To ask the committee to determine whether it wishes to make any recommendations to the executive on the draft pre-submission Travellers’ Sites development plan document (DPD) which would strengthen the emerging policy approach.

The Committee was asked to determine whether it wished to make any recommendations to the executive on the draft pre-submission Travellers’ Sites development plan document (DPD) which would strengthen the emerging policy approach.

The Senior Planning Officer (SPO) presented the report.  She commented on the preparation of the evidence base which informed the assessment of the need for new pitches, proposals for the provision of residential pitches, the proposal to develop a temporary stopping place, noting that the proposed site still required further discussion with Highways England, and the inclusion of an enabling policy to make provision for travelling showpeople.

In the course of discussion the following principal points were made:

·        It was asked whether the proposed provision was sufficient noting that the government’s revised definition of travellers and travelling showpeople on which the assessment of need had been based was the subject of a legal challenge.

·        The SPO commented that it was likely that the legal challenge would take some time to resolve and therefore the council had to seek to progress its policy based on the current government guidance.  If the government issued new guidance in due course the policy may then need to be reviewed.

·        A number of questions were asked about the policy governing the proposed temporary stopping place (TSP) and how this would operate in practice, the importance of communicating policies to the wider public to provide clarity, whether it was a suitable site, noting the proximity to the A49 and the railway line, and whether one such site was going to be sufficient.

·        In response the Senior Planning Officer and the Licensing, travellers and technical support service manager (LTTSSM) and the Programme director housing and growth commented:

·        There was no proposed general policy in relation to the provision of temporary stopping places because it was considered that the proposed site would meet the need identified in the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment.

·        The TSP would be managed in accordance with recognised good practice.  There were established legal procedures to manage the length of stay.

·        Those using the site would have to abide by conditions governing occupancy.

·        Experience of other local authorities suggested that bringing in sanitation and waste disposal facilities as and when required was preferable to making permanent provision on a TSP.

·        There would be occasions when the number of unauthorised encampments exceeded the space available on the TSP.  However, it was important to recognise the benefits the TSP would provide, noting that West Mercia Police strongly advocated the provision of such a site and the environmental health service supported it. It would allow the authority to provide basic sanitary facilities and have arrangements in place with regard to access to health services and education when required.

·        Management arrangements should ensure clear communication between agencies including the police to ensure, for example, that travellers were not directed to the TSP from another part of the county when it was already full.

·        It was questioned whether the assessment of the extent to which need  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25