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Council passing the buck over travellers

From the archive, first published Friday 2nd Mar 2007.

Basildon Council stands accused of passing the buck on the problem of travellers staying on illegal sites.

Travellers staying at Dale Farm camp in Oak Lane, Crays Hill, are fighting Basildon Council over the right to live in what is currently Europe's biggest illegal camp.

The accusation comes from Lord Avebury, the Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman who introduced the duty on all councils to provide legal traveller sites, as far back as 1968.

He said Basildon Council could be free to spend huge amounts of public money on forcibly evicting 48 families while it would still be obliged to provide homes for them under homeless legislation.

He said: "The people would become long-term burdens on the state, being unable to work and requiring additional support, particularly those suffering from permanent disabilities, of whom there are several. If the council succeeds in driving them out, the problems will simply be transferred to the neighbouring authorities of Castle Point, Rochford, Southend and Thurrock.

"These long-term injuries to the wider public interest may not be factors in planning decisions, but they are a great deal more serious than temporary damage to the green belt."

Lord Avebury was speaking at a Royal Town Planning Institute meeting in London, on the subject of site provision.

He said the Government's own guidance stated where it is expected new sites will have to be developed, temporary permission should be granted.