Traveller policy put under the spotlight (From This is Hampshire)

Traveller policy put under the spotlight

1:09pm Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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POLICE only used their powers to deal with unauthorised gypsy and traveller encampments in Basingstoke and Deane on three occasions in 2009, new figures reveal.

A total of 372 caravans were involved in 62 encampments in the borough between January and November 2009, up from 231 caravans on 51 sites in 2008.

The statistics were contained in papers prepared for Basingstoke and Deane Borough councillors who last night begin an in-depth look at how such encampments in the area are dealt with.

Councillor Robert Taylor, chairman of the community wellbeing committee, told The Gazette it was sensible for his committee to review how the borough dealt with the issue because it had not been examined in five years.

He said: “We need a good look at what we are doing. We will be taking full account of existing legislation. We will be looking at whether we need an official site in the borough. There is nothing predetermined in terms of what we do or don’t do.”

The issue of whether to provide an official site could be a thorny one. Hampshire County Council provides 92 pitches at five sites across the county, but there has not been one in Basingstoke and Deane since Peak Copse, in Dummer, shut in 1996.

Hampshire Constabulary can use powers under section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 when:

* Six or more vehicles are parked in one location, or l the parked vehicles are causing a highway obstruction or hazard to road users

* a trespasser is causing an unreasonable level of nuisance

* entry and sustenance of the camp is or has caused “unacceptable levels of damage”

* trespassers face dangers from the site.

However, the police prefer to move travellers on, using powers under section 62 of the same act to approved sites.

The police guidance provided to the committee notes: “Unfortunately, there are no relevant sites in Hampshire and may not be for some years owing to planning and public consultation factors. As such this legislation is currently effectively unusable in Hampshire at this time.”

One of the three incidents where police moved travellers on last year was when they had camped beside Basingstoke hospital’s helicopter landing pad.

The papers for the committee show the council has spent £26,000 in the 2009-10 financial year protecting sites from unauthorised entry and an estimated £30,000 on staff in 2009. Since figures started being kept in September, the council has spent £2,000 cleaning up traveller sites.

Cllr Taylor said the committee would be taking evidence from experts, representatives of the travelling community and the public. He said it was aiming to produce some recommendations in September, but the timing could be changed.

Inspector John Halfacre, of Basingstoke police station, said Hampshire Constabulary worked with the councils to ensure a consistent approach to unauthorised encampments. He added: “Each encampment is assessed individually and a proportionate response is taken by the appropriate agency.”