Council leaders to make decision on whether to renew search for Travellers' site - Glamorgan

From the South Wales Evening Post

Swansea Council leaders are set to decide whether to re-start a search for a new site for Travellers.

The authority’s cabinet meets on Tuesday, when they will make a decision on whether to accept the recommendation of officers to set-up a site either in Llansamlet or in Cockett.

They will also consider an amendment to the officers’ report, proposed at the full council meeting two weeks ago, that the search for a site should instead consider all available land in Swansea, including privately-owned land - effectively pushing back a decision once again in the long-running process to find a site for Travellers.

A spokesman for the authority said: “It was agreed that the views of council on adopting a whole Swansea approach and to look at all land in the city to see if is suitable, would be forwarded for consideration by cabinet. “

“Cabinet will then determine what the next steps are.”

Swansea already has one official site for Travellers in Pant-Y-Blawd Road, Llansamlet, as well as an unofficial one in nearby Swansea Vale.

But Swansea Council has to provide another to meet statutory obligations, and since March 2010 the authority has been engaged in a process to find a suitable site.

The process saw officers initially consider more than 1,000 council-owned sites, which was whittled down to a shortlist of five was developed, in Gorseinon, Cockett, Llansamlet and Penderry.

That was finally reduced to two - the former greyhound racing track site in Cockett, or land off Peniel Green Road in Llansamlet.

But two weeks ago, councillors rejected the officers recommendation, and asked for more plots to be considered. The cabinet will make the final decision.

The report to be considered advises councillors that development costs “have been estimated by Welsh Government to be possibly in the region of £2 million” dependent on design, substructure and associated infrastructure costs.

In response to concerns from some businesses which had threatened to pull out of Fforestfach estate if a site went ahead at the former greyhound racing track, the report also states: “If local business did experience any problems or issues with the Gypsies
and Travellers, this situation could be within the remit of the site manager and in serious cases could lead to eviction from the site.”

The cabinet will meet on Tuesday (Nov 5) at the Civic Centre, and will be webcast live to enable residents to view the proceedings on the internet.