Traveller community moves into car park

CAMP: Second group to set up in Perth in the last week amid concerns over lack of facilities

A Traveller community has set up camp in the Aviva car park in Perth amid concerns over a lack of facilities for groups moving into the region.

The group are the second community to set up camp on the outskirts of the city centre in the past week after about a dozen caravans also moved into the Food and Drink Park on Arran Road last Tuesday.

The community moved into the car park of the insurance company on Monday with the private land quieter than usual with the majority of staff working from home.

Calls have been made for better communication between the local authority and Travellers as campaigners are worried about a lack of facilities for camps in the face of a second wave of coronavirus outbreak.

Last year, Perth and Kinross Council approved a Negotiated Stopping Places pilot scheme that would give Travellers the right to occupy pre-agreed council owned land for a period of 28 days.

“Given the predictions of a second wave of the coronavirus it is vital that there is more sensitive and better engagement. COUNCILLOR PETER BARRETT

The scheme was meant to have launched towards the end of last year and was again interrupted by the Covid19 outbreak.

However The Courier understands the local authority had pencilled in this month for the reimplementation of the scheme.

Peter Barrett, Perth City Centre Liberal Democrat councillor and member of the national Negotiated Stopping Advisory group, called for better communication over the scheme after it emerged communities moving into the area were not aware of it.

Mr Barrett said: “Given the predictions of a second wave of the coronavirus it is vital that there is more sensitive and better engagement between council and health services and the Gypsy Traveller community while they are stopping in Perth and Kinross.

“That means providing safe and sanitary toilet facilities, access to clean water, domestic and household waste collection.”

Perth and Kinross Council said they were aware the camp had been set up at Aviva.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “While the site is the responsibility of the landowner, this group will be visited tomorrow by council staff to establish any interim health needs in line with normal practice.

“We are working with Cosla and the Scottish Government on the Negotiated Stopping pilot, which will be taken forward in the near future in relation to encampments utilising Perth and Kinross Council land.”