Councils urged to provide sites for Gypsies
Councils are being urged to provide caravan sites for Gypsies to avoid unauthorised encampments.
In a new report a committee of MPs say the majority of illegal camps come about because there are an insufficient number of sites for travellers.
This leads to travellers building illegal camps, which in turn causes anger and resentment amongst local residents in the neighbourhoods where they are set up.
The Committee on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister recommends changing the law so councils have a duty to provide camps for travellers – a return to pre-1994 when such a law existed.
The committee notes that Ministers are reviewing current policy, but said that not enough was being done.
Many councils and communities are currently embroiled in court battles to remove Gypsies from their land.
Chairman of the committee, Andrew Bennett said: “The problem will only be resolved when the government requires all local plans to have designated land for Gypsies and Travellers, and all local authorities have a statutory duty to provide sites – and central government enforces this duty.”
However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said a statutory duty on local councils to provide sites was “not necessarily an appropriate solution”.
A spokesman said: “A duty has been tried before and often did not produce sufficient or appropriate provision. A duty which relates solely to the gypsy and traveller community reinforces the view that they should be dealt with outside the mainstream housing system.”
The department promised to provide a fuller response to the committee report at a later date.
