Expert gives views on gipsies (From Northwich Guardian)

Expert gives views on gipsies

5:20pm Saturday 13th March 2010 in

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WITH consultants scouring the borough for possible places to put gipsy sites, the Guardian decided to meet with an expert on the matter.

Dawn Taylor works as the gipsy and traveller coordinator for the Cheshire Partnership – a joint operation between CWAC and public, private and voluntary groups to improve local life.

She said that contrary to popular belief, gipsies and travellers on permanent sites would have to pay rent and Council Tax, like any other resident.

The sites will be run by a registered social landlord and a priority system operated, similar to that used by organisations like housing trusts.

She said: “In every community there is an element that you would like not to exist and unfortunately gipsies and travellers are judged by the worse of their communities.

“But like everyone else they just want to get on with their lives.”

An ‘accepted encampment’ in Ellesmere Port has been running for 18 months, and a temporary, or ‘transit’ site opened in Runcorn a year ago. Dawn said in that time, Halton Borough Council has saved around £200,000 in costs associated with illegal encampments.

And the number of illegal encampments in west Cheshire has dropped from 116 in 2006 to just nine in 2008/09, because by law if those camping illegally refuse to move to the authorised site, they can be kicked out of the borough.

The council recently received £1.5 million from the Government to fund 12 permanent pitches.

Dawn said: “It might seem like a lot but 70 per cent of what we spend is underground – things such the gas supply, sewage and electricity. The trailers don’t usually have toilets and they don’t cook in them if they can help it.”

Cheshire West and Chester Council needs to find space for 45 permanent sites and 10 temporary, or ‘transit’ sites, and a call has been put out for suggestions for possible sites.

Vale Royal Borough Council did its own consultation before it disbanded, with a site in New Road, Winsford, being shortlisted. But Dawn said that while the consultants will be looking at the old study, the previously suggested sites might not make the new list.