From the Citizen
A PETITION started by residents on Ewood’s Travellers site to get pre-payment electricity meters so they can buy their own electricity has failed.
They had asked Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive board to install the meters so they could top up their electricity credit when the site’s manager was not on duty by buying cards.
Currently the occupants on the transit site just off Albion Road must go to the town hall to settle bills when the manager is absent.
At the meeting of the executive board a motion was passed to provide additional payment methods to try to overcome the issue.
But its members agreed that provision of the pre pay meters was not possible as the energy company that supplies the site was unwilling to install them on the individual pitches.
It provides electricity to a central meter which is then transferred by the council to each caravan.
‘Key’ operated meters, as they are known, are usually only installed on sites with permanent dwellings.
The Government has issued non-enforceable guidelines stating that provision for pre-pay card meters be extended to transit sites.
As a compromise the council has proposed to bring in a system where the residents can pay their bills over the phone with a credit or debit card in addition to being able to pay in cash when the manager is available on site.
Officers have stated however that the plans may not prove popular with some of the residents, many of whom prefer to pay by cash.
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
Travellers take over Salts - Sussex
From the Rye and Battle Observer
A GROUP of Travellers set up on Rye’s Fair Salts on Friday night after the lock on a gate was broken.
Around eight or nine caravans occupied an area of the Salts close to a children’s playground. Police and an environmental health officer from Rother Council served notice on them on Saturday morning requiring them to move on . The Travellers were expected to leave by Wednesday of this week.
A GROUP of Travellers set up on Rye’s Fair Salts on Friday night after the lock on a gate was broken.
Around eight or nine caravans occupied an area of the Salts close to a children’s playground. Police and an environmental health officer from Rother Council served notice on them on Saturday morning requiring them to move on . The Travellers were expected to leave by Wednesday of this week.
Clampdown on Travellers 'against human rights'
From Inside Housing
The government’s plans to clamp down on unauthorised Traveller sites will breach the European Convention of Human Rights, the House of Lords has heard.
Peers yesterday evening discussed the government’s plans to toughen the laws regarding Traveller sites which breach planning rules. Currently a council can only serve a ‘temporary stop notice‘, preventing the continued use of site, where it considers that the risk of harm to the public interest outweighs the benefit to the occupier. Legislation currently going through parliament would remove this restriction.
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Eric Avebury cited solicitors firm the Community Law Partnership saying the ‘untrammelled’ use of temporary stop notices would lead to breaches of articles 6, 8 and 11 of the ECHR, which govern the right to a fair hearing, respect for private and family life and the prohibition of discrimination respectively.
Lord Avebury said he found that ‘not a single local authority’ has met its legal duties to identify and provide sites for Travellers. The planning policy for Traveller sites gave councils until 31 March this year to identify a five-year supply of ‘deliverable’ sites, and set pitch targets over their local plan period based on assessments. Inside Housing last week revealed details of a report by campaign group the Traveller Law Reform Project showing just 4 out of 115 councils have complied.
Lord Avebury said: ‘If councils provide a five-year rolling supply of land with planning permission for Traveller sites…and if they refrain from using these powers until those sites are provided, a great deal of unnecessary human suffering would be avoided.
‘Not a single local authority has implemented the planning policy for travellers sites, three months after the government’s deadline.’
Lord Avebury also criticised the government for its refusal to collect central data on councils’ progress. A government spokesperson last week said it does not do this because it is ‘for town halls to lead, rather than Whitehall to micromanage’.
Labour peer Baroness Janet Whitaker, referring to the changes to temporary stop notice rules, said: ‘His [Eric Pickles] precipitous move means that there will now be a complete absence of any need to consider, let alone provide, an alternative legal site if a family, even in great need, perhaps with an oxygen machine or with a heavily pregnant mother, is evicted from an unlawful site.’
Another Labour peer, Lord Jeremy Beecham, accused Mr Pickles of having ‘selective indignation’, by not collecting data on councils’ provision of sites. He said: ‘There will be mirth in every town hall in the country at the suggestion that this government’s policy on local government is not one that can be described as being top down.
‘When the Secretary of State tells councils that they ought to be collecting refuse weekly rather than fortnightly, not to mention pronouncing a range of other instructions and wishes which are then backed by the government’s financial distribution, it is a little much for the government to rely on their so-called localism as a defence for orders of this kind.’
Conservative Lord Tariq Ahmad, speaking for the government, defended the clampdown on unauthorised sites. He said: ‘Intentional abuse of the planning system by a small minority of Travellers who set up unauthorised developments leads to tension, undermines community cohesion and damages the integrity of the planning system.’
He said the government has made £60 million available through Traveller pitch funding and the new homes bonus for authorised sites. He said this will deliver more than 1,000 new or refurbished pitches by 2015.
The government’s plans to clamp down on unauthorised Traveller sites will breach the European Convention of Human Rights, the House of Lords has heard.
Peers yesterday evening discussed the government’s plans to toughen the laws regarding Traveller sites which breach planning rules. Currently a council can only serve a ‘temporary stop notice‘, preventing the continued use of site, where it considers that the risk of harm to the public interest outweighs the benefit to the occupier. Legislation currently going through parliament would remove this restriction.
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Eric Avebury cited solicitors firm the Community Law Partnership saying the ‘untrammelled’ use of temporary stop notices would lead to breaches of articles 6, 8 and 11 of the ECHR, which govern the right to a fair hearing, respect for private and family life and the prohibition of discrimination respectively.
Lord Avebury said he found that ‘not a single local authority’ has met its legal duties to identify and provide sites for Travellers. The planning policy for Traveller sites gave councils until 31 March this year to identify a five-year supply of ‘deliverable’ sites, and set pitch targets over their local plan period based on assessments. Inside Housing last week revealed details of a report by campaign group the Traveller Law Reform Project showing just 4 out of 115 councils have complied.
Lord Avebury said: ‘If councils provide a five-year rolling supply of land with planning permission for Traveller sites…and if they refrain from using these powers until those sites are provided, a great deal of unnecessary human suffering would be avoided.
‘Not a single local authority has implemented the planning policy for travellers sites, three months after the government’s deadline.’
Lord Avebury also criticised the government for its refusal to collect central data on councils’ progress. A government spokesperson last week said it does not do this because it is ‘for town halls to lead, rather than Whitehall to micromanage’.
Labour peer Baroness Janet Whitaker, referring to the changes to temporary stop notice rules, said: ‘His [Eric Pickles] precipitous move means that there will now be a complete absence of any need to consider, let alone provide, an alternative legal site if a family, even in great need, perhaps with an oxygen machine or with a heavily pregnant mother, is evicted from an unlawful site.’
Another Labour peer, Lord Jeremy Beecham, accused Mr Pickles of having ‘selective indignation’, by not collecting data on councils’ provision of sites. He said: ‘There will be mirth in every town hall in the country at the suggestion that this government’s policy on local government is not one that can be described as being top down.
‘When the Secretary of State tells councils that they ought to be collecting refuse weekly rather than fortnightly, not to mention pronouncing a range of other instructions and wishes which are then backed by the government’s financial distribution, it is a little much for the government to rely on their so-called localism as a defence for orders of this kind.’
Conservative Lord Tariq Ahmad, speaking for the government, defended the clampdown on unauthorised sites. He said: ‘Intentional abuse of the planning system by a small minority of Travellers who set up unauthorised developments leads to tension, undermines community cohesion and damages the integrity of the planning system.’
He said the government has made £60 million available through Traveller pitch funding and the new homes bonus for authorised sites. He said this will deliver more than 1,000 new or refurbished pitches by 2015.
Fareham Travellers evicted from site - Hampshire
From the News
Travellers who set up camp off Newgate Lane in Fareham have been forced to move on by police.
Around seven vehicles arrived on the privately-owned land on Friday, damaging the gateway in order to gain access, and more travellers arriving over the weekend.
The group was asked to leave, but refused.
Police used their powers to give the group notice to leave by 10.30pm last night.
Fareham and Gosport district commander, Chief Inspector Darren O’Callaghan, said: ‘In using these powers, Hampshire Constabulary will always ensure that we balance the needs and rights of all our communities with actions that are proportionate, lawful and necessary.
‘I hope this swift action to move the travellers on from a location that was unsuitable will convey to all sections of the community that a robust approach will be taken.
‘We will continue to work closely with partner agencies, private landowners and the travelling community to manage unauthorised encampments.’
Travellers who set up camp off Newgate Lane in Fareham have been forced to move on by police.
Around seven vehicles arrived on the privately-owned land on Friday, damaging the gateway in order to gain access, and more travellers arriving over the weekend.
The group was asked to leave, but refused.
Police used their powers to give the group notice to leave by 10.30pm last night.
Fareham and Gosport district commander, Chief Inspector Darren O’Callaghan, said: ‘In using these powers, Hampshire Constabulary will always ensure that we balance the needs and rights of all our communities with actions that are proportionate, lawful and necessary.
‘I hope this swift action to move the travellers on from a location that was unsuitable will convey to all sections of the community that a robust approach will be taken.
‘We will continue to work closely with partner agencies, private landowners and the travelling community to manage unauthorised encampments.’
Traveller sites court date - Yorkshire
From the Spenborough Guardian
Traveller sites in north Kirklees will be the subject of court proceedings this week, as Kirklees Council hopes to get permission to evict travellers from Hightown and Liversedge.
In a hearing yesterday the council got permission to evict Travellers in a site in Wheelwright Drive, Dewsbury. The warrant has been issued with the County Court bailiffs and the council says it is currently awaiting confirmation of the appointment for the eviction.
A court hearing about a site at Miry Lane, Hightown will take place today at 12.15pm at Huddersfield County Court.
A hearing will also take place at the court regarding a site in Millbridge Park, Liversedge on Thursday at 11.45am.
Traveller sites in north Kirklees will be the subject of court proceedings this week, as Kirklees Council hopes to get permission to evict travellers from Hightown and Liversedge.
In a hearing yesterday the council got permission to evict Travellers in a site in Wheelwright Drive, Dewsbury. The warrant has been issued with the County Court bailiffs and the council says it is currently awaiting confirmation of the appointment for the eviction.
A court hearing about a site at Miry Lane, Hightown will take place today at 12.15pm at Huddersfield County Court.
A hearing will also take place at the court regarding a site in Millbridge Park, Liversedge on Thursday at 11.45am.
Travellers move on to Felpham site - Sussex
From the Bognor Regis Observer
A GROUP of Travellers has moved on to Felpham’s King George V playing field.
Their group of caravans arrived at the site off Felpham Way on Monday, June 17, and settled by its southern boundary.
The Arun District Council-owned playing field has been subject to incursions by travellers in previous years.
A GROUP of Travellers has moved on to Felpham’s King George V playing field.
Their group of caravans arrived at the site off Felpham Way on Monday, June 17, and settled by its southern boundary.
The Arun District Council-owned playing field has been subject to incursions by travellers in previous years.
Monday, 17 June 2013
Travellers leave school playing fields - Lancashire
From the Lancashire Evening Post
A group of Travellers set up camp on school playing fields on their way to a wedding.
The Travellers arrived on land next to Archbishop Temple School in St Vincent’s Road, Fulwood, Preston, on Saturday afternoon.
Police said they attended the makeshift campsite at around 5.30pm that day to speak to representatives from the group. They left the fields last night.
When the Evening Post visited the scene yesterday afternoon there were around 12 caravans parked on the field.
There were a similar number of cars and two horses grazing on a football pitch behind Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Sports College.
Inspector Darrin Butterworth, from Lancashire Police, said yesterday afternoon: “There is a travelling community wedding that is occurring in Lancaster today.They will be coming to Preston later this afternoon.We’ve got resources in place to deal with the number of Travellers expected for a wedding and that is why there has been a build up of caravans in the area.”
A resident living in Forest Way opposite the playing fields, who did not wish to be named, said he had called the police on Saturday.
Preston Council leader Peter Rankin said he believed a lot of Travellers were visiting the north west because of Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria, which finished last week.
Preston Central North County Coun Frank de Molfetta said the school had been made aware of the situation by police and had an understanding they would leave before school resumed.
A group of Travellers set up camp on school playing fields on their way to a wedding.
The Travellers arrived on land next to Archbishop Temple School in St Vincent’s Road, Fulwood, Preston, on Saturday afternoon.
Police said they attended the makeshift campsite at around 5.30pm that day to speak to representatives from the group. They left the fields last night.
When the Evening Post visited the scene yesterday afternoon there were around 12 caravans parked on the field.
There were a similar number of cars and two horses grazing on a football pitch behind Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Sports College.
Inspector Darrin Butterworth, from Lancashire Police, said yesterday afternoon: “There is a travelling community wedding that is occurring in Lancaster today.They will be coming to Preston later this afternoon.We’ve got resources in place to deal with the number of Travellers expected for a wedding and that is why there has been a build up of caravans in the area.”
A resident living in Forest Way opposite the playing fields, who did not wish to be named, said he had called the police on Saturday.
Preston Council leader Peter Rankin said he believed a lot of Travellers were visiting the north west because of Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria, which finished last week.
Preston Central North County Coun Frank de Molfetta said the school had been made aware of the situation by police and had an understanding they would leave before school resumed.
Claims Cambridgeshire Traveller sites are 'no go' areas for police
From Cambridge News
A crime panel has highlighted claims that Travellers’ sites in Cambridgeshire are police ‘no-go’ areas.
Members of the panel, which scrutinises the work of the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Sir Graham Bright, raised the issue at a meeting of the group.
They believe the public feel there is one rule for Travellers and another for residents and that the police were reluctant to enter Traveller sites.
Cllr Gavin Elsey, a member of the panel and a city councillor in Peterborough, said: “I think that members were talking about people’s perceptions that they believed there was a two tier system when it came to policing and that if residents committed a criminal action they would be punished but that when it came to Travellers committing the same offence that didn’t happen.
“The feeling is among some residents that there is one law for them and another for the travelling community and they wanted the law to be fair on everyone.”
The panel was scrutinising the commissioner’s draft police and crime plan for 2013/16 and asked why he had not looked into the issue.
Minutes of the meeting which was held in March, have now been published.
They said: “Issues concerning Gypsies and Traveller communities not mentioned such as ‘no go’ areas for the police.”
Cllr Lynda Harford, who represents Cottenham with its large community of Travellers in Smithy Fen, is a South Cambridgeshire district councillor.
She said: “I can’t account for the public perception of ‘no go’ areas and can only talk about my own experiences. Those are that in recent months I have been up to Smithy Fen with the PCSO to address some minor issues with the people living there and Sgt Paul Rogerson and his team are very good and have always been willing to go to the site.
The commissioner’s response to the issue said he would “not accept the conception of ‘no go’ areas for the police”.
A Cambridgeshire police spokesman echoed Sir Graham.
He said: “There are no ‘no-go’ areas in Cambridgeshire.”
A crime panel has highlighted claims that Travellers’ sites in Cambridgeshire are police ‘no-go’ areas.
Members of the panel, which scrutinises the work of the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Sir Graham Bright, raised the issue at a meeting of the group.
They believe the public feel there is one rule for Travellers and another for residents and that the police were reluctant to enter Traveller sites.
Cllr Gavin Elsey, a member of the panel and a city councillor in Peterborough, said: “I think that members were talking about people’s perceptions that they believed there was a two tier system when it came to policing and that if residents committed a criminal action they would be punished but that when it came to Travellers committing the same offence that didn’t happen.
“The feeling is among some residents that there is one law for them and another for the travelling community and they wanted the law to be fair on everyone.”
The panel was scrutinising the commissioner’s draft police and crime plan for 2013/16 and asked why he had not looked into the issue.
Minutes of the meeting which was held in March, have now been published.
They said: “Issues concerning Gypsies and Traveller communities not mentioned such as ‘no go’ areas for the police.”
Cllr Lynda Harford, who represents Cottenham with its large community of Travellers in Smithy Fen, is a South Cambridgeshire district councillor.
She said: “I can’t account for the public perception of ‘no go’ areas and can only talk about my own experiences. Those are that in recent months I have been up to Smithy Fen with the PCSO to address some minor issues with the people living there and Sgt Paul Rogerson and his team are very good and have always been willing to go to the site.
The commissioner’s response to the issue said he would “not accept the conception of ‘no go’ areas for the police”.
A Cambridgeshire police spokesman echoed Sir Graham.
He said: “There are no ‘no-go’ areas in Cambridgeshire.”
Travellers moved on by police - Hampshire
From the Southern Daily Echo
THIS was the scene as a group of Travellers descended on to a Hampshire roundabout.
Around 20 vehicles made their way on to Windhover roundabout just off junction 8 of the M27.
The Travellers were on the site for around five hours before moving towards Fareham.
Hampshire Constabulary said the group initially tried to move on to an area of land on the Ordnance Survey site in Adanac Park, Nursling, Southampton, before making their way through the city.
Police officers and Hampshire County Council’s highways team paid the Travellers a visit during their time on the roundabout.
No arrests were made and there was no disruption to traffic, according to police.
The group, which moved on to the roundabout on Friday afternoon, left the site at 8pm and moved on to an area of land off Newgate Lane in Fareham.
An eyewitness told the Daily Echo the group appeared to be “setting up for the week” and children were playing around the roundabout.
It comes after a group of Travellers in six vehicles arrived on land at Adanac Park earlier this month to set up an illegal encampment and were issued with a notice to quit the site by police.
THIS was the scene as a group of Travellers descended on to a Hampshire roundabout.
Around 20 vehicles made their way on to Windhover roundabout just off junction 8 of the M27.
The Travellers were on the site for around five hours before moving towards Fareham.
Hampshire Constabulary said the group initially tried to move on to an area of land on the Ordnance Survey site in Adanac Park, Nursling, Southampton, before making their way through the city.
Police officers and Hampshire County Council’s highways team paid the Travellers a visit during their time on the roundabout.
No arrests were made and there was no disruption to traffic, according to police.
The group, which moved on to the roundabout on Friday afternoon, left the site at 8pm and moved on to an area of land off Newgate Lane in Fareham.
An eyewitness told the Daily Echo the group appeared to be “setting up for the week” and children were playing around the roundabout.
It comes after a group of Travellers in six vehicles arrived on land at Adanac Park earlier this month to set up an illegal encampment and were issued with a notice to quit the site by police.
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