BOILING POINT
FRUSTRATION came to the boil during a debate on finding a permanent site for travellers in the Derbyshire Dales.
One councillor voiced fears that if the situation is not resolved soon, it could descend into violence.
At the meeting on Thursday councillors agreed to begin searching to buy a site for travellers after “exhausting” all other options. Derbyshire Dales District Council will appoint an external surveyor to conduct the search. This is thought to be a costly process.
In July, the authority said the cost of developing a new traveller pitch would be £112,128.
In the past five years, the district council has acted on 52 unauthorised encampments, incurring costs of £4,249.
The latest plan is a last-ditch effort to find the required six pitches for travellers in the Dales. The authority’s chief executive, Paul Wilson, said the issue has “haunted the district for 25 years”.
Until recently, a family of travellers had been camped out at the Agricultural Business Centre in Bakewell. Since then, after being moved on, they have pitched their caravans at Fishpond Meadow in Ashbourne.
Tim Braund, head of regulatory services, said the authority has provided more than 1,000 homes for the settled community, but none for travellers, as the district is legally obliged to do.
He said that if travellers chose to move from the allocated site, the council has the power to move them back. When moving on the travellers from unauthorised sites, the authority has nowhere to move them on to.
Cllr Vicky Massey-bloodworth, Conservative for Hathersage and Eyam, said: “There are people who are saying they can’t get a house but see we are giving travellers one for free. Things could boil over and get violent.”
At Thursday’s meeting of the Community and Environment Committee, councillors were frustrated to be told their questions on the topic should be limited to the brief considering whether to give officers permission to hunt for private sites which the district could buy for use as a traveller site.
Ashbourne South councillor Dermot Murphy expressed dismay at being “shut down” and slammed his hand down on the table. He said: “The press are here and this is not going to look good. I am happy to support this but I am frustrated we are being shut down.
“If we had moved quicker to secure the Watery Lane site, it could have been used as a temporary site.”
After the meeting, Cllr Murphy said: “It stinks to high heaven and I have no answers for the people of Ashbourne”.
The district council had all but secured Watery Lane in Ashbourne as a permanent site for travellers but was told in July that this was no longer on the table, due to Derbyshire County Council suspending all land sales in the Ashbourne area so as it could push ahead with plans for a bypass.
The district council’s chief executive said it was a change in administration from Labour to Conservative which had caused the loss of the site, due to a shift in priorities.
Mr Braund said: “Like all of us, travellers get old and want to settle down. I have no reason to believe that if they were given a permanent site, that they would ever move on.”
Independent councillor Colin Swindell was the one member not to support the motion, abstaining. He said: “Taxpayers see services reduced and they are charged for more and yet we are spending money providing homes for people who have not contributed, as far as I’m aware.
“I have got a lot of mixed feelings. I have nothing against travellers and we do need to offer them a place as a council, but I do have my concerns.”
John Youatt, a member of the Derbyshire Dales Green Party, urged councillors to consider a site called the Woodyard, three miles from Cromford, next to the A6. But Mr Braund said that after consulting a family of travellers wellknown in the area, the site was found to be too close to the busy main road.
Cllr Richard Fitzherbert said: “We need to grasp the nettle again, especially now Watery Lane is off the table. We are spending a great deal of money on enforcement and officer time.”
Cllr Mike Ratcliffe commented: “If we are not careful this is going to divide us in the same way as the government.
“I find it difficult to accept that Watery Lane could not have been used sooner, it could have at least provided temporary accommodation – we have a duty of care to meet their needs.”