£50k Travellers' camp AXED - Inverclyde

From the Greenock Telegraph

A CONTROVERSIAL £50,000 Travellers' camp has been AXED and will NOT be built anywhere in Inverclyde, the Tele can reveal.

In a shock turn of events, the ruling Labour administration has pulled the plug on the plans for an official transit site in Kelburn Park in Port Glasgow and has vowed that one will not be created anywhere in Inverclyde following overwhelming public opposition to the proposals.

The cash earmarked for the site could now be ploughed back into the community and instead used to revamp Kelburn Park.

Nearly 70 per cent of the public voted against the plans in principle during a public consultation.

Council leader Stephen McCabe said: “In the face of such overwhelming opposition it would not be right for the council to proceed with the plan for Kelburn Park or to look for another site. The public have spoken and we will respect their views."

The Labour administration now want to use the money for the Travellers' camp to improve Kelburn Park.

Mr McCabe said: "The consultation has highlighted the poor condition of Kelburn Park.

“I am pleased to announce therefore that the Labour Group will be proposing that the £50,000 earmarked for the gypsy Travellers’ transit site is used instead to fund improvements to the park.”

Thousands of people signed petitions voicing their anger over the plans, which would accommodate 15 caravans with a £5 per night charge for use of the facility.

The council said the creation of an official transit site would make it easier to evict gypsy Travellers camped out at illegally elsewhere.

An official vote on the matter will still need to take place at a future meeting of the council's policy and resources committee but the Labour administration will vote against the plans following public opinion.

see also: Inverclyde Now - PLAN For Travellers' Site Is Scrapped