Issue - meetings

Issue - meetings

Gypsy and Traveller Responsiveness

Meeting: 22/11/2018 - SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (Item 116)

116 Gypsy and Traveller Responsiveness pdf icon PDF 38 KB

 

The report and presentation seeks support from the Committee for proposals for additional Council resources to support the response to Gypsy and Traveller matters in Central Bedfordshire.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Head of Community Safety, Parking and Programmes delivered a presentation which outlined the Council’s responsibilities in relation to Gypsy and Traveller encampments, the number of sites across the region and measures taken by the Council to address particular challenges on certain sites, with some positive outcomes achieved as a result. A successful injunction had been applied to prevent certain named individuals coming into Central Bedfordshire and setting up unauthorised encampments (UAE) which had achieved positive results. Officers were using the learning at the site in Billington to inform their approach going forward and there would be a continued development of temporary stopping sites which would further reduce the problems caused by UAE.

 

In light of the presentation Members discussed the following in summary:-

·         Measures taken to assess the feasibility of temporary stopping sites and their location, with a need for the information to be shared within the public domain prior to the Council adopting or agreeing specific locations.

·         That two sites would be required, one in the North of the region and one in the South to help address the challenge of UAE to the benefit of the community but that no specific sites had yet been agreed.

·         Whether funding was available to recruit staff to posts before Christmas, using agency staff in the interim where necessary. In response it was confirmed that monies were available within the reserve immediately, with longer term funding considered during the usual budget setting process.

·         Problems with encampments on private land not owned by the Council and the measures taken to liaise with those responsible for the land in order to minimise the impact on road users, cyclists and residents.

·         That temporary stopping sites would increase the powers of the police to manage instances of UAE and move on any incursions to an appropriate site

·         The need for central Government to revisit legislation in order to assist the work of local authorities in managing instances of UAE.

 

RECOMMENDED:-

1.    That the Committee support the next steps in relation to the temporary stopping sites feasibility study and;

2.    That the Executive include the necessary funding within the Council’s current MTFP in order to ensure appropriate levels of staff resource.