From the South Wales Argus
THE controversial issue of Gypsy sites in Newport is set to return to the city council next Monday.
Cabinet members will consider recommendations of the scrutiny committee of councillors tasked to find Gypsy and Traveller sites in Newport for the council's local development plan.
However a report to council says that cabinet now has no decision-making powers on the matter and that the councillor's review will now feed into the local development plan process.
The only body that can now consider and agree any changes to the local development plan is full council.
Last month the Argus reported that a group of councillors tasked with finding Gypsy sites in the city stuck to a recommendation for a site on Hartridge Farm Road despite claims by officers it could lose the council £5 million in a lost sale.
The authority had wanted to sell the site to fund the building of Llanwern High School.
As well as the Hartridge site, which was recommended for residential use, the scrutiny committee for community planning and development recommended land at Celtic Way for a transit site and the former Ringland Allotments as a contingency.
The recommendations followed a public consultation that attracted thousands of responses and an officer appraisal of possible sites, which also assessed land values.
A meeting had heard that the Hartridge site could accomodate three families, and could have to split families up if smaller sites were used.
Newport council is re-starting its deposit local development plan process this summer.
Preferred sites identified by the councillors will be included in the revised local development plan which will be presented to full council on June 4.
Council will be asked to approve the revised deposit version of the plan for a six week public consultation.
The council hopes to have a final version of the LDP ready for full council in December for approval to submit it to the Welsh Government.
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