Villagers oppose gypsy site - and so do gypsies
FORCING travellers to live in isolated villages amounts to "social suicide", says a leader of the gypsy community.
More than 250 sites must be found in the region following a decision by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on Friday - including some near small villages like Barkway in Hertfordshire.
Hughie Smith, president of the Gypsy Council (Romani Kris), said they had not been consulted and described the proposals as "forcing gypsies into areas where they do not want to be".
He said: "This is tantamount to social suicide, and a complete waste of time and public money.
"I am deeply concerned that no attempt has been made to consult with ourselves, or even to seek our input."
Paul Danter is the landlord of the Tally Ho pub in Barkway, and spokesman for the team of 12 villagers who scrutinised the controversial plans.
He said North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) and EERA would have no alternative but to review the methods they have used.
NHDC has been asked to provide 15 plots for travellers, and locations put forward in the Royston area include sites in Barkway and Sandon.
The group claims farmers who own the two 50-acre sites in Barkway have indicated they do not wish to sell, meaning - if they are chosen as the preferred options of NHDC - Compulsory Purchase Orders would be needed for the plans to go ahead against their wishes.
If the full allocation of plots was sited in the village, it would mean more than 50 travellers swelling its 600 population.
It has no doctor's surgery, shop, Post Office or bank and just a small infant school. The nearest GP is three miles away and the nearest hospital 12 miles away.
A report by Barkway resident Dr Robert Davidson states: "Proposing travellers' sites in a rural area like Barkway makes no sense.
"The village is far from the amenities and type of location that this minority group has requested and needs."
Campaigners also criticised the £40,000 Scott Wilson Report commissioned on the matter by NHDC, which included incorrrect locations and inaccurate descriptions.
Councillor F John Smith, leader of North Hertfordshire District Council, said it would not comment on individual sites until its consultation process has ended.
But he admitted: "Ours is one area which they don't want to be in, but we still have to carry on with the process as required by Her Majesty's Government. It doesn't mean we are doing it with joy in our hearts."
Royston's MP, Oliver Heald, has received scores of complaints from concerned residents and added it was "obviously wrong" to force travellers into areas where they do not wish to be.
In Cambridgeshire, 233 extra pitches must be created by 2011.
Councillor John Reynolds, EERA chairman and a member of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "Traveller and gypsy organisations have been contacted about the overall plans from the EERA point of view, and are engaged in the consultation process."
Published: 31/01/2008 09:24:58
More than 250 sites must be found in the region following a decision by the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) on Friday - including some near small villages like Barkway in Hertfordshire.
Hughie Smith, president of the Gypsy Council (Romani Kris), said they had not been consulted and described the proposals as "forcing gypsies into areas where they do not want to be".
He said: "This is tantamount to social suicide, and a complete waste of time and public money.
"I am deeply concerned that no attempt has been made to consult with ourselves, or even to seek our input."
Paul Danter is the landlord of the Tally Ho pub in Barkway, and spokesman for the team of 12 villagers who scrutinised the controversial plans.
He said North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) and EERA would have no alternative but to review the methods they have used.
NHDC has been asked to provide 15 plots for travellers, and locations put forward in the Royston area include sites in Barkway and Sandon.
The group claims farmers who own the two 50-acre sites in Barkway have indicated they do not wish to sell, meaning - if they are chosen as the preferred options of NHDC - Compulsory Purchase Orders would be needed for the plans to go ahead against their wishes.
If the full allocation of plots was sited in the village, it would mean more than 50 travellers swelling its 600 population.
It has no doctor's surgery, shop, Post Office or bank and just a small infant school. The nearest GP is three miles away and the nearest hospital 12 miles away.
A report by Barkway resident Dr Robert Davidson states: "Proposing travellers' sites in a rural area like Barkway makes no sense.
"The village is far from the amenities and type of location that this minority group has requested and needs."
Campaigners also criticised the £40,000 Scott Wilson Report commissioned on the matter by NHDC, which included incorrrect locations and inaccurate descriptions.
Councillor F John Smith, leader of North Hertfordshire District Council, said it would not comment on individual sites until its consultation process has ended.
But he admitted: "Ours is one area which they don't want to be in, but we still have to carry on with the process as required by Her Majesty's Government. It doesn't mean we are doing it with joy in our hearts."
Royston's MP, Oliver Heald, has received scores of complaints from concerned residents and added it was "obviously wrong" to force travellers into areas where they do not wish to be.
In Cambridgeshire, 233 extra pitches must be created by 2011.
Councillor John Reynolds, EERA chairman and a member of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "Traveller and gypsy organisations have been contacted about the overall plans from the EERA point of view, and are engaged in the consultation process."
Published: 31/01/2008 09:24:58
Labels: Gypsy, Gypsy Culture, Romani, Travellers Sites, UK
posted by Allie @ 11:13 AM
2 Comments:
At February 8, 2008 5:14 AM ,
unionworkeruk said...
This seems a rare occasion when both villagers and Gypsies seem correct. A small village of 600 is obviously not the place for a great influx of 50 Gypsies. One or two families would seem acceptable, whether Gypsy or not, but more would seem to alter the character of the village particularly without a doctor or school.
But this must not be the excuse of every area chosen for a Traveller site. There are many other villages and towns which are allowing the building of new houses. If this is the case they must be considered for a Traveller site. Consultation with both Travellers and the local community over a long period will be necessary to overcome the, sometimes justifed, concerns of both communites but, in the end, Gypsies and other travellers have the right to a place to stay.
If it cannot be provided legally you cannot complain about illegal stopping places. Equally Gypsies sometimes justified response to the prejudices of the settled community must be more concilitory. The more communal life style of Travellers can be noisy and seem chaotic to outsiders. Travellers must accept sites in areas less populated or, unfortunately for them, accept the social standards of the settled community.
There is no reason why sites cannot be found. Many areas have done so without great problems. These places should be consulted and locals and Travellers from them invited to speak to the citizens, both settled and Traveller where ever a new site is proposed.
The old "move them on" or worse attitude will only bring the very equally selfish response the settled community complain about.
At April 27, 2008 1:57 AM ,
Dr Bob Davidson said...
As the person quoted in this situation in the original article, I woudl like to thank unionworker for their understanding of the situation. Barkway is not anti traveller, in fact the opposite. With clear government criteria, clear traveller criteria and desires in place, it was a consultant who ignored all of this and selected rural sites for proposed travellers sites.
We objected to this as it was against the rights of the traveller community, and would create unsustainable sites, wasting tax payers money, creating a site, where we have no chance of employment , facilities, and would be in an area with no traveller tradition, miles from any areas where travellers have settled, either illegally or legally.
So no we don't say this is the same for every site, but in this case we simply would not have had anythign to offer the new incomers... and the site itself.. 145m abouve seaa level, open exposed field, no woods or landscape to offer any shelter on a narrow track road, stuck onthe outskirts of the village, 6 miles from the nearest supermarket, 15 miles to a hospital...
It was Hugh Smith President of the Gypsy COuncil who really got it right.. such locations are proven to be unsuitable for travellers, and unsustainable as sites.
(it makes you wonder why we stay here actually!)....
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