Council funding for new Datchet Travellers' site described as 'madness' by UKIP councillor - Berkshire

From the Royal Borough Observer

QUESTIONS have been asked about why a council has had to fork out £350,000 to help build a new privately-run Travellers’ site.

Royal Borough UKIP councillor Tom Bursnall has waded into the row over the new gypsy and Traveller site with 10 pitches to be built on land at Datchet Common, in Horton Road.

The new site was granted planning permission last month despite being on flood plain and Green Belt land, and the Royal Borough’s cabinet also agreed to put forward £350,000 funding to help build the site.

However, in a series of emails seen by The Observer, council chiefs state they had no choice but to put up the funding as the Royal Borough has a commitment to finding 21 extra pitches by 2017 and the land owner 'had no intent to develop it [the site] himself’.

Cllr Bursnall said: “The £350,000 was not conditional [as part of the commitment to finding extra Traveller sites]. I’m outraged by this. If you or I were to buy a piece of land, some how get it through planning when it is on Green Belt and flood risk land and then be offered £350,000 to build a house, it would be madness.

“Why should it be different here? I have no problem with people living their lives as long as it doesn’t impact on other people living theirs, but is this the right way to spend taxpayers’ money when cash is tight?”

In the series of emails, the Datchet site was described as 'the only game in town’ and the Royal Borough had 'no better option, nor any prospect of one’ by two leading councillors.

Cllr David Coppinger, cabinet member for adult services which includes housing, said: “If we had a choice, we have taken it, but had no choice. The amount of money seems a lot, but it will save money over the years. [If we did not pay] it could have meant Traveller could move anywhere in the borough and we would have to spend a lot of money moving them off.”

The Royal Borough has also entered a 99 year lease for the Mill Place land at £30,000 per year.

The £350,000 funding was put up in a bid to secure match-funding from the Homes and Community Agency.