Monday 08 September 2008

Gypsy and Traveller Issues and Options Consultation

North Wiltshire District Council has been consulting with local communities on potential sites for use by the Gypsy and Traveller community. This process examined sites that had been suggested previously, as well as providing the opportunity for the community to suggest other sites.

The consultation period lasted for six weeks, from Friday 9 May through until Friday 20 June 2008.

The Executive at North Wiltshire District Council have agreed that none of the six publicly owned sites, which were identified, are suitable for sites for Gypsy and Travellers.

It was resolved that the Executive:
  1. Notes the summary of the 6-week consultation period and thanks the people of North Wiltshire for their active participation in this process.
  1. Agrees that none of the 6 publicly owned sites are suitable.
  1. Are mindful of the imminent Local Government (Structural Changes) (Transitional Arrrangements) Regulations 2008, which transfer responsibility for the Local Development Framework to the Implementation Executive of the preparing authority (Wiltshire County Council) and also mindful of the limited time span of NWDC and in that regard request that early discussions take place with Wiltshire County Council to agree a countywide approach to meeting the accommodation needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community - such discussions to include the consideration of any private sites.
  1. Request officers seek clarification from Government and request objective evidence as to why the number of pitches to be provided in North Wiltshire has been doubled from 24-48 disregarding the findings of the report commissioned by the Wiltshire Councils.
  1. Reports back the concerns of the Council and the people of North Wiltshire to the appropriate Government Minister and to the MPs for the District about their recommended method and criteria of satisfying the accommodation needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community.

To access the reports presented to the Executive Committee please click here.



Archive


Gypsy and Traveller Consultation documents.
Help - How to access PDF files

Area Committees for Gypsy and Traveller Issues and Options Consultation.

As part of the consultation process North Wiltshire District Council held a number of meetings at the various Area Committees throughout the District:
Area Committee Location Date and Time
Malmesbury Area 1 Malmesbury Town Hall, Oxford Room Thursday 5th June 7pm
Cricklade and Wootton Bassett Area 2 Memorial Hall Wootton Bassett Monday 9th June 7pm
Chippenham Area 3 Monkton Park, Chippenham Monday 2nd June 7pm
Corsham Area 4 Corsham Town Hall Tuesday 10th June 7pm
Calne Area 5 Calne Leisure Centre Monday 16th June 8pm

The Area Committees were open to the public and gave people an opportunity to ask questions, make statements and deliver petitions.


Additional Information

An Independent Panel Report to review the additional pitch requirements for Gypsies and Travellers in the South West has recommended that the number of residential pitches in North Wiltshire should increase from 24 to 48 pitches.  This report can be accessed via the link below.

Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West, review of additional pitch requirements for Gypsies and Travellers.

The Six publicly owned sites referred to in the Gypsy and Traveller Issues and Options document were suggested within an earlier report.  This report was undertaken by Humberts and was discussed at the Council's Executive Committee on the 24th April 2008.  Both Reports can be viewed below.

Executive Report (and Appendix 1) (PDF 40kb)
Appendix 2(PDF 620kb)
Appendix 3(PDF 16.0kb

Humberts Gypsy and Travellers Site Search Project (PDF 1.04MB)
Humberts  Scoring Matrix (PDF 24.0kb)

The Wiltshire County and Swindon Borough Gypsy
and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment 2006


If you would like to know more about the Gypsy and Traveller community please click here

The Government has produced various publications on Gypsy and Travellers, as well as guidance on planning for Gypsy and Traveller sites in the form of Circular 01/2006. If you would like to view these documents they can be accessed below.

Circular 01/2006 Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Sites (external website)

House of Commons Papers

Gypsies and Travellers, Camp Sites and Trespass (Feb 2008). (PDF 128kb)
Gypsies and Travellers, Unathourised Development (April 2008). (PDF 92kb)
Human Rights Act & Planning (Nov 2006). (PDF 34kb)
Gypsies and Travellers, Parliamentary Activity since 2005 (Oct 2006).(68kb)