Hi,

I was hoping to draw on any advice or experiences that you good people may have on opposing Local Government on a proposed Traveller Site near me.

It has been leaked to the press about the proposal of a proposed traveller site to house upto 50 (transient) caravans/show people.

I live in a rural community and we have several nearby sites dotted around the country but this one is bang in the middle of a well regarded village. What was once a nature reserve next to a new cemetary, is soon to be a gypsy site. It is also on the footpath of a local senior school.

There has been no consultation. Diggers have already moved in although, there is no meeting until Jan 8th. The head of the local primary school told me that he is to allocate at least 4 places per class for these children.

With regards to local development under or Village Plan, we see no benefits to having a transient travellers site within 5 metres of a well regarded private neighbourhood. people are terrified of the house price crash, eye sore as on entrance to village, drain on school and small one man gp practice. Anti social behaviour and crime, remember this a going to be the grounds that police move the illegaly camped travellers onto for a short period. They simply cannot enhance anything to do with our community and some have said that its an outcry that local mourners see there loved ones laid to rest with a load of gypsys across the fence (which was once a beautiful hedgerow!

Help, help and double help we need advice fast

Thanks

Organise a meeting of local people and invite the local councillors

Tell them you will stand a candidate in the next election purely on the issue of this camp-site.

Do a freedom of information request to obtain any and all documents on the council's decision. There MUST have been a planning meeting to decide to build a camo-site.

You WILL be accused of anti-Roma racism. If that does happen you have nothing to lose so REALLY put the frighteners on the council...invite the BNP to the meeting!!

Remember, it's your home you are fighting for!

On the other hand, you could contact the gentleman listed below, tell him of your fears, and listen to what he has to say, and see what he can advise, just in case yours is going to be one of the sites FORCED on us. He is a brilliant mediator and well respected by the travelling community.

Hope its ok to post this, and I don;t think Roger would mind. Depending on whereabouts in the country you are it could be that he would come to a public meeting and talk to everyone. It never hurts to have all sides heard whatever the local feeling.

I have a travellers site near where I live, its a well established one and has been there for years, the only trouble coming from it being when gradually the surrounding areas became more built up and people began to notice the site more. It is, I suppose, true to say that there is trouble on the site from time to time. As children we were never allowed to stray too far near it. I do appreciate your worries, I really do, but after I had listened to this man for three hours, I had a slight change of opinion on the whole matter - he fascinated me. I learnt a lot about why the travellers are what they are, do what they do and what they believe in etc.

Reverend Roger Redding, Chaplain to Travellers and Showmen email: [email protected].

This guy is highly respected within the traveling community, ask any true traveller and they will know him.

Hi ,

Faced with a travellers site in our village .

Did you get any help ? If so from whom

hope you succeeded

Hi ,

 

Faced with a travellers site in our village .

Did you get any help ? If so from whom

hope you succeeded

Thelma

But seriously, FOI requests are a good way forward. See what the council have done. They may will give you the ammunition you need.