim of the application is to reduce the impact of this site on the local area," a spokeswoman said.
Cornwall Housing is Cornwall Council's arms-length housing company.
The planning application covers a part of the Tregantle Fort car park on the B3247 in Tregantle, a few yards from the South West Coast Path and overlooking Tregantle Beach.
The work would include hardstanding, landscaping and amenity block and alterations and improvements to the existing public car park to form 149 formal car parking spaces.
Funding would come from the Homes and Communities Agency The application was originally down to be heard on May 22.
One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Herald they saw around 160 application comments online on Thursday, but on Friday they were wiped from the site.
The resident said most of the erased comments had objected to the building of the site.
Within 24 hours of the comments being removed, another 50 were added, with many complaining about the council's decision to ditch the previous comments. Among the original objectors was R Melville, who said Rame Head was an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
"It is an area Cornwall should be proud of and an area to protect.
"These people should have been moved on several years ago rather than being encouraged to stay and create a precedent for future Gypsies and Travellers."
see also: The Western Morning News - Traveller site plan stalls after wave of online fury
The Cornish Guardian - Travellers' site scheme put on hold temporarily
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty's niece is found safe after disappearing a week ago
From the Mirror
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty thanked the Daily Mirror for helping trace his niece – who disappeared after a cancer scare – after they were reunited last night.
He had cancelled plans for Elaine Beaney’s 21st birthday party when she disappeared a week ago after being told she may have throat cancer.
But now he said the whole family will be partying today after they found her in Oxford.
Paddy, 54, who starred in the Channel 4 show and Celebrity Big Brother, said: “It’s not good news: it’s great news.
“She took off after telling a friend that she may have cancer. She just didn’t know how to handle things.
“But now she’s back where she should be – with her family.
"Thanks a million to the Daily Mirror, because you publicised our efforts to find her.”
Bare knuckle boxer Paddy said that her brother Walter, 23, had been crying on the phone when he called to share the news.
Walter said last night: “We got a lead off Facebook, someone saying they’d seen a car parked in Oxford.
“When I arrived she was crying, and needed a big hug. It was the cancer scare, she just needed to get away.
"I cannot tell you how great it is to have found her. She’s fine now. It’s such a relief, our world had stopped.
“The parents, family and the rest of the travelling community were looking for her frantically.
“We’re happy to have her home.”
He added: “She never told anyone she was worried about this cancer scare, and now she’s able to let it all out.
He said there were over 61,000 likes when they posted a comment on a Facebook page set up to help find her to say she was safe and well.
Paddy added: “Walter was crying on the phone to me when he found her.
"I said, ‘Tell your father i’ll be over first thing in the morning’.
“He was so relieved because you think the worse when someone disappears.
“I’m going to give her a big hug on her birthday.”
Hundreds in the travelling community formed search parties as they desperately attempted to find Elaine.
The pretty blonde attended an appointment at North Queensferry Hospital in north Wales last week following a bout of illness.
Friends and family will now attend her birthday party at the town’s Hilton Hotel tonight as planned.
Elaine lives in Queensferry, Flintshire with her mum, also Elaine, dad Walter, and brothers Walter and Thomas, 18.
see also: The Daily Post - Niece of Big Fat Gypsy wedding star found safe and well
Big Fat Gypsy Wedding star Paddy Doherty thanked the Daily Mirror for helping trace his niece – who disappeared after a cancer scare – after they were reunited last night.
He had cancelled plans for Elaine Beaney’s 21st birthday party when she disappeared a week ago after being told she may have throat cancer.
But now he said the whole family will be partying today after they found her in Oxford.
Paddy, 54, who starred in the Channel 4 show and Celebrity Big Brother, said: “It’s not good news: it’s great news.
“She took off after telling a friend that she may have cancer. She just didn’t know how to handle things.
“But now she’s back where she should be – with her family.
"Thanks a million to the Daily Mirror, because you publicised our efforts to find her.”
Bare knuckle boxer Paddy said that her brother Walter, 23, had been crying on the phone when he called to share the news.
Walter said last night: “We got a lead off Facebook, someone saying they’d seen a car parked in Oxford.
“When I arrived she was crying, and needed a big hug. It was the cancer scare, she just needed to get away.
"I cannot tell you how great it is to have found her. She’s fine now. It’s such a relief, our world had stopped.
“The parents, family and the rest of the travelling community were looking for her frantically.
“We’re happy to have her home.”
He added: “She never told anyone she was worried about this cancer scare, and now she’s able to let it all out.
He said there were over 61,000 likes when they posted a comment on a Facebook page set up to help find her to say she was safe and well.
Paddy added: “Walter was crying on the phone to me when he found her.
"I said, ‘Tell your father i’ll be over first thing in the morning’.
“He was so relieved because you think the worse when someone disappears.
“I’m going to give her a big hug on her birthday.”
Hundreds in the travelling community formed search parties as they desperately attempted to find Elaine.
The pretty blonde attended an appointment at North Queensferry Hospital in north Wales last week following a bout of illness.
Friends and family will now attend her birthday party at the town’s Hilton Hotel tonight as planned.
Elaine lives in Queensferry, Flintshire with her mum, also Elaine, dad Walter, and brothers Walter and Thomas, 18.
see also: The Daily Post - Niece of Big Fat Gypsy wedding star found safe and well
Stubbington site to be used for family's residential purposes - Hampshire
From the Southern Daily Echo
Permission has been given for a Gypsy family to use land for a residential caravan site on appeal.
Miles Doran successfully appealed against Fareham Borough Council’s decision to block planning permission for a site off Titchfield Road, Stubbington.
He had applied to change the use of land and premises to a residential caravan site for one Gypsy family with two caravans, including no more than one static mobile home.
Planning permission was refused in June on the grounds that there was judged no proved need for additional Gypsy pitches, the site was in a rural and unsustainable location with poor access to facilities and that it would detract from the rural setting.
A Government planning inspector said the highway authority had no safety reasons to object and, with conditions, commercial activity could be prevented.
He judged that it would not damage the character or appearance of the area and that it had acceptable access to shops, schools and health facilities.
Permission was given on condition that the site be only occupied by Mr Doran and his dependants and when they leave the land permission ends.
No commercial activities will be allowed to take place on the land.
Permission has been given for a Gypsy family to use land for a residential caravan site on appeal.
Miles Doran successfully appealed against Fareham Borough Council’s decision to block planning permission for a site off Titchfield Road, Stubbington.
He had applied to change the use of land and premises to a residential caravan site for one Gypsy family with two caravans, including no more than one static mobile home.
Planning permission was refused in June on the grounds that there was judged no proved need for additional Gypsy pitches, the site was in a rural and unsustainable location with poor access to facilities and that it would detract from the rural setting.
A Government planning inspector said the highway authority had no safety reasons to object and, with conditions, commercial activity could be prevented.
He judged that it would not damage the character or appearance of the area and that it had acceptable access to shops, schools and health facilities.
Permission was given on condition that the site be only occupied by Mr Doran and his dependants and when they leave the land permission ends.
No commercial activities will be allowed to take place on the land.
Monday, 29 April 2013
Study identifies need for an extra hundred Gypsy pitches in Cardiff - Glamorgan
From 24dash
An independent study into the accommodation requirements of Gypsies and Travellers in Cardiff has identified a need for an additional 108 pitches in the city up to 2026.
Welsh councils are required to assess Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs within their county boundaries and include within their Local Development Plan (LDP) proposals specific site allocations capable of meeting current or expected shortfalls in provision.
There are currently two council-managed Gypsy Traveller sites in Cardiff - at Rover Way and Shirenewton, which provide more than 75 pitches between them. In addition there are a few privately run facilities, most notably a site next to the council’s residential site at Shirenewton.
Commissioned by Cardiff Council, the study - by Opinion Research Services/Peter Brett Associates - is being carried out in consultation with the Gypsy and Traveller community and has revised downward the figure previously identified in an accommodation needs assessment completed in August 2008.
The earlier study had suggested that 194 pitches would have to be provided up to 2018.
Councillor Ralph Cook said: “The significant difference between the two studies may be explained by the fact that this administration was particularly keen to ensure that any study it commissioned provided accurate and up to date data and that its authors attempted to interview all existing Gypsy and Traveller households living within the city.
"They have achieved a 70% sample (60 interviews) compared to the previous study which was based on a 17% sample (25 interviews).”
The study also identifies a need for a transit site of around ten pitches, which should be located near the M4 to meet the needs of Gypsy and Travellers who are visiting the area or travelling through it. This will be progressed through a process of dialogue with other councils in the region.
Councillor Cook added: “The study concludes that a transit site need not necessarily fall within the boundaries of the County of Cardiff and recommends entering a cross boundary process with our neighbouring councils and across South East Wales to identify a suitable site within the region.
“The findings of this survey will be used in the preparation of the Deposit LDP to help inform the development of the criteria that will be used to identify potential new Gypsy Traveller residential sites. The Deposit LDP is scheduled to appear at the September Cabinet Meeting and be debated by Council later in the month. Public consultation will follow, so everyone will have the opportunity to comment on these issues. More immediately these finding were presented to the Community & Adult Scrutiny Committee (CASC) on Tuesday.
"A separate study being undertaken by Atkins Limited is looking at the options for the future of the existing Rover Way Gypsy and Traveller site.”
An independent study into the accommodation requirements of Gypsies and Travellers in Cardiff has identified a need for an additional 108 pitches in the city up to 2026.
Welsh councils are required to assess Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs within their county boundaries and include within their Local Development Plan (LDP) proposals specific site allocations capable of meeting current or expected shortfalls in provision.
There are currently two council-managed Gypsy Traveller sites in Cardiff - at Rover Way and Shirenewton, which provide more than 75 pitches between them. In addition there are a few privately run facilities, most notably a site next to the council’s residential site at Shirenewton.
Commissioned by Cardiff Council, the study - by Opinion Research Services/Peter Brett Associates - is being carried out in consultation with the Gypsy and Traveller community and has revised downward the figure previously identified in an accommodation needs assessment completed in August 2008.
The earlier study had suggested that 194 pitches would have to be provided up to 2018.
Councillor Ralph Cook said: “The significant difference between the two studies may be explained by the fact that this administration was particularly keen to ensure that any study it commissioned provided accurate and up to date data and that its authors attempted to interview all existing Gypsy and Traveller households living within the city.
"They have achieved a 70% sample (60 interviews) compared to the previous study which was based on a 17% sample (25 interviews).”
The study also identifies a need for a transit site of around ten pitches, which should be located near the M4 to meet the needs of Gypsy and Travellers who are visiting the area or travelling through it. This will be progressed through a process of dialogue with other councils in the region.
Councillor Cook added: “The study concludes that a transit site need not necessarily fall within the boundaries of the County of Cardiff and recommends entering a cross boundary process with our neighbouring councils and across South East Wales to identify a suitable site within the region.
“The findings of this survey will be used in the preparation of the Deposit LDP to help inform the development of the criteria that will be used to identify potential new Gypsy Traveller residential sites. The Deposit LDP is scheduled to appear at the September Cabinet Meeting and be debated by Council later in the month. Public consultation will follow, so everyone will have the opportunity to comment on these issues. More immediately these finding were presented to the Community & Adult Scrutiny Committee (CASC) on Tuesday.
"A separate study being undertaken by Atkins Limited is looking at the options for the future of the existing Rover Way Gypsy and Traveller site.”
Gypsy site plan is thrown out following appeal - Staffordshire
From the Burton Mail
A PLAN to move a family of Travellers onto land near Burton has been thrown out by planners.
An application submitted by Charles Calladine to move two mobile homes as well as building a detached house on land in Barton Road, Yoxall, had already been dismissed by East Staffordshire Borough Council, and now the plan appears to be dead after the proposal was also rejected on appeal.
The inspector Kevin Nield said he had taken the circumstances of the Gypsy family and their need to find a need for a new home into account before making the decision, but decided that to reject the proposal on the grounds the development would be harmful to the countryside, leaving the Travellers having to look elsewhere to find a new place to live.
He also said that there wasn’t a need for any more Traveller sites in East Staffordshire.
He said: “I have found that the personal circumstances of the family and the need for alternative accommodation provide moderate weight in favour of the appeal scheme but that is outweighed by the harm to the rural character of the area and the lack of need for permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches in this area.”
A PLAN to move a family of Travellers onto land near Burton has been thrown out by planners.
An application submitted by Charles Calladine to move two mobile homes as well as building a detached house on land in Barton Road, Yoxall, had already been dismissed by East Staffordshire Borough Council, and now the plan appears to be dead after the proposal was also rejected on appeal.
The inspector Kevin Nield said he had taken the circumstances of the Gypsy family and their need to find a need for a new home into account before making the decision, but decided that to reject the proposal on the grounds the development would be harmful to the countryside, leaving the Travellers having to look elsewhere to find a new place to live.
He also said that there wasn’t a need for any more Traveller sites in East Staffordshire.
He said: “I have found that the personal circumstances of the family and the need for alternative accommodation provide moderate weight in favour of the appeal scheme but that is outweighed by the harm to the rural character of the area and the lack of need for permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches in this area.”
Press Release : Government Cuts on Travellers are Neither Fair or Equitable - Ireland
From Pavee Point
Pavee Point launched a report this morning, Travelling with Austerity, which documents the cuts to Travellers, Traveller projects and services since 2008. ‘This Travelling with Austerity report exposes the lie that cuts are being apportioned fairly in society. The report documents and reveals government abandonment of Travellers under the guise of Austerity and is an indictment of government policy and commitments to protecting the vulnerable and ensuring fairness in society’ said Ms. Ronnie Fay, co director of Pavee Point at the report launch this morning.
Please click here for the full Press Release:
Full Press Release
Please click to download the full report:
“Travelleing with Austerity”
Pavee Point launched a report this morning, Travelling with Austerity, which documents the cuts to Travellers, Traveller projects and services since 2008. ‘This Travelling with Austerity report exposes the lie that cuts are being apportioned fairly in society. The report documents and reveals government abandonment of Travellers under the guise of Austerity and is an indictment of government policy and commitments to protecting the vulnerable and ensuring fairness in society’ said Ms. Ronnie Fay, co director of Pavee Point at the report launch this morning.
Please click here for the full Press Release:
Full Press Release
Please click to download the full report:
“Travelleing with Austerity”
Travellers set up camp in Beggarwood - Hampshire
From the Basingstoke Gazette
TRAVELLERS who were removed from an encampment in Chineham last week have now relocated to Beggarwood.
Police used powers under the Road Traffic Act to move on the travellers from Hanmore Road, opposite Busy Bee’s nursery, following complaints from members of the public about mess and nuisance in the area.
The encampment was also causing an obstruction to the highway.
The group arrived on April 16 and were moved on by police on Friday, April 26.
But the caravans have now set up camp in Shortwood Copse Lane.
Hampshire Constabulary said it was aware of the encampment and officers are visiting the site to assess the situation.
TRAVELLERS who were removed from an encampment in Chineham last week have now relocated to Beggarwood.
Police used powers under the Road Traffic Act to move on the travellers from Hanmore Road, opposite Busy Bee’s nursery, following complaints from members of the public about mess and nuisance in the area.
The encampment was also causing an obstruction to the highway.
The group arrived on April 16 and were moved on by police on Friday, April 26.
But the caravans have now set up camp in Shortwood Copse Lane.
Hampshire Constabulary said it was aware of the encampment and officers are visiting the site to assess the situation.
Travellers leave Latton Common after council is awarded possession order - Essex
From the Harlow Star
The group of Travellers who set up camp on Latton Common more than a week ago moved off the site yesterday (Sunday).
On Friday Harlow Council started proceedings at Chelmsford County Court to apply for possession of the land.
At the hearing the judge awarded the council a final order for possession of the land which came into force immediately. The Council served court papers to the Travellers later the same day.
The travellers were not represented in court.
Councillor Emma Toal, portfolio holder for youth & citizenship, said after the court hearing: “I know the legal process we have to follow for illegal encampments can be frustrating for residents but now we have the possession order we can legally evict the Travellers.
“As we have always said this is about protecting the town’s green spaces and upholding the law. We are taking steps to protect other land and we are encouraging private landowners and businesses to ensure that their property is also secure.
“We have already started to clean up the area and as soon as the travellers leave this work will continue so residents can once again enjoy the common.”
The group of Travellers who set up camp on Latton Common more than a week ago moved off the site yesterday (Sunday).
On Friday Harlow Council started proceedings at Chelmsford County Court to apply for possession of the land.
At the hearing the judge awarded the council a final order for possession of the land which came into force immediately. The Council served court papers to the Travellers later the same day.
The travellers were not represented in court.
Councillor Emma Toal, portfolio holder for youth & citizenship, said after the court hearing: “I know the legal process we have to follow for illegal encampments can be frustrating for residents but now we have the possession order we can legally evict the Travellers.
“As we have always said this is about protecting the town’s green spaces and upholding the law. We are taking steps to protect other land and we are encouraging private landowners and businesses to ensure that their property is also secure.
“We have already started to clean up the area and as soon as the travellers leave this work will continue so residents can once again enjoy the common.”
Interview: ‘I just want to be seen as an actor, not a Traveller actor’ - Ireland
From the Journal.ie
King of the Travellers star, Michael Collins talks to Christina Finn about the new movie and about issues that face the Traveller community on a daily basis. He says:
THE CHARACTER I play in the new movie, King of the Travellers, was a chance-of-a-lifetime role.
We wanted to make a film that was realistic to the community. There is a feud and there is a big Traveller wedding in the film, and I think it would have been very unfair to the film itself if we didn’t put those elements into it, as they are associated with the travelling community. Even though there is a feud in it, there is an anti-violent message in it: that violence only breathes violence and nothing can be achieved by it.
It’s a common misconception that family feuds are prevalent in the Travelling community. I would say about 97 per cent of Travellers are not involved in family feuds at all. People seem to think that all Travellers are involved in some sort of feud and it’s not true. If you pay attention to the media, particularly the journalists who are involved in writing about it, they know the people that are involved in the feuds, but that reporting does an awful lot of damage to us as a community.
‘We were out celebrating the movie and I was refused from the pub’
Recently, we were promoting the movie out in Temple Bar last week and we were all having a great time. It was a lovely launch, tons of media people and we had a nice wine reception. We decided to go for a pint in a pub nearby. When we went to get a drink me and my daughter were refused service. As soon as I walked in I knew the barman recognised me. He didn’t see me as a professional actor, he saw me as a member of the Travelling community.
Peter Coonan (who plays Fran in RTE’s Love/Hate), who also stars in the movie, was very upset about it. Actually, the settled people involved in the movie were more upset really, because we are used to it over the years. When you are so long putting up with that type of shite, you are better off letting it go. I didn’t want to ruin what was a great evening with the crew.
Because that happened, it left us with an insecure feeling for the rest of the week. There is an insecurity there and it’s terrible in this day and age that you are out there working, trying to make a living, trying to make a life for yourself and promote Irish film and you feel you are up against it.
Being branded “knackers”
In the 1970s, Irish people were out on the streets protesting about the apartheid in South Africa, and totally justified doing so, I totally agree – but at the same time, there was a family in the West that were being burned out of their home, who were being branded “knackers” all over the town. People had the attitude, ‘I don’t mind Travellers being accommodated, but just not in my back yard’. That attitude goes right back to 1960s.
And it’s not helped by the politicians. If someone in political life came out and said that all Nigerians should be put on Spike Island, they would be sacked on the spot. But even in Dáil, when these matters are raised, when an apology is due for statements like that, it is just skipped over, we don’t matter to them, we are not a vote to them.
What people don’t realise is the stuff that affects Travellers is the same thing that affects settled people – like unemployment, trying to pay your mortgage, trying to raise your family, we are all the same.
Tarred with the same brush
People have ideas of what a Traveller is, that they are someone that doesn’t work, doesn’t pay taxes, but I had a conversation with someone the other day about Limerick. It’s been in the media because certain things have happened there with crime, but Limerick is a beautiful, beautiful city.
There is a small percentage of the people there that are involved in anti-social behaviour, but the whole of Limerick gets blamed. That is the same problem that the Travelling community face.
84 per cent of people are unemployed in the Travelling community, but there are real issues behind that as to why they are unemployed. You have children going to school and at a certain age, the other children find out that they are a member of a Travelling family and they get called a “knacker” – that word is very prevalent and it’s so damaging to label a child that.
Traveller children need to know they can succeed in life too
In order to change things, we need more Traveller involvement. More people from the community need to help change this mentality. People from the Travelling community who have gone on to do well, need to let themselves be known. Travelling children need to be able to see people like them succeeding, so that they can say ‘well if he can do it, I can do it’.
We have wonderful people in the community, we have young boxers representing people in sport, we have Davy Joyce, a successful barrister, we have members of the garda, doctors too, but there are people who are afraid to say who they are, because of the society that we live in. The don’t want to step forward and tell people where they come from.
In the acting game, the majority of actors and people I have worked with are professional people – if you can do your job, they’re happy to work for you. However, I remember one time, as a young actor, going for an audition. I remember the casting director for the movie thought I was excellent for the part, she didn’t see me as a Traveller, she just saw me as an actor. When I met the director I was asked a lot of questions like: ‘Do you think you are reliable? If you got this job, would turn up on time? Do you drink much? Do you have a permanent address?’
I’ll never forgive that director
Because I was a young actor I didn’t know that these questions were inappropriate, until I mentioned it to some other actor friends who told me that I shouldn’t be asked those questions. But it’s what I am labelled as – a Traveller. I actually never forgave that director. I would love to work with him, but if I met him, I would have to tell him about how me made me feel and tell him that he actually knocked me back a few years.
But that’s the label we have. I’m also writer and I have other writer friends from the community too. If we apply for arts council funding, we are seen as two Travellers, so only one of us will get it. We are not seen as just two writers, we are two Traveller writers.
For people who are going to head along to see the movie, all I can say is I hope they enjoy the acting, enjoy the story. I have written a lot over the years, and what I like to see is people get engrossed in a good story and forgetting that it’s what people call “a Traveller story”. I just want this film to be seen as a good film, a good story.
King of the Travellers star, Michael Collins talks to Christina Finn about the new movie and about issues that face the Traveller community on a daily basis. He says:
THE CHARACTER I play in the new movie, King of the Travellers, was a chance-of-a-lifetime role.
We wanted to make a film that was realistic to the community. There is a feud and there is a big Traveller wedding in the film, and I think it would have been very unfair to the film itself if we didn’t put those elements into it, as they are associated with the travelling community. Even though there is a feud in it, there is an anti-violent message in it: that violence only breathes violence and nothing can be achieved by it.
It’s a common misconception that family feuds are prevalent in the Travelling community. I would say about 97 per cent of Travellers are not involved in family feuds at all. People seem to think that all Travellers are involved in some sort of feud and it’s not true. If you pay attention to the media, particularly the journalists who are involved in writing about it, they know the people that are involved in the feuds, but that reporting does an awful lot of damage to us as a community.
‘We were out celebrating the movie and I was refused from the pub’
Recently, we were promoting the movie out in Temple Bar last week and we were all having a great time. It was a lovely launch, tons of media people and we had a nice wine reception. We decided to go for a pint in a pub nearby. When we went to get a drink me and my daughter were refused service. As soon as I walked in I knew the barman recognised me. He didn’t see me as a professional actor, he saw me as a member of the Travelling community.
Peter Coonan (who plays Fran in RTE’s Love/Hate), who also stars in the movie, was very upset about it. Actually, the settled people involved in the movie were more upset really, because we are used to it over the years. When you are so long putting up with that type of shite, you are better off letting it go. I didn’t want to ruin what was a great evening with the crew.
Because that happened, it left us with an insecure feeling for the rest of the week. There is an insecurity there and it’s terrible in this day and age that you are out there working, trying to make a living, trying to make a life for yourself and promote Irish film and you feel you are up against it.
Being branded “knackers”
In the 1970s, Irish people were out on the streets protesting about the apartheid in South Africa, and totally justified doing so, I totally agree – but at the same time, there was a family in the West that were being burned out of their home, who were being branded “knackers” all over the town. People had the attitude, ‘I don’t mind Travellers being accommodated, but just not in my back yard’. That attitude goes right back to 1960s.
And it’s not helped by the politicians. If someone in political life came out and said that all Nigerians should be put on Spike Island, they would be sacked on the spot. But even in Dáil, when these matters are raised, when an apology is due for statements like that, it is just skipped over, we don’t matter to them, we are not a vote to them.
What people don’t realise is the stuff that affects Travellers is the same thing that affects settled people – like unemployment, trying to pay your mortgage, trying to raise your family, we are all the same.
Tarred with the same brush
People have ideas of what a Traveller is, that they are someone that doesn’t work, doesn’t pay taxes, but I had a conversation with someone the other day about Limerick. It’s been in the media because certain things have happened there with crime, but Limerick is a beautiful, beautiful city.
There is a small percentage of the people there that are involved in anti-social behaviour, but the whole of Limerick gets blamed. That is the same problem that the Travelling community face.
84 per cent of people are unemployed in the Travelling community, but there are real issues behind that as to why they are unemployed. You have children going to school and at a certain age, the other children find out that they are a member of a Travelling family and they get called a “knacker” – that word is very prevalent and it’s so damaging to label a child that.
Traveller children need to know they can succeed in life too
In order to change things, we need more Traveller involvement. More people from the community need to help change this mentality. People from the Travelling community who have gone on to do well, need to let themselves be known. Travelling children need to be able to see people like them succeeding, so that they can say ‘well if he can do it, I can do it’.
We have wonderful people in the community, we have young boxers representing people in sport, we have Davy Joyce, a successful barrister, we have members of the garda, doctors too, but there are people who are afraid to say who they are, because of the society that we live in. The don’t want to step forward and tell people where they come from.
In the acting game, the majority of actors and people I have worked with are professional people – if you can do your job, they’re happy to work for you. However, I remember one time, as a young actor, going for an audition. I remember the casting director for the movie thought I was excellent for the part, she didn’t see me as a Traveller, she just saw me as an actor. When I met the director I was asked a lot of questions like: ‘Do you think you are reliable? If you got this job, would turn up on time? Do you drink much? Do you have a permanent address?’
I’ll never forgive that director
Because I was a young actor I didn’t know that these questions were inappropriate, until I mentioned it to some other actor friends who told me that I shouldn’t be asked those questions. But it’s what I am labelled as – a Traveller. I actually never forgave that director. I would love to work with him, but if I met him, I would have to tell him about how me made me feel and tell him that he actually knocked me back a few years.
But that’s the label we have. I’m also writer and I have other writer friends from the community too. If we apply for arts council funding, we are seen as two Travellers, so only one of us will get it. We are not seen as just two writers, we are two Traveller writers.
For people who are going to head along to see the movie, all I can say is I hope they enjoy the acting, enjoy the story. I have written a lot over the years, and what I like to see is people get engrossed in a good story and forgetting that it’s what people call “a Traveller story”. I just want this film to be seen as a good film, a good story.
Travellers hit hardest by cuts in State funding - Ireland
From the Irish Times
No section of society has suffered as sustained a withdrawal of State funding over the past five years as Travellers, according to a landmark report published this morning.
The report, Travelling with Austerity , commissioned by the Traveller-support organisation Pavee Point, looks at the impact of austerity since 2008 on the community.
It finds State spending on Traveller education has fallen 86 per cent since 2008; Traveller accommodation spending is down 85 per cent; spending on equality projects has fallen by 76.3 per cent; on Fás special initiatives for Travellers by 50 per cent; on Traveller youth projects by 30 per cent and on health projects by 5.4 per cent.
These cuts “should be compared to the overall reduction in government current spending of 4.3 per cent over 2008-2013” writes author Brian Harvey, an independent social researcher.
Underspending
These cuts, he says, are “complicated” and exacerbated by significant underspending by statutory bodies of the declining amounts allocated.
Some 82 per cent of the Traveller health budget allocated was spent since the recession began in 2008, and 18 per cent unspent; 64 per cent of the accommodation budget was spent with 36 per cent unspent while just 60 per cent of the budget allocated for the Fás special initiative was spent.
“These figures tell an egregious story of an extraordinary level of disinvestment by the Irish State in the Traveller community,” says the author. “One can think of no other section of the community which has suffered such a high level of withdrawal of funding and human resources, compounded by the failure of the State to spend even the limited resources that it has made available.”
Hardship
The reductions in the accommodation and education budgets were “especially impactful” given the continued hardship faced by many Travellers on halting sites and in poor-quality, privately rented accommodation, and given the still wide gap in educational opportunities between the Traveller and the settled communities.
“Worrying reports are already coming through on the negative consequences for Travellers at school.”
On the underspending on accommodation, the report notes: “It is remarkable, at a time of pressure on Traveller accommodation, that significant funds of money already allocated are not being drawn down and revert to the Department [of the Environment] unspent. The issue has been endemic for years and has never been convincingly explained . . . Looking at need, the 2011 national housing needs survey found 1,824 Traveller households in need of accommodation.”
It says significant numbers of Travellers are now living in dispersed privately rented accommodation, the proportion having risen from 7 per cent in 1998 to 32 per cent in 2011 – “a dramatic change”.
No section of society has suffered as sustained a withdrawal of State funding over the past five years as Travellers, according to a landmark report published this morning.
The report, Travelling with Austerity , commissioned by the Traveller-support organisation Pavee Point, looks at the impact of austerity since 2008 on the community.
It finds State spending on Traveller education has fallen 86 per cent since 2008; Traveller accommodation spending is down 85 per cent; spending on equality projects has fallen by 76.3 per cent; on Fás special initiatives for Travellers by 50 per cent; on Traveller youth projects by 30 per cent and on health projects by 5.4 per cent.
These cuts “should be compared to the overall reduction in government current spending of 4.3 per cent over 2008-2013” writes author Brian Harvey, an independent social researcher.
Underspending
These cuts, he says, are “complicated” and exacerbated by significant underspending by statutory bodies of the declining amounts allocated.
Some 82 per cent of the Traveller health budget allocated was spent since the recession began in 2008, and 18 per cent unspent; 64 per cent of the accommodation budget was spent with 36 per cent unspent while just 60 per cent of the budget allocated for the Fás special initiative was spent.
“These figures tell an egregious story of an extraordinary level of disinvestment by the Irish State in the Traveller community,” says the author. “One can think of no other section of the community which has suffered such a high level of withdrawal of funding and human resources, compounded by the failure of the State to spend even the limited resources that it has made available.”
Hardship
The reductions in the accommodation and education budgets were “especially impactful” given the continued hardship faced by many Travellers on halting sites and in poor-quality, privately rented accommodation, and given the still wide gap in educational opportunities between the Traveller and the settled communities.
“Worrying reports are already coming through on the negative consequences for Travellers at school.”
On the underspending on accommodation, the report notes: “It is remarkable, at a time of pressure on Traveller accommodation, that significant funds of money already allocated are not being drawn down and revert to the Department [of the Environment] unspent. The issue has been endemic for years and has never been convincingly explained . . . Looking at need, the 2011 national housing needs survey found 1,824 Traveller households in need of accommodation.”
It says significant numbers of Travellers are now living in dispersed privately rented accommodation, the proportion having risen from 7 per cent in 1998 to 32 per cent in 2011 – “a dramatic change”.
Refused camp site now allocated in York’s Local Plan for Travellers - Yorkshire
From the Press
A 20-pitch Travellers’ site is being proposed in York’s Local Plan on land where an application for a 20-pitch campsite has recently been turned down.
Chowdene in Malton Road is one of the locations where land is being allocated for travellers in City of York Council’s new Local Plan.
But earlier this month, the same authority’s planning committee refused an application to create 20 pitches for touring caravans or tents and a toilet block on the site.
A report to councillors said the access road could not accommodate two way traffic flows for the first 50 metres back from the road, and vehicles would therefore be likely to have to reverse with restricted visibility into the busy road, presenting safety issues for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
York architect and council arch-critic Matthew Laverack said the report had failed to mention the land’s allocation in the Local Plan, and claimed that if an appeal was taken to the Planning Inspectorate, the authority would be at serious risk of costs being awarded against it.
“It cannot possibly be right for the planning department to consider this site suitable for permanent occupation travellers’ caravans while simultaneously turning down a planning application for touring caravans,” he added.
Huntington councillor Carol Runciman said proper provision was needed for travellers and showpeople, but good access and exits were vital, and the refusal of the campsite on access grounds raised questions about its allocation for a travellers’ site.
A spokesman for the Wardell family, who own the site, said the allocation was bizarre and said they intended referring to it in an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for the campsite.
Council leader James Alexander claimed Mr Laverack had personal problems with the council and would use any opportunity to attack it.
A council spokeswoman said under the Local Plan proposals, extra land would be allocated to improve the inadequate entrance and exit arrangements which had led to the refusal of planning permission for the campsite.
A 20-pitch Travellers’ site is being proposed in York’s Local Plan on land where an application for a 20-pitch campsite has recently been turned down.
Chowdene in Malton Road is one of the locations where land is being allocated for travellers in City of York Council’s new Local Plan.
But earlier this month, the same authority’s planning committee refused an application to create 20 pitches for touring caravans or tents and a toilet block on the site.
A report to councillors said the access road could not accommodate two way traffic flows for the first 50 metres back from the road, and vehicles would therefore be likely to have to reverse with restricted visibility into the busy road, presenting safety issues for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
York architect and council arch-critic Matthew Laverack said the report had failed to mention the land’s allocation in the Local Plan, and claimed that if an appeal was taken to the Planning Inspectorate, the authority would be at serious risk of costs being awarded against it.
“It cannot possibly be right for the planning department to consider this site suitable for permanent occupation travellers’ caravans while simultaneously turning down a planning application for touring caravans,” he added.
Huntington councillor Carol Runciman said proper provision was needed for travellers and showpeople, but good access and exits were vital, and the refusal of the campsite on access grounds raised questions about its allocation for a travellers’ site.
A spokesman for the Wardell family, who own the site, said the allocation was bizarre and said they intended referring to it in an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for the campsite.
Council leader James Alexander claimed Mr Laverack had personal problems with the council and would use any opportunity to attack it.
A council spokeswoman said under the Local Plan proposals, extra land would be allocated to improve the inadequate entrance and exit arrangements which had led to the refusal of planning permission for the campsite.
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Verges and lay-bys blocked for Appleby Horse Fair - Cumbria
From the BBC
Roadside verges and lay-bys in Cumbria are being blocked off in preparation for a horse fair.
Up to 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers are expected to attend the annual event, at Appleby, with many arriving in traditional bow-top wagons.
These can be parked anywhere, but those in motor vehicles are restricted to organised stopping places.
A website showing the routes and giving other advice has now gone live. The fair runs from 6 to 12 June.
The Multi-Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group was established six years' ago to ensure all the relevant agencies worked together.
Chairman Robin Hooper said: "Appleby Fair is a unique event, attracting around 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers from across the world and 30,000 other visitors who transform the small market town of Appleby, which normally has a population of 2,500.
"The fair is a pivotal event in the Gypsy and Travellers' calendar and culture, and it is regarded as a traditional holiday where distant family members come to meet.
"We want people to have access to the most up-to-date information and by creating this new website, which is also mobile phone compatible, they will be able to get all of the latest updates, even when at the fair."
Roadside verges and lay-bys in Cumbria are being blocked off in preparation for a horse fair.
Up to 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers are expected to attend the annual event, at Appleby, with many arriving in traditional bow-top wagons.
These can be parked anywhere, but those in motor vehicles are restricted to organised stopping places.
A website showing the routes and giving other advice has now gone live. The fair runs from 6 to 12 June.
The Multi-Agency Strategic Co-ordinating Group was established six years' ago to ensure all the relevant agencies worked together.
Chairman Robin Hooper said: "Appleby Fair is a unique event, attracting around 10,000 Gypsies and Travellers from across the world and 30,000 other visitors who transform the small market town of Appleby, which normally has a population of 2,500.
"The fair is a pivotal event in the Gypsy and Travellers' calendar and culture, and it is regarded as a traditional holiday where distant family members come to meet.
"We want people to have access to the most up-to-date information and by creating this new website, which is also mobile phone compatible, they will be able to get all of the latest updates, even when at the fair."
Travellers leave popular Brighton park - Sussex
From the Argus
Travellers have left a popular park.
A group of four caravans moved onto Carden Park in Hollingbury, Brighton, a fortnight ago.
After Brighton and Hove City Council received a possession notice in Brighton County Court on Friday, the vehicles left the land yesterday.
It is not known if the group was evicted of left the site voluntarily.
The city's authorised Traveller site at Horsdean is currently closed for maintenance work costing £25,000.
Travellers have left a popular park.
A group of four caravans moved onto Carden Park in Hollingbury, Brighton, a fortnight ago.
After Brighton and Hove City Council received a possession notice in Brighton County Court on Friday, the vehicles left the land yesterday.
It is not known if the group was evicted of left the site voluntarily.
The city's authorised Traveller site at Horsdean is currently closed for maintenance work costing £25,000.
Meriden Gypsy site protest 'brought residents together' - West Midlands
From the BBC
When a Gypsy camp set up illegally in a West Midlands field villagers moved quickly to start a campaign to force them out.
Residents of Meriden, about six miles from Solihull, set up a 24-hour vigil at the Eaves Green Lane site, but had no idea it would last more than three years, and see them camping out in all weathers.
However, the final Gypsy family left a week ago, so BBC News has been back to assess whether the campaign has had a lasting effect on villagers.
Before the protest Dave McGrath, one of the organisers of Meriden Residents Against Inappropriate Development (RAID), knew just six other people in the village.
Despite the fact the illegal site has now been closed, villagers have decided to continue fundraising and have set up a social club that meets weekly.
The work they have done, he said, will be used as a basis to set up other community schemes.
Nick Roberts lives about a mile and a half from the camp in Millison's Wood and admits his involvement was "peripheral".
Mr Roberts said: "I donated money to help their cause but I didn't take part in the protest group.
Nick Roberts Resident Nick Roberts said he had donated money but was not an active member of RAID
"Maybe it was a conscience thing because I wasn't involved in RAID itself. It was just a little bit that I could do.
"I don't think there were opinions divided. None of the villagers I know wanted [the development]."
Many residents and others who work in the village did not want to go on record about the Gypsy site, for which retrospective planning applications to develop the area were dismissed by the High Court.
Some were of the opinion there should be somewhere for the Gypsies to go and added there had been little impact on the village since the first Gypsy families moved onto the site in April 2010.
But having lived in Meriden for six years, Paul Ward feels the place has become friendlier.
"I think people are more inclined to stop and speak to one another because people recognise each others face from being involved," Mr Ward said.
"I guess it's had an impact in that way, bringing the community together and I feel that's emanated through other aspects where people get involved in more things like events that happen throughout the year.
Former Gypsy site, Meriden Work still needs to be done on the now vacated site to return it to its original state
"I hope it does continue because that's something positive that can come out of a negative event really."
The Gypsies have been given until 21 May to return the site to its original state, but in the end they decided to leave early.
Mr Mc Grath said fundraising in the village will continue, with a view to buying the land.
"I'm not ruling out a community-led initiative to offer a reasonable bid... and maybe turn the area into a nature reserve," he said.
When a Gypsy camp set up illegally in a West Midlands field villagers moved quickly to start a campaign to force them out.
Residents of Meriden, about six miles from Solihull, set up a 24-hour vigil at the Eaves Green Lane site, but had no idea it would last more than three years, and see them camping out in all weathers.
However, the final Gypsy family left a week ago, so BBC News has been back to assess whether the campaign has had a lasting effect on villagers.
Before the protest Dave McGrath, one of the organisers of Meriden Residents Against Inappropriate Development (RAID), knew just six other people in the village.
Despite the fact the illegal site has now been closed, villagers have decided to continue fundraising and have set up a social club that meets weekly.
The work they have done, he said, will be used as a basis to set up other community schemes.
Nick Roberts lives about a mile and a half from the camp in Millison's Wood and admits his involvement was "peripheral".
Mr Roberts said: "I donated money to help their cause but I didn't take part in the protest group.
Nick Roberts Resident Nick Roberts said he had donated money but was not an active member of RAID
"Maybe it was a conscience thing because I wasn't involved in RAID itself. It was just a little bit that I could do.
"I don't think there were opinions divided. None of the villagers I know wanted [the development]."
Many residents and others who work in the village did not want to go on record about the Gypsy site, for which retrospective planning applications to develop the area were dismissed by the High Court.
Some were of the opinion there should be somewhere for the Gypsies to go and added there had been little impact on the village since the first Gypsy families moved onto the site in April 2010.
But having lived in Meriden for six years, Paul Ward feels the place has become friendlier.
"I think people are more inclined to stop and speak to one another because people recognise each others face from being involved," Mr Ward said.
"I guess it's had an impact in that way, bringing the community together and I feel that's emanated through other aspects where people get involved in more things like events that happen throughout the year.
Former Gypsy site, Meriden Work still needs to be done on the now vacated site to return it to its original state
"I hope it does continue because that's something positive that can come out of a negative event really."
The Gypsies have been given until 21 May to return the site to its original state, but in the end they decided to leave early.
Mr Mc Grath said fundraising in the village will continue, with a view to buying the land.
"I'm not ruling out a community-led initiative to offer a reasonable bid... and maybe turn the area into a nature reserve," he said.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Travellers leave King George VI Park in Ramsgate - Kent
From
TRAVELLERS who set up camp in King George VI park in Ramsgate have left.
Police had been conducting regular patrols of the area since several caravans arrived on Wednesday which grew to 15 caravans on the sirte by yesterday afternoon.
With a police presence and the threat of a court order next week, the Travellers moved on today.
Council workers will now clear the site of rubbish and repair any damage caused.
It is understood that park officers will review security on the site after the convoy of vehicles entered through the Victoria Parade entrance.
TRAVELLERS who set up camp in King George VI park in Ramsgate have left.
Police had been conducting regular patrols of the area since several caravans arrived on Wednesday which grew to 15 caravans on the sirte by yesterday afternoon.
With a police presence and the threat of a court order next week, the Travellers moved on today.
Council workers will now clear the site of rubbish and repair any damage caused.
It is understood that park officers will review security on the site after the convoy of vehicles entered through the Victoria Parade entrance.
Number of Gypsy pitches is ‘enormous’ for Barns Green - Sussex
From the West Sussex Gazette
Without an updated Gypsy and Traveller policy every application for more pitches in the district will go through, according to a campaigner.
Tracey Poulton, who lives in West Chiltington Lane, Itchingfield, called on residents to write to Horsham District Council and MP Francis Maude objecting to a new application for four additional permanent mobile homes and four touring caravans on Greenfield Farm in Valewood Lane, Barns Green.
In April 2012 she launched a campaign to create a ‘rational’ policy on all Gypsy and Traveller sites in the Horsham district.
If the four additional pitches were allowed - on top of the six already on Greenfield Farm and alongside the 11 pitches allowed on appeal at Kingfisher Farm in West Chiltington Lane - it would mean a total of 21 pitches.
“It’s an enormous number for a very small community,” Mrs Poulton said. “Every bit of the countryside might be in jeopardy of this happening. It has to be a collaborative approach to get a policy in place.”
She suggested that guidelines suggested a maximum of 15 pitches in one area.
She added: “They have a very neat site and they have been in the community for a long time, but it’s the speed of these applications.”
HDC is currently drawing up a Gypsy and Traveller policy that will sit alongside its new Local Development Framework, but until this is completed she and others fear any rejected applications will be overturned on appeal.
Three applications for Gypsy and Traveller pitches came to the council in October. One was deferred, another in Hampers Lane, Horsham, was rejected and is now being appealed, while a third on Greenfield Farm was accepted.
Objecting Billingshurst residents Ricky and Lynne Nye said: “We feel utterly let down by HDC who have not had the foresight or the ability to put in place a policy to properly take care of the Gypsy Traveller community for our district and share appropriately the responsibility in a joined up and cohesive manner.”
In the past year Mrs Poulton said most people had expressed real frustration to her that councillors were being territorial and not working together to get a policy in place.
Suffering the agony of losing the appeal at Kingfisher Farm convinced her and others to work constructively towards getting people to identify multiple small sites around the district where Gypsies and Travellers could settle.
Without an updated Gypsy and Traveller policy every application for more pitches in the district will go through, according to a campaigner.
Tracey Poulton, who lives in West Chiltington Lane, Itchingfield, called on residents to write to Horsham District Council and MP Francis Maude objecting to a new application for four additional permanent mobile homes and four touring caravans on Greenfield Farm in Valewood Lane, Barns Green.
In April 2012 she launched a campaign to create a ‘rational’ policy on all Gypsy and Traveller sites in the Horsham district.
If the four additional pitches were allowed - on top of the six already on Greenfield Farm and alongside the 11 pitches allowed on appeal at Kingfisher Farm in West Chiltington Lane - it would mean a total of 21 pitches.
“It’s an enormous number for a very small community,” Mrs Poulton said. “Every bit of the countryside might be in jeopardy of this happening. It has to be a collaborative approach to get a policy in place.”
She suggested that guidelines suggested a maximum of 15 pitches in one area.
She added: “They have a very neat site and they have been in the community for a long time, but it’s the speed of these applications.”
HDC is currently drawing up a Gypsy and Traveller policy that will sit alongside its new Local Development Framework, but until this is completed she and others fear any rejected applications will be overturned on appeal.
Three applications for Gypsy and Traveller pitches came to the council in October. One was deferred, another in Hampers Lane, Horsham, was rejected and is now being appealed, while a third on Greenfield Farm was accepted.
Objecting Billingshurst residents Ricky and Lynne Nye said: “We feel utterly let down by HDC who have not had the foresight or the ability to put in place a policy to properly take care of the Gypsy Traveller community for our district and share appropriately the responsibility in a joined up and cohesive manner.”
In the past year Mrs Poulton said most people had expressed real frustration to her that councillors were being territorial and not working together to get a policy in place.
Suffering the agony of losing the appeal at Kingfisher Farm convinced her and others to work constructively towards getting people to identify multiple small sites around the district where Gypsies and Travellers could settle.
Village ‘prepared for Gypsy site legal fight’ - Bedfordshire
From Luton Today
Angry Barton residents say they are prepared to take legal action to prevent a new Gypsy and Traveller site in the village.
At a meeting on Thursday (April 18), Central Bedfordshire Council gave the green light for its new Gypsy and Traveller plan to proceed to the consultation stage.
Villagers wearing ‘Save Our Green Belt’ T-shirts packed out the public gallery at the meeting, where 37 councillors voted in favour of the plan. Eleven voted against and there were five abstentions.
Councillor Nigel Young, in charge of the plan, said proceeding to public consultation did not mean the council had approved any of the sites.
“We really do understand that this has provoked strong reactions and the ‘shortlist’ of sites has certainly caused some debate.
“The support by council doesn’t amount to a decision on any of the sites – it simply means that it supports the publication of the full plan and ‘shortlist’ of sites for public consultation and submission to the Secretary of State.
“There is still a long way to go with this process. Any submissions made as part of the upcoming consultation will be provided to the Secretary of State. He will then appoint an independent planning inspector to examine the plan and process.
“There will then be a public examination in early 2014 after which the inspector will make his final ruling – either to support the plan or ask the council to look again.
“We would encourage people to give us their views when the consultation opens and we will let people know the dates for this as soon as we can.”
Richard Beechener, who lives close to the proposed Faldo Road site in Barton, said the Barton Residents’ Action Group was already seeking legal opinion from barristers.
“We were heartened by the councillors who spoke against the proposals. Several were uncomfortable that the process wasn’t as transparent as it should have been. The merits of each site were not openly discussed,” he said.
“The biggest thing is that the council has not done this in conjunction with rural communities.
“It is going to be very difficult for a village to embrace a site that has been imposed upon it.”
Angry Barton residents say they are prepared to take legal action to prevent a new Gypsy and Traveller site in the village.
At a meeting on Thursday (April 18), Central Bedfordshire Council gave the green light for its new Gypsy and Traveller plan to proceed to the consultation stage.
Villagers wearing ‘Save Our Green Belt’ T-shirts packed out the public gallery at the meeting, where 37 councillors voted in favour of the plan. Eleven voted against and there were five abstentions.
Councillor Nigel Young, in charge of the plan, said proceeding to public consultation did not mean the council had approved any of the sites.
“We really do understand that this has provoked strong reactions and the ‘shortlist’ of sites has certainly caused some debate.
“The support by council doesn’t amount to a decision on any of the sites – it simply means that it supports the publication of the full plan and ‘shortlist’ of sites for public consultation and submission to the Secretary of State.
“There is still a long way to go with this process. Any submissions made as part of the upcoming consultation will be provided to the Secretary of State. He will then appoint an independent planning inspector to examine the plan and process.
“There will then be a public examination in early 2014 after which the inspector will make his final ruling – either to support the plan or ask the council to look again.
“We would encourage people to give us their views when the consultation opens and we will let people know the dates for this as soon as we can.”
Richard Beechener, who lives close to the proposed Faldo Road site in Barton, said the Barton Residents’ Action Group was already seeking legal opinion from barristers.
“We were heartened by the councillors who spoke against the proposals. Several were uncomfortable that the process wasn’t as transparent as it should have been. The merits of each site were not openly discussed,” he said.
“The biggest thing is that the council has not done this in conjunction with rural communities.
“It is going to be very difficult for a village to embrace a site that has been imposed upon it.”
Police remove Traveller encampment from Chineham - Hampshire
From the Basingstoke Gazette
POLICE moved on Travellers in Chineham yesterday afternoon.
Three caravans had set up an encampment in Hanmore Road, opposite Busy Bee’s nursery. The group arrived on April 16 and police received numerous complaints from members of the public about mess and nuisance in the area. The encampment was also causing an obstruction to the highway.
Police used powers under the Road Traffic Act to move on the Travellers.
One of the Travellers spoke to The Gazette as police were moving the group off the site. Grandmother Mary Price, 49, said: “We had a letter at about 12 o’clock telling us we have to move by 3pm – half of us weren’t here then. There was no need for this amount of police.
“Why has all the taxpayers’ money been wasted, so that the police can watch us move? We said we were moving. Taxpayers’ money is being wasted.”
District Commander Chief Inspector Steve Wallace, said: “In using these powers, Hampshire Constabulary will always ensure that we balance the needs and rights of all our communities with actions that are proportionate, lawful and necessary.
“I hope this swift action to move the Travellers on from locations that were unsuitable will convey to all sections of the community that a robust approach will be taken against encampments within the law.
“We will continue to work closely with partner agencies and private landowners to manage unauthorised encampments and identify repeat locations where there has been criminality or disorder in order to target harden these sites.”
POLICE moved on Travellers in Chineham yesterday afternoon.
Three caravans had set up an encampment in Hanmore Road, opposite Busy Bee’s nursery. The group arrived on April 16 and police received numerous complaints from members of the public about mess and nuisance in the area. The encampment was also causing an obstruction to the highway.
Police used powers under the Road Traffic Act to move on the Travellers.
One of the Travellers spoke to The Gazette as police were moving the group off the site. Grandmother Mary Price, 49, said: “We had a letter at about 12 o’clock telling us we have to move by 3pm – half of us weren’t here then. There was no need for this amount of police.
“Why has all the taxpayers’ money been wasted, so that the police can watch us move? We said we were moving. Taxpayers’ money is being wasted.”
District Commander Chief Inspector Steve Wallace, said: “In using these powers, Hampshire Constabulary will always ensure that we balance the needs and rights of all our communities with actions that are proportionate, lawful and necessary.
“I hope this swift action to move the Travellers on from locations that were unsuitable will convey to all sections of the community that a robust approach will be taken against encampments within the law.
“We will continue to work closely with partner agencies and private landowners to manage unauthorised encampments and identify repeat locations where there has been criminality or disorder in order to target harden these sites.”
Travellers’ heritage on show at Leeds centre - Yorkshire
From the Yorkshire Evening post
More than 30 years of records and artefacts about Leeds’s Gypsy and Traveller heritage have been unveiled as part of a new learning and resource centre.
Thousands of items have been brought to Leeds GATE, in Cross Green Lane, Cross Green, to help educate all parts of the community and combine with a new job shop and training centre for Travellers at the facility.
Leeds central MP Hilary Benn was on hand to officially unveil the centre and archive material at a ceremony yesterday, which also celebrated 10 years since Leeds GATE was first set up.
Mountains of archive material, collected by Leeds City Council’s Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service (GRTAS), was moved into storage from the condemned West Park Centre in October last year but it is now open to the public once again.
Mr Benn said: “I think it’s about learning about each other and respecting each other and it works both ways – it’s about improving understanding and if we do that we will all benefit.”
The library of material covers everything from rare books on Gypsy law and music to language, history and housing.
The adjoining jobs and training centre has been set up with the help of a grant from the Department of Work and Pensions to help improve skills and educate Leeds Travellers as well as the wider community.
Helen Jones, chief executive of Leeds GATE, said: “Gypsies and Travellers are distinctly disadvantaged and obviously education is one of the key issues but it’s improving significantly for young people.
“It’s to encourage parents to have an encouraging attitude towards education.”
She said she hopes parts of the archive will be used by school groups to enhance skills and cultural awareness.
The opening also saw the One in a Million charity tribute song, penned by young Leeds Travellers, played in memory of late former Leeds GATE worker Kathleen Lowther Morrison.
Claire Lockwood, manager of GRTAS, said: “It’s really the ideal place for this archive to be.”
More than 30 years of records and artefacts about Leeds’s Gypsy and Traveller heritage have been unveiled as part of a new learning and resource centre.
Thousands of items have been brought to Leeds GATE, in Cross Green Lane, Cross Green, to help educate all parts of the community and combine with a new job shop and training centre for Travellers at the facility.
Leeds central MP Hilary Benn was on hand to officially unveil the centre and archive material at a ceremony yesterday, which also celebrated 10 years since Leeds GATE was first set up.
Mountains of archive material, collected by Leeds City Council’s Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service (GRTAS), was moved into storage from the condemned West Park Centre in October last year but it is now open to the public once again.
Mr Benn said: “I think it’s about learning about each other and respecting each other and it works both ways – it’s about improving understanding and if we do that we will all benefit.”
The library of material covers everything from rare books on Gypsy law and music to language, history and housing.
The adjoining jobs and training centre has been set up with the help of a grant from the Department of Work and Pensions to help improve skills and educate Leeds Travellers as well as the wider community.
Helen Jones, chief executive of Leeds GATE, said: “Gypsies and Travellers are distinctly disadvantaged and obviously education is one of the key issues but it’s improving significantly for young people.
“It’s to encourage parents to have an encouraging attitude towards education.”
She said she hopes parts of the archive will be used by school groups to enhance skills and cultural awareness.
The opening also saw the One in a Million charity tribute song, penned by young Leeds Travellers, played in memory of late former Leeds GATE worker Kathleen Lowther Morrison.
Claire Lockwood, manager of GRTAS, said: “It’s really the ideal place for this archive to be.”
Friday, 26 April 2013
Villagers in Langham submit application for Gypsy site - Rutland
From the Rutland Times
Villagers have submitted plans for a new Travellers site at Ashwell because they say it is a better location than one being used in Langham.
A group of seven villagers in Langham, led by Richard Clifton, 42, of Well Street, submitted the application on Monday for a Travellers site on a sports field at the Ashwell Prison site. They hope this will mean the Lee and Price family, who are Romany Gypsies, currently living at The Paddocks in Langham, could move there.
Even if the villagers secure permission, that would not mean the family had to move .
Mr Clifton, a charity director, said: “A Travellers site is not appropriate on that site and it was supposed to be a temporary solution. We can understand they want to be part of the community and as a parish we want to support that but we also want to protect a greenfield site.”
The council bought the prison from the Ministry of Justice to develop the site into a business park.
The residents’ group believes it is more suitable because it is council owned and a brownfield site.
He said there had been no problems with the Lea and Price family. He said: “It’s not a case of we don’t want them in our back yard at all. We have nothing against them.”
The families were given temporary permission for the site in Oakham Road for five years in 2008. In 2011, the family applied for permanent permission but instead the temporary permission was extended until December next year.
The family have again applied for permanent permission and are waiting to hear the outcome.
The family say they have made a home at the site and are determined to stay put.
Lucy Price said: “If someone asked you to move house, would you be so eager to do it? We have put all our savings into this site and we like it here. If we don’t get permanent permission we will fight it.”
There is another Travellers site with temporary permission near Langham, but residents say it is on brownfield land.
Rutland County Council’s development control and committee is due to consider plans to redevelop Ashwell Prison on Tuesday.
The council would not comment on whether it would consider using the prison site for a Travellers site so as not to prejudice the planning process
Villagers have submitted plans for a new Travellers site at Ashwell because they say it is a better location than one being used in Langham.
A group of seven villagers in Langham, led by Richard Clifton, 42, of Well Street, submitted the application on Monday for a Travellers site on a sports field at the Ashwell Prison site. They hope this will mean the Lee and Price family, who are Romany Gypsies, currently living at The Paddocks in Langham, could move there.
Even if the villagers secure permission, that would not mean the family had to move .
Mr Clifton, a charity director, said: “A Travellers site is not appropriate on that site and it was supposed to be a temporary solution. We can understand they want to be part of the community and as a parish we want to support that but we also want to protect a greenfield site.”
The council bought the prison from the Ministry of Justice to develop the site into a business park.
The residents’ group believes it is more suitable because it is council owned and a brownfield site.
He said there had been no problems with the Lea and Price family. He said: “It’s not a case of we don’t want them in our back yard at all. We have nothing against them.”
The families were given temporary permission for the site in Oakham Road for five years in 2008. In 2011, the family applied for permanent permission but instead the temporary permission was extended until December next year.
The family have again applied for permanent permission and are waiting to hear the outcome.
The family say they have made a home at the site and are determined to stay put.
Lucy Price said: “If someone asked you to move house, would you be so eager to do it? We have put all our savings into this site and we like it here. If we don’t get permanent permission we will fight it.”
There is another Travellers site with temporary permission near Langham, but residents say it is on brownfield land.
Rutland County Council’s development control and committee is due to consider plans to redevelop Ashwell Prison on Tuesday.
The council would not comment on whether it would consider using the prison site for a Travellers site so as not to prejudice the planning process
Peel Holdings bid to remove Travellers from Wirral docklands site - Merseyside
From the Wirral News
A MAJOR Merseyside landowner says it is working with police to remove Travellers from one of its dockside sites.
Around a dozen caravans plus cars arrived on the South Bidston site, next to the Bidston Moss recycling centre, earlier this week.
The site is owned by Peel Holdings, the company which is seeking to redevelop the Birkenhead and Wallasey dockland area.
A Wirral council spokesman said they were aware a number of caravans were on the land, just off Wallasey Bridge Road and the authority was “ready to help and work alongside the landowner if needed”.
But Ian Pollitt, development investment surveyor at Peel said, “The Travellers are on Peel’s land without our permission.
“We are liaising with the Port Police and Merseyside Police to resolve the matter.”
A MAJOR Merseyside landowner says it is working with police to remove Travellers from one of its dockside sites.
Around a dozen caravans plus cars arrived on the South Bidston site, next to the Bidston Moss recycling centre, earlier this week.
The site is owned by Peel Holdings, the company which is seeking to redevelop the Birkenhead and Wallasey dockland area.
A Wirral council spokesman said they were aware a number of caravans were on the land, just off Wallasey Bridge Road and the authority was “ready to help and work alongside the landowner if needed”.
But Ian Pollitt, development investment surveyor at Peel said, “The Travellers are on Peel’s land without our permission.
“We are liaising with the Port Police and Merseyside Police to resolve the matter.”
Residents want Travellers to leave Sully site - Glamorgan
From the Penarth Times
TWO hundred residents attended a public meeting over the unauthorised Traveller site in Sully last Friday.
The two-hour meeting saw concerned locals, as well as a small group of the Travellers, cram into the Old School Hall on South Road – and the Sully homeowners wasted no time making it clear that they want the travelling community out.
At one point a unanimous show of hands saw all but one person agree that the Travellers should move on with Sully Community Council chair Lino Scaglioni saying he felt the Vale Council had aided and abetted the Travellers in a dereliction of its duties to the residents of Sully.
Around ten Travellers living at the former civic amenity site on Hayes Road were at the meeting. The Travellers moved on to the site in January 2011, after vacating the former Billybanks site in Penarth.
But the Vale of Glamorgan Council, who own the site, have warned that any legal action to evict them would be likely to fail because the Vale does not have a permanent site for them, as demanded by legislation.
The public meeting was called by Sully councillors Cllr Bob Penrose and Cllr Kevin Mahoney after residents grew tired about the lack of action.
Cllr Penrose said: “The fact is that the site the Travellers are using is unsuitable.
It is in the shadow of a chemical complex and sited next to a college for autistic youngsters.
“The Vale can solve the problem by doing the research and looking for a permanent site but they have buried the issue in the new LDP.”
Cllr Mahoney called on villagers to help them with the fight. “We need people who feel strongly about this,” he said. “Without a fight the situation will continue.”
During the meeting Travellers were asked where they would like to go, One Traveller, Amy, said in a prepared statement: “Many of us here would love to save up and buy a piece of land somewhere rural and all live together there – keeping animals and growing veg – but planning permission for this kind of project is very difficult and expensive to obtain.
“Of course it would be great to have a permanent place to live however in these difficult financial times we do not feel any need to put pressure on the council to spend much needed funds on finding and developing a permanent site.
“They have many more important things to spend their money on than us.”
The meeting decided a committee would be set up to produce formal options for appraisal on the best way forward with a representative of the Travellers being invited to be a member.
Speaking on Tuesday, Cllr Penrose said: “I was encouraged by the numbers and the attendance of the Travellers as it is important to give both sides of the argument. I was disappointed no paid officers from the council were present.”
TWO hundred residents attended a public meeting over the unauthorised Traveller site in Sully last Friday.
The two-hour meeting saw concerned locals, as well as a small group of the Travellers, cram into the Old School Hall on South Road – and the Sully homeowners wasted no time making it clear that they want the travelling community out.
At one point a unanimous show of hands saw all but one person agree that the Travellers should move on with Sully Community Council chair Lino Scaglioni saying he felt the Vale Council had aided and abetted the Travellers in a dereliction of its duties to the residents of Sully.
Around ten Travellers living at the former civic amenity site on Hayes Road were at the meeting. The Travellers moved on to the site in January 2011, after vacating the former Billybanks site in Penarth.
But the Vale of Glamorgan Council, who own the site, have warned that any legal action to evict them would be likely to fail because the Vale does not have a permanent site for them, as demanded by legislation.
The public meeting was called by Sully councillors Cllr Bob Penrose and Cllr Kevin Mahoney after residents grew tired about the lack of action.
Cllr Penrose said: “The fact is that the site the Travellers are using is unsuitable.
It is in the shadow of a chemical complex and sited next to a college for autistic youngsters.
“The Vale can solve the problem by doing the research and looking for a permanent site but they have buried the issue in the new LDP.”
Cllr Mahoney called on villagers to help them with the fight. “We need people who feel strongly about this,” he said. “Without a fight the situation will continue.”
During the meeting Travellers were asked where they would like to go, One Traveller, Amy, said in a prepared statement: “Many of us here would love to save up and buy a piece of land somewhere rural and all live together there – keeping animals and growing veg – but planning permission for this kind of project is very difficult and expensive to obtain.
“Of course it would be great to have a permanent place to live however in these difficult financial times we do not feel any need to put pressure on the council to spend much needed funds on finding and developing a permanent site.
“They have many more important things to spend their money on than us.”
The meeting decided a committee would be set up to produce formal options for appraisal on the best way forward with a representative of the Travellers being invited to be a member.
Speaking on Tuesday, Cllr Penrose said: “I was encouraged by the numbers and the attendance of the Travellers as it is important to give both sides of the argument. I was disappointed no paid officers from the council were present.”
A new home for English Gypsies and Irish Travellers - Surrey
From the Kingston Courier
The local council has started planning the reallocation of the English Gypsies and the Irish Travellers that are temporarily settled in Swallow Park, Tolworth and Clayton Road.
The meeting on March 14 was the first step toward a public consultation that will be held in the next months, to decide where the Gypsies and Travellers will be allowed to park their caravans, and have access to water and electricity.
There are three sites that are considered to be suitable to host the Gypsies: Industrial Units, 52-58 Lower Marsh Lane, Kingston; land at Apsley Road and Wellington Crescent, New Malden; the Kingston Boys Club and adjacent land, Hampden Road, Kingston.
Darren Richards, head of Planning and Transport for the royal borough of Kingston, said: “All our work at the moment is to consider the various options and find the best solution both for the English Gypsies, the Irish Travellers, but also for the local communities.”
The draft of the Development Plan Document has been approved and it is set to be presented for public consultation.
The presence of the English Gypsies in the Hook Rise North does not seem to create any problem to locals, which seem to have very sporadic contact with them.
An employee of a nearby nursery said: "We never had any problem whatsoever. They always stay in their area and I never saw them going around too much."
A local football club’s employees, Mark (25), said: "I can only speak for us. We never had any problem with them. They never come here, and they never interfere with us. Usually people think that they cause only problems wherever they go, but I have to say that they are really peaceful and I never heard anybody complaining about them."
The local council has started planning the reallocation of the English Gypsies and the Irish Travellers that are temporarily settled in Swallow Park, Tolworth and Clayton Road.
The meeting on March 14 was the first step toward a public consultation that will be held in the next months, to decide where the Gypsies and Travellers will be allowed to park their caravans, and have access to water and electricity.
There are three sites that are considered to be suitable to host the Gypsies: Industrial Units, 52-58 Lower Marsh Lane, Kingston; land at Apsley Road and Wellington Crescent, New Malden; the Kingston Boys Club and adjacent land, Hampden Road, Kingston.
Darren Richards, head of Planning and Transport for the royal borough of Kingston, said: “All our work at the moment is to consider the various options and find the best solution both for the English Gypsies, the Irish Travellers, but also for the local communities.”
The draft of the Development Plan Document has been approved and it is set to be presented for public consultation.
The presence of the English Gypsies in the Hook Rise North does not seem to create any problem to locals, which seem to have very sporadic contact with them.
An employee of a nearby nursery said: "We never had any problem whatsoever. They always stay in their area and I never saw them going around too much."
A local football club’s employees, Mark (25), said: "I can only speak for us. We never had any problem with them. They never come here, and they never interfere with us. Usually people think that they cause only problems wherever they go, but I have to say that they are really peaceful and I never heard anybody complaining about them."
Travellers move on from site at Aberdeen Sports Village - Aberdeenshire
From the Evening Express
MORE than 17 caravans have moved from an unauthorised site in Aberdeen.
The Travellers pitched up at King’s Links on waste ground near Aberdeen Sports Village last Thursday.
But, following court action by Aberdeen City Council, the group left last night.
Another camp was set up in a residential area just off King Street last night – not far from Aberdeen Sports Village.
It was not known if the Travellers were part of the group which had been at the sports village.
MORE than 17 caravans have moved from an unauthorised site in Aberdeen.
The Travellers pitched up at King’s Links on waste ground near Aberdeen Sports Village last Thursday.
But, following court action by Aberdeen City Council, the group left last night.
Another camp was set up in a residential area just off King Street last night – not far from Aberdeen Sports Village.
It was not known if the Travellers were part of the group which had been at the sports village.
Gas explosion at Paices Hill Travellers site - Berkshire
From the BBC
A gas cylinder exploded and caused a fire at a Travellers site in Berkshire.
About 100 people had to leave the Paices Hill site near Aldermaston, after the explosion inside a temporary cabin, the fire service said.
The structure was completely destroyed and a 200m (656ft) cordon put in place, shutting part of the A340 road.
Thames Valley Police said an officer driving past the site saw the blaze and a number of gas canisters appeared to have been set alight.
About 25 firefighters were called shortly before 17:00 BST. The fire has been put out and the scene made safe.
A spokesman for Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the cylinders that remained in the cabin were not thought to pose a risk.
The blaze was discovered at 16:50 BST by a police officer who noticed "a large amount of smoke and heard an explosion on some wasteland near to the Travellers site".
A spokesperson said: "A number of gas canisters appear to have been set alight.
"The A340 is closed near to the site and is likely to remain so for some hours while the fire brigade ensure the area is safe."
West Berkshire Council was speaking to residents to arrange temporary accommodation for those who require it.
see also: The Newbury and Thatcham Chronicle - Neighbours evacuated after blaze at Travellers site
A gas cylinder exploded and caused a fire at a Travellers site in Berkshire.
About 100 people had to leave the Paices Hill site near Aldermaston, after the explosion inside a temporary cabin, the fire service said.
The structure was completely destroyed and a 200m (656ft) cordon put in place, shutting part of the A340 road.
Thames Valley Police said an officer driving past the site saw the blaze and a number of gas canisters appeared to have been set alight.
About 25 firefighters were called shortly before 17:00 BST. The fire has been put out and the scene made safe.
A spokesman for Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the cylinders that remained in the cabin were not thought to pose a risk.
The blaze was discovered at 16:50 BST by a police officer who noticed "a large amount of smoke and heard an explosion on some wasteland near to the Travellers site".
A spokesperson said: "A number of gas canisters appear to have been set alight.
"The A340 is closed near to the site and is likely to remain so for some hours while the fire brigade ensure the area is safe."
West Berkshire Council was speaking to residents to arrange temporary accommodation for those who require it.
see also: The Newbury and Thatcham Chronicle - Neighbours evacuated after blaze at Travellers site
Travellers to leave Coronation Recreation Ground, Hersham - Surrey
From the Elmbridge Guardian
A group of Travellers, who set up home in the car park of a Hersham recreation ground, have agreed to leave the site by the weekend.
The Travellers, thought to be three families, arrived at Coronation Recreation Ground sometime between Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21.
Councillor Mary Sheldon, representing Hersham North said: "I am assured that they (the council) will do everything they can to make sure that Coronation Rec is left clean and free of rubbish when the Travellers depart at the weekend.
"Let’s hope the newly tarmacked car park is not too messed up. It looked so good after it had recently been resurfaced and re-lined."
An Elmbridge Council spokeswoman said: "The Travellers in Hersham at Coronation Recreation Ground have agreed to leave the site by this Saturday."
A group of Travellers, who set up home in the car park of a Hersham recreation ground, have agreed to leave the site by the weekend.
The Travellers, thought to be three families, arrived at Coronation Recreation Ground sometime between Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21.
Councillor Mary Sheldon, representing Hersham North said: "I am assured that they (the council) will do everything they can to make sure that Coronation Rec is left clean and free of rubbish when the Travellers depart at the weekend.
"Let’s hope the newly tarmacked car park is not too messed up. It looked so good after it had recently been resurfaced and re-lined."
An Elmbridge Council spokeswoman said: "The Travellers in Hersham at Coronation Recreation Ground have agreed to leave the site by this Saturday."
Harlow Council secures court order to evict Travellers from Latton Common - Essex
From the Harlow Star
TRAVELLERS trespassing on Latton Common will be forced to move on after Harlow Council today (Friday, April 26) secured a court order for possession of the land.
The order - which was granted by a judge at Chelmsford County Court earlier this afternoon - comes into force immediately.
The council will be serving court papers to the Travellers - none of whom attended court - within the next few hours.
If they refuse to accept the terms of the order, the council is permitted to take action to evict them.
Councillor Emma Toal, cabinet member for youth & citizenship, said: “I know the legal process we have to follow for illegal encampments can be frustrating for residents but now we have the possession order we can legally evict the Travellers.
“We will be serving the court papers to the Travellers today. As we have always said this is about protecting the town’s green spaces and upholding the law.
“We are taking steps to protect other land and we are encouraging private landowners and businesses to ensure that their property is also secure.
“We have already started to clean up the area and as soon as the Travellers leave this work will continue so residents can once again enjoy the common.”
The convoy of around 20 caravans rolled onto the council-owned land last Friday (April 19).
The Star understands the group had originally agreed to leave Harlow after attending a wedding at the Maypole Sports & Social Club on London Road last Saturday, but stayed on after being offered gardening work in the local area.
see also: Harlow Council - Latton Common - Council awarded order for possession of land
TRAVELLERS trespassing on Latton Common will be forced to move on after Harlow Council today (Friday, April 26) secured a court order for possession of the land.
The order - which was granted by a judge at Chelmsford County Court earlier this afternoon - comes into force immediately.
The council will be serving court papers to the Travellers - none of whom attended court - within the next few hours.
If they refuse to accept the terms of the order, the council is permitted to take action to evict them.
Councillor Emma Toal, cabinet member for youth & citizenship, said: “I know the legal process we have to follow for illegal encampments can be frustrating for residents but now we have the possession order we can legally evict the Travellers.
“We will be serving the court papers to the Travellers today. As we have always said this is about protecting the town’s green spaces and upholding the law.
“We are taking steps to protect other land and we are encouraging private landowners and businesses to ensure that their property is also secure.
“We have already started to clean up the area and as soon as the Travellers leave this work will continue so residents can once again enjoy the common.”
The convoy of around 20 caravans rolled onto the council-owned land last Friday (April 19).
The Star understands the group had originally agreed to leave Harlow after attending a wedding at the Maypole Sports & Social Club on London Road last Saturday, but stayed on after being offered gardening work in the local area.
see also: Harlow Council - Latton Common - Council awarded order for possession of land
Travellers ordered to leave Darwen site - Lancashire
From the Lancashire Telegraph
TRAVELLERS who settled near Darwen Services have been given notice to move by the police.
The Travellers had previously been at Anchor Road before moving to the site just off the M65.
Sgt Dave Sherrington, of Darwen’s neighbourhood policing team, said the Travellers had agreed to move on.
He said: “They told us that one of their cohort was having a child at Burnley General Hospital, which is why they settled in the area.
“They were to be given notice to leave yesterday.
“They said they would be moving on to Manchester for a while, and then on to London.
“As soon as Travellers arrive anywhere we tend to get complaints.”
Earcroft councillor Trevor Maxfield said he would be glad to see the back of the Travellers. He said: “Wherever they go they always tend to get a bad reception from locals.
“If they had a legitimate reason to be in the area then that is fair enough but I am glad they are moving on.
“Hopefully they will go without leaving a mess behind.
“And I hope that when they do go, they will go for good and not be pitching back up in another part of Darwen in six months time.”
Craig Fishwick, partner at chartered accountants Hayes and Co, in Dalton Court, said there had been problems with Travellers using the site for some time.
He said: “We have had to employ 24-hour security as the police and the council have been toothless.
“That has been a nightmare in lost time and extra costs.
“They come and spend five or six days in the area before leaving a trail of destruction behind them.
“And it is inevitable that we will get more Travellers, either from this group or another group, coming back to the area. It doesn’t make for a pleasant working environment.”
TRAVELLERS who settled near Darwen Services have been given notice to move by the police.
The Travellers had previously been at Anchor Road before moving to the site just off the M65.
Sgt Dave Sherrington, of Darwen’s neighbourhood policing team, said the Travellers had agreed to move on.
He said: “They told us that one of their cohort was having a child at Burnley General Hospital, which is why they settled in the area.
“They were to be given notice to leave yesterday.
“They said they would be moving on to Manchester for a while, and then on to London.
“As soon as Travellers arrive anywhere we tend to get complaints.”
Earcroft councillor Trevor Maxfield said he would be glad to see the back of the Travellers. He said: “Wherever they go they always tend to get a bad reception from locals.
“If they had a legitimate reason to be in the area then that is fair enough but I am glad they are moving on.
“Hopefully they will go without leaving a mess behind.
“And I hope that when they do go, they will go for good and not be pitching back up in another part of Darwen in six months time.”
Craig Fishwick, partner at chartered accountants Hayes and Co, in Dalton Court, said there had been problems with Travellers using the site for some time.
He said: “We have had to employ 24-hour security as the police and the council have been toothless.
“That has been a nightmare in lost time and extra costs.
“They come and spend five or six days in the area before leaving a trail of destruction behind them.
“And it is inevitable that we will get more Travellers, either from this group or another group, coming back to the area. It doesn’t make for a pleasant working environment.”
£6,000 cost of Travellers' three-day stay in Sevenoaks - Kent
From This Is Kent
TRAVELLERS who closed two Sevenoaks schools by camping in their car park have saddled parents and taxpayers with a £6,200 bill.
The price-tag for their three-night stay in Crampton's Road, Bat and Ball, includes clean-up costs, lost income and damaged property.
Sevenoaks Day Nursery – a charity – had to hire a skip to remove broken and soiled toys taken from the school's playground by Traveller children. It says the episode has cost an estimated £5,000.
The neighbouring Hollybush Montessori is £700 out of pocket through lost fees during the two days it had to close.
And Sevenoaks Town Council is down £500 in legal and clean-up costs – its refuse team had to shift four truck-loads of rubbish when the caravans moved on.
Mayor Richard Parry said the authority was now pulling a dossier together detailing the events of last week and the aftermath.
It will use the report as a basis to lobby both the Government and Europe for a rethink on the way illegal Traveller camps are tackled.
He said: "I'm very concerned that a small number of people were able to cause so much destruction and inconvenience and generally make life so unpleasant for residents, workers and visitors to Sevenoaks.
"If ordinary citizens behaved in such a manner they would be dealt with quickly. We must ensure that society's rules apply to everyone equally."
The first Travellers pulled two caravans into the car park on Sunday April 14.
Within two days, six more had pitched up.
Until that point, both schools had battled to stay open – despite their toys being taken, their parents verbally abused and rubbish dumped around the play areas.
But teachers pulled the plug on lessons and sent more than 50 under-fives home when a parent, who had been trying to protect his child from a dog that was roaming the camp, was threatened by an irate Traveller.
The next day, having followed a strict legal process, Sevenoaks Town Council was able to issue eviction notices on the camp, but five caravans had already slipped away.
The remaining three left last Wednesday evening – just 24 hours before bailiffs and police were due to evict them.
Delphine Bruch, from Hollybush Montessori said: "The council cleared rubbish from the site last Thursday and we reopened on Friday."
Sevenoaks Day Nursery parents and staff spent Thursday salvaging toys that had been taken and then abandoned by Traveller children.
"Most were too badly damaged or soiled to be saved," said mum Tara Douglas.
"But we've been inundated with offers of support and replacement toys.
"The public has been incredible.
"Sainsbury's in Otford Road has donated £50 of outdoor toys and is letting us use their lobby to collect donations and Active Kids Vouchers this Saturday.
"Cyclepods in Westerham has also offered help. And the town council says we can use the community centre for free for a fundraising quiz night in June.
"We'll be using some of the money we raise to improve security and hopefully prevent this sort of thing happening again."
Sevenoaks Town Council, which owns the car park, says it will now be installing height barriers to make the land inaccessible for caravans.
TRAVELLERS who closed two Sevenoaks schools by camping in their car park have saddled parents and taxpayers with a £6,200 bill.
The price-tag for their three-night stay in Crampton's Road, Bat and Ball, includes clean-up costs, lost income and damaged property.
Sevenoaks Day Nursery – a charity – had to hire a skip to remove broken and soiled toys taken from the school's playground by Traveller children. It says the episode has cost an estimated £5,000.
The neighbouring Hollybush Montessori is £700 out of pocket through lost fees during the two days it had to close.
And Sevenoaks Town Council is down £500 in legal and clean-up costs – its refuse team had to shift four truck-loads of rubbish when the caravans moved on.
Mayor Richard Parry said the authority was now pulling a dossier together detailing the events of last week and the aftermath.
It will use the report as a basis to lobby both the Government and Europe for a rethink on the way illegal Traveller camps are tackled.
He said: "I'm very concerned that a small number of people were able to cause so much destruction and inconvenience and generally make life so unpleasant for residents, workers and visitors to Sevenoaks.
"If ordinary citizens behaved in such a manner they would be dealt with quickly. We must ensure that society's rules apply to everyone equally."
The first Travellers pulled two caravans into the car park on Sunday April 14.
Within two days, six more had pitched up.
Until that point, both schools had battled to stay open – despite their toys being taken, their parents verbally abused and rubbish dumped around the play areas.
But teachers pulled the plug on lessons and sent more than 50 under-fives home when a parent, who had been trying to protect his child from a dog that was roaming the camp, was threatened by an irate Traveller.
The next day, having followed a strict legal process, Sevenoaks Town Council was able to issue eviction notices on the camp, but five caravans had already slipped away.
The remaining three left last Wednesday evening – just 24 hours before bailiffs and police were due to evict them.
Delphine Bruch, from Hollybush Montessori said: "The council cleared rubbish from the site last Thursday and we reopened on Friday."
Sevenoaks Day Nursery parents and staff spent Thursday salvaging toys that had been taken and then abandoned by Traveller children.
"Most were too badly damaged or soiled to be saved," said mum Tara Douglas.
"But we've been inundated with offers of support and replacement toys.
"The public has been incredible.
"Sainsbury's in Otford Road has donated £50 of outdoor toys and is letting us use their lobby to collect donations and Active Kids Vouchers this Saturday.
"Cyclepods in Westerham has also offered help. And the town council says we can use the community centre for free for a fundraising quiz night in June.
"We'll be using some of the money we raise to improve security and hopefully prevent this sort of thing happening again."
Sevenoaks Town Council, which owns the car park, says it will now be installing height barriers to make the land inaccessible for caravans.
Developer serves Trespass Notice to Travellers on site - Suffolk
From the Bury Free Press
Travellers moved on to Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds, last weekend.
The group, which is illegally encamped on land belonging to Taylor Wimpey, off Lady Miriam Way, has been served with a Common Law Trespass Notice to leave the site by 8am on Friday.
A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: “If the group does not comply with the terms of the notice, we will commence the legal eviction process.”
Travellers moved on to Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds, last weekend.
The group, which is illegally encamped on land belonging to Taylor Wimpey, off Lady Miriam Way, has been served with a Common Law Trespass Notice to leave the site by 8am on Friday.
A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: “If the group does not comply with the terms of the notice, we will commence the legal eviction process.”
Thursday, 25 April 2013
Cardiff's search for Gypsy and Traveller community pitches goes city wide
From Wales Online
More than 100 extra pitches are needed to accommodate Cardiff’s Gypsy and Traveller community which is expected to grow by 51% over the next 14 years, a new council study has found.
A previous study had suggested 194 pitches were needed up to 2018 and they should be provided within 2km of the existing camps in the capital’s south-east.
But Cardiff council’s cabinet member for planning boss Ralph Cook said the figure had been revised down and the authority had widened the search for new sites to the entire city.
The council currently manages two Gypsy and Traveller sites at Rover Way in Tremorfa and Shirenewton in Wentloog, which have a combined 80 pitches.
Consultants hired by the council attempted to interview every Gypsy and Traveller family in Cardiff to establish the demand for more pitches in the future.
Of those interviewed, 73% said they were either “very satisfied” or “fairly satisfied” with their site. Only 13% expressed dissatisfaction – almost all from Rover Way.
However, 86% said improvements were needed. These include dealing with dogs, site management, road surfaces, safety and pest control.
The Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Study also found:
* 80% of respondents had lived in Cardiff for the past five years or more;
* 95% had not travelled in the past 12 months;
* 78% identified themselves as Romany Gypsy and 10% as Irish Traveller;
* 49% of all household members were aged 16 or under;
* 6% were working in a permanent job, 52% were looking after family, 17% were retired and 9% sick or disabled.
An extra 108 pitches are needed up to 2026, according to the study.
Proposed sites will be announced ahead of the publication of the deposit Local Development Plan (LDP) in September. A public consultation will follow.
Coun Cook said nowhere had been “ruled in or out” of consideration and sites would be assessed against a new set of criteria, such as access to services.
“The Gypsy/Traveller community and the sedentary community have co-existed in Cardiff for about 50 years with few issues. There is no reason at all that anyone should fear a site being proposed not far from where they live,” he said.
Councillor Judith Woodman, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said Gypsy/Travellers had previously said they would want to live in the vicinity of the existing sites.
The new study also found there was a need for a transit site of about 10 pitches located near the M4. Cardiff wants to talk to neighbouring councils about whether they could accommodate it.
A separate study is looking at options for the future of the Rover Way site, which could include relocation. Residents have previously told WalesOnline they don’t want to move.
More than 100 extra pitches are needed to accommodate Cardiff’s Gypsy and Traveller community which is expected to grow by 51% over the next 14 years, a new council study has found.
A previous study had suggested 194 pitches were needed up to 2018 and they should be provided within 2km of the existing camps in the capital’s south-east.
But Cardiff council’s cabinet member for planning boss Ralph Cook said the figure had been revised down and the authority had widened the search for new sites to the entire city.
The council currently manages two Gypsy and Traveller sites at Rover Way in Tremorfa and Shirenewton in Wentloog, which have a combined 80 pitches.
Consultants hired by the council attempted to interview every Gypsy and Traveller family in Cardiff to establish the demand for more pitches in the future.
Of those interviewed, 73% said they were either “very satisfied” or “fairly satisfied” with their site. Only 13% expressed dissatisfaction – almost all from Rover Way.
However, 86% said improvements were needed. These include dealing with dogs, site management, road surfaces, safety and pest control.
The Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Study also found:
* 80% of respondents had lived in Cardiff for the past five years or more;
* 95% had not travelled in the past 12 months;
* 78% identified themselves as Romany Gypsy and 10% as Irish Traveller;
* 49% of all household members were aged 16 or under;
* 6% were working in a permanent job, 52% were looking after family, 17% were retired and 9% sick or disabled.
An extra 108 pitches are needed up to 2026, according to the study.
Proposed sites will be announced ahead of the publication of the deposit Local Development Plan (LDP) in September. A public consultation will follow.
Coun Cook said nowhere had been “ruled in or out” of consideration and sites would be assessed against a new set of criteria, such as access to services.
“The Gypsy/Traveller community and the sedentary community have co-existed in Cardiff for about 50 years with few issues. There is no reason at all that anyone should fear a site being proposed not far from where they live,” he said.
Councillor Judith Woodman, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said Gypsy/Travellers had previously said they would want to live in the vicinity of the existing sites.
The new study also found there was a need for a transit site of about 10 pitches located near the M4. Cardiff wants to talk to neighbouring councils about whether they could accommodate it.
A separate study is looking at options for the future of the Rover Way site, which could include relocation. Residents have previously told WalesOnline they don’t want to move.
Newport Gypsy site still on cards despite £5m price
From the South Wales Argus
A Gypsy site in the south of Newport is still on the cards despite claims it could lose the city’s council £5 million.
Last night a Newport council scrutiny committee stuck to its list of recommendations for Gypsy sites in Newport, albeit removing two said by officers to be unworkable.
But a recommendation for a residential Gypsy and traveller site at the Road Safety Centre in Hartridge Farm Road, which the council had wanted to sell to fund a school, was kept in.
The committee’s recommendations for sites to be added to the local development plan (LDP) will now go to cabinet, but the final plan will need the approval of the whole council.
The Argus revealed on Tuesday that a confidential officer valuation said the council stood to lose as much as £5 million if the site was not sold to help pay off the £29 million spent on Llanwern High School as intended.
The meeting followed officer assessment work into the results of a public consultation by a panel within the committee, which resulted in 7,000 responses last year.
Planning officer Mark Hand told the meeting it faced the options of using the large site at Hartridge, which could accommodate three families, or face the prospect of having to split families up on smaller sites. Gareth Price, head of law and standards, said there would be human rights implications if a family was split up.
Councillor Paul Hannon, member of the scrutiny committee for community planning and development, said the value attached to the site was a “hope value”, and that the site values were “arguable”.
He said it was sad a “speedy resolution has been frustrated for what seems to me to be no good reason”.
Hartridge site is preferred
THE group’s recommendations to cabinet are:
● The Road Safety Centre at Hartridge Farm Road as a preferred residential site that could accommodate three families.
● The former Ringland Allotments site as a back-up resdential site if needed
● Land at Celtic Way, Marshfield, as a transit site.
However, two sites from the original recommendations – a transit site at A449 which raised Welsh Government objections over the use of slipways, and a site at Brickyard Lane in Allt-yr-Yn – were dropped.
A Gypsy site in the south of Newport is still on the cards despite claims it could lose the city’s council £5 million.
Last night a Newport council scrutiny committee stuck to its list of recommendations for Gypsy sites in Newport, albeit removing two said by officers to be unworkable.
But a recommendation for a residential Gypsy and traveller site at the Road Safety Centre in Hartridge Farm Road, which the council had wanted to sell to fund a school, was kept in.
The committee’s recommendations for sites to be added to the local development plan (LDP) will now go to cabinet, but the final plan will need the approval of the whole council.
The Argus revealed on Tuesday that a confidential officer valuation said the council stood to lose as much as £5 million if the site was not sold to help pay off the £29 million spent on Llanwern High School as intended.
The meeting followed officer assessment work into the results of a public consultation by a panel within the committee, which resulted in 7,000 responses last year.
Planning officer Mark Hand told the meeting it faced the options of using the large site at Hartridge, which could accommodate three families, or face the prospect of having to split families up on smaller sites. Gareth Price, head of law and standards, said there would be human rights implications if a family was split up.
Councillor Paul Hannon, member of the scrutiny committee for community planning and development, said the value attached to the site was a “hope value”, and that the site values were “arguable”.
He said it was sad a “speedy resolution has been frustrated for what seems to me to be no good reason”.
Hartridge site is preferred
THE group’s recommendations to cabinet are:
● The Road Safety Centre at Hartridge Farm Road as a preferred residential site that could accommodate three families.
● The former Ringland Allotments site as a back-up resdential site if needed
● Land at Celtic Way, Marshfield, as a transit site.
However, two sites from the original recommendations – a transit site at A449 which raised Welsh Government objections over the use of slipways, and a site at Brickyard Lane in Allt-yr-Yn – were dropped.
Burn Travellers’ site public meeting - Yorkshire
From the Press
CAMPAIGNERS against a new Travellers site in Burn near Selby have announced a public meeting to explain their views.
The announcement was made yesterday, on the same day plans to create the 15-pitch site on ten acres of land at Burn Airfield, were resubmitted to Selby District Council.
Burn Against New Site (BANS), which includes residents, members of the parish council, and residents of Henwick Hall and some of the Hillcrest gipsy and Traveller community, claim the additional pitches would reduce the quality of life in the village.
They will host an open day, including a short, rolling presentation, and handouts, with members of the gipsy and settled communities on hand to discuss the campaign with the public.
Resubmitted plans for the site, which could cost up to £940,000, stated: “The scale of the individual pitches have been designed to provide land per household to accommodate family sized pitches, which is capable of providing a private amenity building, a large trailer and touring caravan, drying space for clothes, small garden area and a parking space for a vehicle.”
CAMPAIGNERS against a new Travellers site in Burn near Selby have announced a public meeting to explain their views.
The announcement was made yesterday, on the same day plans to create the 15-pitch site on ten acres of land at Burn Airfield, were resubmitted to Selby District Council.
Burn Against New Site (BANS), which includes residents, members of the parish council, and residents of Henwick Hall and some of the Hillcrest gipsy and Traveller community, claim the additional pitches would reduce the quality of life in the village.
They will host an open day, including a short, rolling presentation, and handouts, with members of the gipsy and settled communities on hand to discuss the campaign with the public.
Resubmitted plans for the site, which could cost up to £940,000, stated: “The scale of the individual pitches have been designed to provide land per household to accommodate family sized pitches, which is capable of providing a private amenity building, a large trailer and touring caravan, drying space for clothes, small garden area and a parking space for a vehicle.”
New leaseholder takes action to evict Dundee Travellers
From the Courier
Legal action is under way to force a group of Travellers to move from their latest unauthorised Dundee camp.
Caravans moved on to the site at Riverside Business Park two weeks ago after previously occupying sites at Claverhouse Industrial Estate and Jack Martin Way.
Leaseholder Brakes revealed that it has begun proceedings to move the Travellers from its land.
The company, which only took over the lease from property management firm DTZ last week, is hoping to evict the group from the former Scottish Water site.
A spokesman said: “I can confirm it is Brakes’ intention to pursue legal action in the same way that the previous landlords did.”
West End councillor Fraser Macpherson said: “They have obviously only just taken over the lease and I was anxious to see they took action.
“It is not to say that the Travelling community aren’t welcome in Dundee. The point is we provide a properly serviced site at Balmuir Wood.
“With the site Travellers are occupying at present there is clearly a concern from a safety point of view. There is a clear build-up of rubbish and we don’t want that blowing across the airport runway.”
Legal action is under way to force a group of Travellers to move from their latest unauthorised Dundee camp.
Caravans moved on to the site at Riverside Business Park two weeks ago after previously occupying sites at Claverhouse Industrial Estate and Jack Martin Way.
Leaseholder Brakes revealed that it has begun proceedings to move the Travellers from its land.
The company, which only took over the lease from property management firm DTZ last week, is hoping to evict the group from the former Scottish Water site.
A spokesman said: “I can confirm it is Brakes’ intention to pursue legal action in the same way that the previous landlords did.”
West End councillor Fraser Macpherson said: “They have obviously only just taken over the lease and I was anxious to see they took action.
“It is not to say that the Travelling community aren’t welcome in Dundee. The point is we provide a properly serviced site at Balmuir Wood.
“With the site Travellers are occupying at present there is clearly a concern from a safety point of view. There is a clear build-up of rubbish and we don’t want that blowing across the airport runway.”
Call for Travellers to pay deposit on illicit campsites - Scotland
From the Evening Express
CALLS were today made for Travellers to pay a deposit on illicit camps in the North-east.
The cash would be used to pay for the clear-up if any mess was left behind.
Ellon community councillors asked about the possibility of forcing Traveller groups to pay money on sites up front, which may encourage them to make sure they clean up after themselves.
Under the proposals, Travellers would get the money back if land is left in good condition.
The move came after residents complained about an unauthorised site at Balmacassie in Ellon.
CALLS were today made for Travellers to pay a deposit on illicit camps in the North-east.
The cash would be used to pay for the clear-up if any mess was left behind.
Ellon community councillors asked about the possibility of forcing Traveller groups to pay money on sites up front, which may encourage them to make sure they clean up after themselves.
Under the proposals, Travellers would get the money back if land is left in good condition.
The move came after residents complained about an unauthorised site at Balmacassie in Ellon.
Travellers face eviction from Aberdeen Sports Village camp on Friday - Abersdeenshire
From STV
A group of Travellers camped on a site next to the Aberdeen Sports Village will be evicted from the land on Friday morning.
Aberdeen City Council have gone to the Sheriff Court to enforce the removal of the Travellers, one of whom was accused of firing a BB gun at university hockey players earlier this week, although a spokeswoman for the group denied they had any involvement in the incident.
Ramsay Milne, the local councillor for Tillydrone, Seaton and Old Aberdeen, told STV Local he was relieved at the news, but felt the Travellers would simply move to another site in the city, where they had no authority to camp.
Mr Milne said: "The Travellers will be evicted from this place [at the ASV], but we know, under the existing regulations, that they are simply going to pitch up somewhere else in Aberdeen.
"That is why we are seeking to introduce a bylaw - to criminalise those who camp illegally on parks and other public places.
"But we know this is a difficult problem to solve and there are no easy answers."
Aberdeen University sports officials had pledged not to use the hockey facilities while the Travellers remained in situ, following last Saturday's acrimonious scenes.
But David Beattie, the chief executive of the Sports Village, confirmed that he expects the venue to be back to normal operation by this weekend.
A group of Travellers camped on a site next to the Aberdeen Sports Village will be evicted from the land on Friday morning.
Aberdeen City Council have gone to the Sheriff Court to enforce the removal of the Travellers, one of whom was accused of firing a BB gun at university hockey players earlier this week, although a spokeswoman for the group denied they had any involvement in the incident.
Ramsay Milne, the local councillor for Tillydrone, Seaton and Old Aberdeen, told STV Local he was relieved at the news, but felt the Travellers would simply move to another site in the city, where they had no authority to camp.
Mr Milne said: "The Travellers will be evicted from this place [at the ASV], but we know, under the existing regulations, that they are simply going to pitch up somewhere else in Aberdeen.
"That is why we are seeking to introduce a bylaw - to criminalise those who camp illegally on parks and other public places.
"But we know this is a difficult problem to solve and there are no easy answers."
Aberdeen University sports officials had pledged not to use the hockey facilities while the Travellers remained in situ, following last Saturday's acrimonious scenes.
But David Beattie, the chief executive of the Sports Village, confirmed that he expects the venue to be back to normal operation by this weekend.
Traveller camp sets up in King George VI Park in Ramsgate - Kent
From This Is Kent
TRAVELLERS set up camp in a Ramsgate park this week.
Nine caravans and cars with Irish and UK numberplates settled behind the play area in King George VI Park in Ramsgate.
Dog walkers called the police on Wednesday after reports of intimidating dogs and caravans set up at the park.
But a Kent Police spokesman said: "It is the responsibility of Thanet council to serve an eviction notice on the settlers as it is their property.
"We are keeping an eye on the situation and will investigate any crime."
Thanet council own and manage the site and served a notice on the Travellers on Wednesday, giving them Travellers until today (Friday) to move on.
A Traveller at the site said: "We were told that we had a couple of days to move on so we'll have to look for somewhere else to go."
A Thanet council spokesman said: "We are aware of the situation and are working closely with the police and our legal team to determine the appropriate route of action.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and appreciate that the community is concerned. We have a duty to look after the safety and well-being of all involved and are in talks with all parties."
see also: The Thanet Record - Travellers Take over Park
Kent Online - Travellers move onto King George IV park site in Ramsgate
This Is Kent - Travellers take over Ramsgate park
This Is Kent - Council prepare court action against travellers' camp in King George VI Park in Ramsgate
TRAVELLERS set up camp in a Ramsgate park this week.
Nine caravans and cars with Irish and UK numberplates settled behind the play area in King George VI Park in Ramsgate.
Dog walkers called the police on Wednesday after reports of intimidating dogs and caravans set up at the park.
But a Kent Police spokesman said: "It is the responsibility of Thanet council to serve an eviction notice on the settlers as it is their property.
"We are keeping an eye on the situation and will investigate any crime."
Thanet council own and manage the site and served a notice on the Travellers on Wednesday, giving them Travellers until today (Friday) to move on.
A Traveller at the site said: "We were told that we had a couple of days to move on so we'll have to look for somewhere else to go."
A Thanet council spokesman said: "We are aware of the situation and are working closely with the police and our legal team to determine the appropriate route of action.
"We will continue to monitor the situation and appreciate that the community is concerned. We have a duty to look after the safety and well-being of all involved and are in talks with all parties."
see also: The Thanet Record - Travellers Take over Park
Kent Online - Travellers move onto King George IV park site in Ramsgate
This Is Kent - Travellers take over Ramsgate park
This Is Kent - Council prepare court action against travellers' camp in King George VI Park in Ramsgate
Clifton Village Green Travellers move on - Nottinghamshire
From the Nottingham Post
TRAVELLERS who had set up camp on Clifton Village Green have gone.
Two caravans and a mobile home had arrived at the site on Tuesday, angering neighbours.
People in the area say they are becoming frustrated as site has been used by Travellers several times in the past two years.
But the most recent group were gone by this morning, the city council confirmed.
The authority has said it was looking to start legal proceedings against the group to get the removed.
The Travellers refused to speak to the Post.
TRAVELLERS who had set up camp on Clifton Village Green have gone.
Two caravans and a mobile home had arrived at the site on Tuesday, angering neighbours.
People in the area say they are becoming frustrated as site has been used by Travellers several times in the past two years.
But the most recent group were gone by this morning, the city council confirmed.
The authority has said it was looking to start legal proceedings against the group to get the removed.
The Travellers refused to speak to the Post.
Fury as Traveller site given go ahead - Cheshire
From the Ellesmere Port Pioneer
A FURIOUS resident has slammed the council for giving the green light to a residential Gypsy and Traveller site in Ellesmere Port.
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) yesterday revealed outline planning approval has been granted to build a £1.44m 12-pitch development, complete with utility blocks and a warden’s office, on Rossfield Road council depot in Overpool.
But an angry resident is branding the plans ‘a travesty’.
Glenn Higgins, of Ellesmere Port Residents, who collected almost 1,000 signatures on a petition opposing the development, said he was ‘disgusted’.
He said: “CWaC say stuff about listening to the community but they don’t because everyone’s up in arms about this.”
The move is part of proposals to combat unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller sites across West Cheshire, and Executive members will meet on May 1 to decide whether to back required legal agreements to grant funding for the site and another at Winsford.
The Ellesmere Port site, which would be partly funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), is just metres away from Rossfield Park – on a site earmarked by Peel for a massive development.
Developers have submitted an outline planning bid to build a hotel, pub, petrol station and shops on the 6.4 acre site.
The Ellesmere Port application is due for determination in July.
Mr Higgins added: “We all agree they need accommodation but why this site? I just don’t know if there’s much we can do now.”
Councils are legally required to undertake regular assessments of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers living in, or travelling through their area and must include those requirements in their housing strategy.
Each pitch attracts a New Homes Bonus (NHB) payment to the council for 6 years, and for both sites this will be in the region of £300,000.
However, Charlie Seward, CWaC’s Director of Growth and Prosperity said: “The shortage of Gypsy and Traveller sites has led to issues such as unauthorised developments in the Green Belt and unauthorised encampments on both private and council-owned land.
“The lack of alternative provision has been sufficient to establish the ‘very special circumstances’ needed to justify ‘inappropriate’ development in the Green Belt.
“Failure to make provision for Gypsies and Travellers would likely lead to further applications being sought to develop residential pitches in less suitable Green Belt locations.”
A Cheshire Partnership Gypsy Traveller Coordinator said they were unable to comment until after the Executive meeting on May 1.
A FURIOUS resident has slammed the council for giving the green light to a residential Gypsy and Traveller site in Ellesmere Port.
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) yesterday revealed outline planning approval has been granted to build a £1.44m 12-pitch development, complete with utility blocks and a warden’s office, on Rossfield Road council depot in Overpool.
But an angry resident is branding the plans ‘a travesty’.
Glenn Higgins, of Ellesmere Port Residents, who collected almost 1,000 signatures on a petition opposing the development, said he was ‘disgusted’.
He said: “CWaC say stuff about listening to the community but they don’t because everyone’s up in arms about this.”
The move is part of proposals to combat unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller sites across West Cheshire, and Executive members will meet on May 1 to decide whether to back required legal agreements to grant funding for the site and another at Winsford.
The Ellesmere Port site, which would be partly funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), is just metres away from Rossfield Park – on a site earmarked by Peel for a massive development.
Developers have submitted an outline planning bid to build a hotel, pub, petrol station and shops on the 6.4 acre site.
The Ellesmere Port application is due for determination in July.
Mr Higgins added: “We all agree they need accommodation but why this site? I just don’t know if there’s much we can do now.”
Councils are legally required to undertake regular assessments of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers living in, or travelling through their area and must include those requirements in their housing strategy.
Each pitch attracts a New Homes Bonus (NHB) payment to the council for 6 years, and for both sites this will be in the region of £300,000.
However, Charlie Seward, CWaC’s Director of Growth and Prosperity said: “The shortage of Gypsy and Traveller sites has led to issues such as unauthorised developments in the Green Belt and unauthorised encampments on both private and council-owned land.
“The lack of alternative provision has been sufficient to establish the ‘very special circumstances’ needed to justify ‘inappropriate’ development in the Green Belt.
“Failure to make provision for Gypsies and Travellers would likely lead to further applications being sought to develop residential pitches in less suitable Green Belt locations.”
A Cheshire Partnership Gypsy Traveller Coordinator said they were unable to comment until after the Executive meeting on May 1.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Go-ahead for Gypsy sites consultation
From Dunstable Today
Central Beds councillors voted on Thursday to proceed with a public consultation on a shortlist of Gypsy and Traveller sites.
The list includes nine new pitches which could be created at Green Vale in Watling Street, south of Dunstable, where a number of Traveller families already live and a caravan sales business operates.
Councillor Nigel Young, in charge of the plan, said: “The support by the council doesn’t amount to a decision on any of the sites .
“It simply means that it supports the publication of the full plan and shortlist for public consultation.”
Central Beds councillors voted on Thursday to proceed with a public consultation on a shortlist of Gypsy and Traveller sites.
The list includes nine new pitches which could be created at Green Vale in Watling Street, south of Dunstable, where a number of Traveller families already live and a caravan sales business operates.
Councillor Nigel Young, in charge of the plan, said: “The support by the council doesn’t amount to a decision on any of the sites .
“It simply means that it supports the publication of the full plan and shortlist for public consultation.”
Ringland Gypsy site plan 'could lose Newport council £5m’
From the South Wales Argus
A PROPOSAL to put a Gypsy site on land in Newport could lose the council £5 million.
A confidential council report seen by the Argus said a committee of councillors assessing Gypsy sites was told at previous meetings that the Hartridge Farm Road site had a multi-million-pound value.
The council wanted to partially fund the £29 million borrowed cost of building Llanwern High School by selling that land.
The revelation comes after the Argus reported officers said possible sites near the A449 and at Brickyard Lane in Allt-yr-Yn were unworkable.
An officer assessment of possible Gypsy and Traveller sites was published last week, but site valuation information was kept private because of its commercial sensitivity.
The scrutiny committee for community planning and development is to meet today to discuss what recommendations it makes to cabinet now for sites to be included in the local development plan.
The report says the council owns the Hartridge Farm Road site and “the £5,000,000 valuation represents a potential loss in receipt from the sale of the land to a house builder”.
Campaigner Frank Weston, chairman of the Ringland Matters residents group, said: “How can the council put a Traveller site there when the financial plan for the council to offset some of its debt was to sell this land for housing?”
The road safety centre site is one of 11 shortlisted sites.
But a Welsh Government grant fund for Gypsy sites does not apply to council-owned land.
Newport council said while the first stage of the process saw a list of sites assessed on suitability criteria set out by the Welsh Government, the second stage assessed how they could be delivered, looking at costs of developing each site, including purchasing the land or its potential value.
“All criteria and assessments will be fully considered,”
a spokeswoman said.
The council is required to identify land for Gypsy sites in its local development plan, and a policy working group from the scrutiny committee put 11 shortlisted sites to a public consultation.
It recommended to cabinet that the former road safety centre be allocated in the LDP as the preferred site for residential accommodation, with the Ringland Allotments as a back-up, with Brickyard Lane as a contingency.
A yard near the A449 was recommended as the preferred transit site, while land at Celtic Way, Marshfield was picked as a contingency.
A PROPOSAL to put a Gypsy site on land in Newport could lose the council £5 million.
A confidential council report seen by the Argus said a committee of councillors assessing Gypsy sites was told at previous meetings that the Hartridge Farm Road site had a multi-million-pound value.
The council wanted to partially fund the £29 million borrowed cost of building Llanwern High School by selling that land.
The revelation comes after the Argus reported officers said possible sites near the A449 and at Brickyard Lane in Allt-yr-Yn were unworkable.
An officer assessment of possible Gypsy and Traveller sites was published last week, but site valuation information was kept private because of its commercial sensitivity.
The scrutiny committee for community planning and development is to meet today to discuss what recommendations it makes to cabinet now for sites to be included in the local development plan.
The report says the council owns the Hartridge Farm Road site and “the £5,000,000 valuation represents a potential loss in receipt from the sale of the land to a house builder”.
Campaigner Frank Weston, chairman of the Ringland Matters residents group, said: “How can the council put a Traveller site there when the financial plan for the council to offset some of its debt was to sell this land for housing?”
The road safety centre site is one of 11 shortlisted sites.
But a Welsh Government grant fund for Gypsy sites does not apply to council-owned land.
Newport council said while the first stage of the process saw a list of sites assessed on suitability criteria set out by the Welsh Government, the second stage assessed how they could be delivered, looking at costs of developing each site, including purchasing the land or its potential value.
“All criteria and assessments will be fully considered,”
a spokeswoman said.
The council is required to identify land for Gypsy sites in its local development plan, and a policy working group from the scrutiny committee put 11 shortlisted sites to a public consultation.
It recommended to cabinet that the former road safety centre be allocated in the LDP as the preferred site for residential accommodation, with the Ringland Allotments as a back-up, with Brickyard Lane as a contingency.
A yard near the A449 was recommended as the preferred transit site, while land at Celtic Way, Marshfield was picked as a contingency.
Meeting hears objections to proposed Fairhill Gypsy and Travellers site - Bedfordshire
From Bedfordshire On Sunday
AROUND 120 residents from Biddenham, Clapham and Harpur ward crowded into Rushmoor School hall on Monday night to express their objections to a proposed Gypsy site being built in their midst.
The meeting was set up by citizens across the area of Bedford to discuss their opposition to Bedford Borough Council’s plans to create a new Gypsy and Traveller site at ‘Fairhill’, behind Sainsbury’s in Clapham Road, Bedford, formerly known as Cut Throat Lane until it closed in the mid-1990s.
The Borough Council submitted plans for Fairhill for planning approval on Easter Sunday as an alternative for a site at Meadow Lane which has been thrown into doubt.
Ian Nicholls, who is organising a campaign about the authority’s proposal and chaired the meeting on Monday, said: “Everyone unanimously agreed that the site is in an inappropriate location, close to a large electricity sub station, under overhead electric wires, near Sainsbury’s supermarket delivery bay, petrol station, car wash and recycling facility.
“It is wedged between a mainline railway line, a bypass and a proposed new bypass. The site layout does not follow national guidance and ignores local policies.”
Councillor Colleen Atkins, who represents Harpur ward, said: “We all want the council to get on with the Meadow Lane site which already has planning permission for 14 permanent pitches. The council should progress the work there and bring it to fruition, in which case, there is no need for Fairhill. £50,000 has already been spent on Meadow Lane and if it’s abandoned now that is money down the drain.
“I have grave concerns about the suitability of a Gypsy and Traveller site at Fairhill. None of us would want to live there, we wouldn’t put social housing there and we shouldn’t be putting caravans there.”
Councillor Louise King said: “I want to know why planners have not returned to the Homes and Communities Agency to seek an increase in the £1.2m grant they have received for the Meadow Lane site. We know there is much more money available in that pot. Fairhill poses significant dangers to the children that would live there, is badly designed, and the application is being rushed through.”
AROUND 120 residents from Biddenham, Clapham and Harpur ward crowded into Rushmoor School hall on Monday night to express their objections to a proposed Gypsy site being built in their midst.
The meeting was set up by citizens across the area of Bedford to discuss their opposition to Bedford Borough Council’s plans to create a new Gypsy and Traveller site at ‘Fairhill’, behind Sainsbury’s in Clapham Road, Bedford, formerly known as Cut Throat Lane until it closed in the mid-1990s.
The Borough Council submitted plans for Fairhill for planning approval on Easter Sunday as an alternative for a site at Meadow Lane which has been thrown into doubt.
Ian Nicholls, who is organising a campaign about the authority’s proposal and chaired the meeting on Monday, said: “Everyone unanimously agreed that the site is in an inappropriate location, close to a large electricity sub station, under overhead electric wires, near Sainsbury’s supermarket delivery bay, petrol station, car wash and recycling facility.
“It is wedged between a mainline railway line, a bypass and a proposed new bypass. The site layout does not follow national guidance and ignores local policies.”
Councillor Colleen Atkins, who represents Harpur ward, said: “We all want the council to get on with the Meadow Lane site which already has planning permission for 14 permanent pitches. The council should progress the work there and bring it to fruition, in which case, there is no need for Fairhill. £50,000 has already been spent on Meadow Lane and if it’s abandoned now that is money down the drain.
“I have grave concerns about the suitability of a Gypsy and Traveller site at Fairhill. None of us would want to live there, we wouldn’t put social housing there and we shouldn’t be putting caravans there.”
Councillor Louise King said: “I want to know why planners have not returned to the Homes and Communities Agency to seek an increase in the £1.2m grant they have received for the Meadow Lane site. We know there is much more money available in that pot. Fairhill poses significant dangers to the children that would live there, is badly designed, and the application is being rushed through.”
Travellers move on from airfield - Suffolk
From the Suffolk Free Press
A group of Travellers who moved onto Chilton Airfield near Sudbury have left.
The family arrived on the land over the weekend and were due to be visited by officers from Suffolk County Council. They previously set up camp with seven caravans on the airfield in August.
A spokeswoman for the council said she did not know where the family had moved to.
A group of Travellers who moved onto Chilton Airfield near Sudbury have left.
The family arrived on the land over the weekend and were due to be visited by officers from Suffolk County Council. They previously set up camp with seven caravans on the airfield in August.
A spokeswoman for the council said she did not know where the family had moved to.
Travellers on Latton Common statement - Essex
From Harlow Council
A County Court hearing has been set this Friday (26 April 2013) at 2.30pm in Chelmsford and the Council has served court papers to the Travellers today (23 April 2013).
Councillor Emma Toal, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Youth & Citizenship, said: “The Council is working closely with the Police in accordance with established protocols and it is in contact with the Travellers. Residents expect us to protect the town’s green spaces and uphold the law and that is what we will do. We have asked the Travellers to leave the site and the next step for the Council is to take formal legal action. We appreciate that this must be frustrating for residents but there is a legal process to follow. In the meantime we will continue to work with the Police to monitor the situation.”
A County Court hearing has been set this Friday (26 April 2013) at 2.30pm in Chelmsford and the Council has served court papers to the Travellers today (23 April 2013).
Councillor Emma Toal, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Youth & Citizenship, said: “The Council is working closely with the Police in accordance with established protocols and it is in contact with the Travellers. Residents expect us to protect the town’s green spaces and uphold the law and that is what we will do. We have asked the Travellers to leave the site and the next step for the Council is to take formal legal action. We appreciate that this must be frustrating for residents but there is a legal process to follow. In the meantime we will continue to work with the Police to monitor the situation.”
No firm plans for Travellers site - despite New Cumnock rumours - East Ayrshire
From the Cumnock Courier
RUMOURS are sweeping New Cumnock that the former Knockshinnoch Colliery could be an option for a site for travelling people.
Finding a permanent site has been an ongoing concern for the council - heightened in recent months by Travellers using the Barony A Frame near Auchinleck as a camp site.
The Knockshinnoch site was one of the options on the council's list the last time they searched for a location in 2011.
However, they deny that they identified a site yet and say it will be some time before they make an announcement.
RUMOURS are sweeping New Cumnock that the former Knockshinnoch Colliery could be an option for a site for travelling people.
Finding a permanent site has been an ongoing concern for the council - heightened in recent months by Travellers using the Barony A Frame near Auchinleck as a camp site.
The Knockshinnoch site was one of the options on the council's list the last time they searched for a location in 2011.
However, they deny that they identified a site yet and say it will be some time before they make an announcement.
Travellers told to leave Roundshaw Park by 5pm - London
From Your Local Guardian
Travellers who set up camp in a public park have been ordered to leave the site by 5pm.
A group of caravans arrived on Roundshaw Park, off Mollison Drive, on Thursday evening prompting complaints from neighbours.
Sutton Council obtained a court order giving the group a day to leave the site on Tuesday and police have been assured the caravans will be off the site by the 5pm deadline.
Travellers who set up camp in a public park have been ordered to leave the site by 5pm.
A group of caravans arrived on Roundshaw Park, off Mollison Drive, on Thursday evening prompting complaints from neighbours.
Sutton Council obtained a court order giving the group a day to leave the site on Tuesday and police have been assured the caravans will be off the site by the 5pm deadline.
Travellers move onto Clifton Village green - Nottinghamshire
From the Nottingham Post
TRAVELLERS have moved onto Clifton Village green.
The site has become popular with Travellers recently, with three groups pitching up there in as many months last year.
They are believed to have arrived earlier today. No one at the site wanted to speak to the Post.
One Clifton resident said: "It's time something is done by the Government so they have somewhere more permanent to go to stop them from regularly coming here."
TRAVELLERS have moved onto Clifton Village green.
The site has become popular with Travellers recently, with three groups pitching up there in as many months last year.
They are believed to have arrived earlier today. No one at the site wanted to speak to the Post.
One Clifton resident said: "It's time something is done by the Government so they have somewhere more permanent to go to stop them from regularly coming here."
Hull City Council urged to take action over Travellers - Yorkshire
From the Hull Daily Mail
MORE residents near Boothferry Road are bemoaning the arrival of Travellers.
Last week, people living in the Boothferry estate criticised Hull City Council for failing to deal with those setting up camps illegally.
Travellers moved on to land near homes in the Boothferry Estate for the sixth time in the past two years.
They have now decamped just a kilometre away on St Thomas More School playing fields.
A neighbour who lives close to the site believes they have caused problems since setting up just before the weekend.
He said: "The Travellers have already spent the nights driving around the field, revving engines and flashing headlights.
"They have been breaking large branches off what I understand are protected trees in the area.
"Their children have been pulling scrap around the streets and I saw two children, no older than ten, smashing up a microwave on the pavement to make it easier to carry."
He was echoing the concerns expressed by other residents in calling for a change to the present situation.
He said: "This is quite disturbing, and even infuriating, for the tax-paying residents living in the surrounding housing.
"The council certainly doesn't fill me with confidence that this will be dealt with swiftly, as I understand it is a long legal process to move them on.
"Is it time for a change in the laws for dealing with this behaviour?"
The group of about six caravans and half-a-dozen horses have moved from a car park near Woolwich Drive, with more arriving.
An inquiry was launched by the council's west area committee last summer after the handling of Travellers on another site off the Boothferry estate.
Since then, an earth mound has been created to prevent vehicles entering Burnham playing fields.
The city council had already applied for an Immediate Possession Order to have the Travellers removed from the site.
The latest site is just across the boundary in the East Riding and is being dealt with by East Riding Council.
A spokesman for that authority said: "We are aware of local concerns regarding an unauthorised traveller camp on land owned by the authority and we are taking all necessary legal steps to address the issue and are doing what we can for a speedy resolution."
The council is seeking a repossession order to have the Travellers removed.
A spokesman for Hull City Council added: "The Travellers have left the Hull site after the council sought a court order to move those who had set up an unauthorised encampment.
"We have offered our neighbouring council information or support if required."
MORE residents near Boothferry Road are bemoaning the arrival of Travellers.
Last week, people living in the Boothferry estate criticised Hull City Council for failing to deal with those setting up camps illegally.
Travellers moved on to land near homes in the Boothferry Estate for the sixth time in the past two years.
They have now decamped just a kilometre away on St Thomas More School playing fields.
A neighbour who lives close to the site believes they have caused problems since setting up just before the weekend.
He said: "The Travellers have already spent the nights driving around the field, revving engines and flashing headlights.
"They have been breaking large branches off what I understand are protected trees in the area.
"Their children have been pulling scrap around the streets and I saw two children, no older than ten, smashing up a microwave on the pavement to make it easier to carry."
He was echoing the concerns expressed by other residents in calling for a change to the present situation.
He said: "This is quite disturbing, and even infuriating, for the tax-paying residents living in the surrounding housing.
"The council certainly doesn't fill me with confidence that this will be dealt with swiftly, as I understand it is a long legal process to move them on.
"Is it time for a change in the laws for dealing with this behaviour?"
The group of about six caravans and half-a-dozen horses have moved from a car park near Woolwich Drive, with more arriving.
An inquiry was launched by the council's west area committee last summer after the handling of Travellers on another site off the Boothferry estate.
Since then, an earth mound has been created to prevent vehicles entering Burnham playing fields.
The city council had already applied for an Immediate Possession Order to have the Travellers removed from the site.
The latest site is just across the boundary in the East Riding and is being dealt with by East Riding Council.
A spokesman for that authority said: "We are aware of local concerns regarding an unauthorised traveller camp on land owned by the authority and we are taking all necessary legal steps to address the issue and are doing what we can for a speedy resolution."
The council is seeking a repossession order to have the Travellers removed.
A spokesman for Hull City Council added: "The Travellers have left the Hull site after the council sought a court order to move those who had set up an unauthorised encampment.
"We have offered our neighbouring council information or support if required."
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