City and travellers urgently need temporary travellers site, say Greens

Greens repeat call for Hangleton Bottom site at Policy & Resources Committee on Thursday 11th June.

Green councillors have called on the Labour-run city council to urgently revisit the decision that Greens put forward in October 2014 concerning the use of a site at Hangleton Bottom as a temporary Travellers Transit Site. They say there is a clear need for a temporary site whilst the transit site at Horsdean is closed due to construction. The proposal will be put to the council’s Policy & Resources Committee, this Thursday 11th June.

Green convenor, Cllr. Phélim Mac Cafferty, who is proposing the motion, said:

“Our proposal in 2014 to open Hangleton Bottom as a temporary traveller site was rejected by Conservative and Labour Councillors. Today in our city there is nowhere for the Police to lawfully send travellers which has predictably lead to more unauthorised encampments.

“This has resulted in unnecessary legal costs, confusion for the police and inconvenience to residents. There are obvious costs to community cohesion too. We have said from the outset that we need a temporary site while a permanent site is built at Horsedean. This would not only minimise the disruption from unauthorised encampments but it would also help foster better relationships between the settled and traveller communities, giving us the opportunity to deepen the necessary dialogue between these communities.

“We urgently call on the administration to revisit that decision now that the consequences of inaction have become clear. We owe it to all concerned and for the good of all of our city’s communities to find a resolution and Hangleton Bottom is still the only viable option on the table.”

The Policy & Resources Committee will meet at the Brighthelm Centre in the Auditorium, from 4pm. The Notice of Motion is Agenda Item 7,d,ii.


Notes

1/ Notice Of Motion – Full Text

TEMPORARY TRAVELLERS SITE
Following the announcement by the Labour administration of a speedy review of policy with respect to management of unauthorised encampments in the city, this Committee resolves, as part of this review, to urgently revisit its decision of October 2014 (agenda item 67) concerning the use of a site at Hangleton Bottom as a temporary Travellers transit site whilst the transit site at Horsdean is closed due to construction.
Proposed by: Councillor Mac Cafferty Seconded by: Councillor Sykes

2/ Report on Hangleton Bottom to Policy & Resources committee – 16 Oct 2014
Re Agenda item 67: Hangleton Bottom: http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/Published/C00000689/M00005091/AI00042111/$20141001103252_006338_0026238_HangletonBottomv1.docx.pdf

3/ Minutes Of Policy & Resources Committee – 16 Oct 2015
http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/Published/C00000689/M00005091/$$$Minutes.doc.pdf

 

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