Call for more police responsibility after councillors back Poole Travellers sites in Oakdale and Creekmoor - Dorset

From Blackmore Vale Magazine

AN OAKDALE councillor has called for the police to be given more responsibility for Travellers’ sites after the Borough of Poole supported options for two temporary stopping places.

Councillors voted to back proposals at an extraordinary meeting of the Full Council on Monday evening. The decision means that the council can now submit planning applications for two temporary stopping locations for unauthorised encampments.

Last summer, several unauthorised encampments were set up on land across Poole and east Dorset – with many residents angered by the limited powers of local authorities to evict Travellers.

The two sites identified through a comprehensive selection process are on land next to Safety Drive, Creekmoor (opposite the new Poole Fire Station) and land north of the B&Q car park in Oakdale.

Councillor Ian Potter who represents the Oakdale ward was among 11 councillors who voted against the proposals. 24 members supported the motion, while five councillors abstained from voting.

“Having considered the report in detail, I felt that the financial commitment required for a temporary stopping place in Poole, especially when there is no guarantee it will help resolve some of the issues with unauthorised encampments across the borough, meant that I could not support the proposal” said Cllr Potter.

“I feel we should focus our resources on protecting vulnerable sites in Poole and continue to lobby the Government for a law change which would see each police authority, rather than each local authority, required to provide a transit site.”

If planning permission is granted, the sites could be used for a temporary period between Easter and 1 September. This ensures the sites would be closed for at least six months of the year.

It will cost the council approximately £175,000 to construct the site in Creekmoor and £70,000 for the site along Broadstone Way.

Councillor Mike White, Deputy Leader of the Borough of Poole and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Planning said: “Poole experiences a number of unauthorised encampments each year which do cause public concern. Therefore, we need to effectively manage the situation and meet the needs of both our local communities and the Travellers.

“We are finding it increasingly difficult to identify a permanent transit site in Poole and so one or two temporary stopping places in the borough should help manage the situation and provide a suitable site when we require the intervention of the police. Such action will enable us to minimise the impact that unauthorised encampments can have on a community.”