MPs condemn Government policy on gypsy and traveller sites in Herts
21st June 2007
Mike Penning joined other Hertfordshire MPs in calling for a rethink on proposals for new gypsy and traveller sites in the county.
The debate was instigated by St Albans MP, Anne Main in response to the outcry over the East of England Regional Assembly’s recent consultation on the provision of additional ‘pitches’ for travellers’ caravans.
The MPs condemned the arbitrary basis on which the numbers of new sites needed has been calculated and raised concerns that many Gypsies and Travellers do not want to use council-provided sites, especially if they are not sited along traditional routes.
David Gauke told MPs:
“…the provision of authorised sites does not necessarily mean that Travellers will use them. By their very nature, Travellers travel.”
Mike Penning added:
“Those of us who understand the travelling community or have lived with Travellers—I grew up around a travelling community—know that many of them do not want to be on organised sites. At certain times of the year, they are happy to pull off the road, but at other times even organised sites are half empty.”
Speaking after the debate, David Gauke raised local peoples’ concerns that Gypsies and Travelling people are getting unfair preferential treatment when you consider the very great demand for housing in the county:
”It looks likely that the boundaries of the green belt will be redrawn in order to accommodate these new sites. As such, there is a perception that travellers are getting preferential treatment.”
Mike Penning added:
”The Government was unable to give us any real evidence that additional sites are needed. They figures appear to be based on anecdotal evidence alone. They have tried to sell us the idea that the provision of new sites will reduce the numbers of unauthorised sites, but the figures don’t show that to be the case. In fact, in many cases, the reverse may be true.”
David Gauke further addressed concerns about the undemocratic nature of the consultation:
“The East of England regional assembly is implementing the policy, but this is very much a Government policy—it is the Government who are determining things. They can hide behind the regional assembly and use regional bodies to implement unpopular policies for which they do not want to take the rap.”
