Effingham to 'lead the way' in changing attitudes to Traveller pitches - Surrey

From Get Surrey

‘Every village’ in Surrey should make a provision for Traveller pitches, a former parish councillor claimed as steps were taken towards bringing more pitches to an Effingham site.

Travellers praised Guildford Borough Council for its attitude towards integration as the executive supported proposals to bring six new pitches to the site at Home Farm.

The new pitches would provide homes for Travellers who have been settled on the green belt site, but do not have legal planning permission or suitable facilities.

The decision, made at a meeting of the council’s executive on Thursday last week, sets the ball in motion for new pitches to be built on the site, helping the council meet its shortage of Traveller pitches.

Former parish councillor and member of the protection of Home Farm committee James Nicholls, said it was time for the county to change its attitude toward the Traveller community.

He said: “Effingham will lead the way, but everyone needs to come with us and every village needs to make a provision for Travellers.

“The idea of big sites is hated by the council, by villagers and by Travellers themselves. There is a new way forward and that is to have small sites, integrated with the local community. There doesn’t have to be conflict.”

Guildford Borough Council is in dire need of new Traveller pitches, with the amount it currently provides set to double over the next five years.

There are currently 78 Traveller households on the waiting lists for public sites, but developments are often opposed by local residents, with supporters of Travellers branding their treatment ‘the last bastion of racism’ in the country.

Mr Nicholls said: “Travellers are good, respectful people. They might have a few rogues, but so does my local community.”

Laura Gold, a Traveller who lives at the Home Farm site, said; “We desperately need pitches. We work closely with Guildford Borough council and they have been absolutely brilliant.”

She said that Travellers still struggle with bigoted attitudes and that more integration and communication would help to break down the barriers.

Kelly King, another Travellers from the same site said: “We are no different to everyone else. Our kids are all at school and get a proper education.

“We are working hard we are not bad people. We need these pitches. We don’t have running water or toilets and have to go to the leisure centre. We have lived in Home Farm all of our lives.”

Councillor Monika Juneja said: “We have to ensure that we move forwards with the support of the local community.”

Cllr Nigel Manning said that he believed his ward of Ash had led the way with Traveller sites.

“In terms of actual applications you will note that of the last 18 that have been made, 13 were in Ash and Tongham.”

The executive approval means that certificates of lawfulness can be applied for for the homes already on the site, while feasibility studies will continue for the six new sites.