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Travellers (Draft Speech)

Mr. Mordern Thank you for allowing me to speak at this important public enquiry.

1. May I start by making one thing clear.

No-one is looking to discriminate against a minority, but it is only fair that all those who live in a community should abide by its laws and regulations.

Otherwise it is the majority who is discriminated against.

Partly because of our historic links with the Pilgrim Fathers and the mayflower, as a community we recognise more than most that the mark of a civilised society is the extent to which minority interests are respected.

• Indeed, in this part of the country we have a long and proud history of living in harmony with the local gypsy community going back hundreds of years.

• Meanwhile, latest figures show we have over 100 authorised pitches and sites to accommodate gypsy and traveller needs – some neighbouring districts have none at all.

• So no-one can accuse us of not respecting rights of minorities

But should this appeal be granted and these travellers seen to be getting away with breaking the planning laws, then it is local residents who will be discriminated against because it is these residents who abide by the rules.

• Indeed, local residents who stray just a fraction from planning regulations are jumped on by the council.
• And, therefore if this appeal is granted is would be grossly unfair on these law abiding residents.

2. Those travellers who insist in breaking planning regulations often claim they have no where else to go and therefore they require special treatment.

• But this argument does not stand up.
• For within Basildon District Council we have thousands of people on the current housing waiting list.
• These are people officially deemed to be in “priority housing need”.
• But these people do not go round breaking the law because they have housing needs.
• The form a queue and abide by the rules of the community.
• And this group of travellers should not be given the right to break the law and in effect be given special treatment over those on the councils housing list.

So Mr. Mordern By allowing this appeal to succeed, the system would not only be unfairly treating

1. The local residents who do abide by the rules.
2. But it would be also unfairly treating the many on the councils housing waiting list.

And Mr. Mordern I speak as one who does believe that the traveller way of life does need to be recognised.

As you maybe aware, since becoming the MP, I have campaigned on the issue of traveller sites in an attempt to be fair to both sides.

• And this has included an attempt in Parliament to change the law by introducing a Private Members Bill called ‘Greenbelt Protection Bill’ which had good cross party support but was blocked by the Government.
• I introduced the Bill because the present law is inadequate and cannot deal with that minority of travellers who buy land and then speedily develop it with out authorisation
• This Bill was the product of a wide consultation locally which included public meetings involving travellers and was backed by the Association of Essex Authorities
• I’ve raised the issue in Parliament many times
• Had meetings with ministers
• And a meeting with the Prime Minister.

My Bill adopted a twin track approach to be fair to both travellers and local residents.

1. It set about sharing the responsibility of site provision for the travelling community by introducing the requirement for all local authorities to provide authorised sites.
• Where there was a clear demand
• And for which an honest rent and council taxes would be charged

2. But the Bill would also have given councils much stronger powers to

• Stop immediately any unauthorised development and evict those responsible: and
• Put right any damage – the cost going to those who caused it.

Now, initially the government blocked the Bill despite good cross party support – but most recently the government seems to be relenting

• It has agreed that the issue of traveller site provision needs to be addressed
• It is also looking at giving councils stronger powers – although the only measure so far, the 28 day temporary stop notice, is clearly inadequate.
• And I have participated in both consultations on these issues.

So I hope you can see Mr. Mordern that I for one, and most residents, believe that a twin track approach is needed
• But whilst this is being considered
• I would also suggest that allowing travellers to break the law must not be tolerated
• Otherwise there would be chaos in our communities

3.In addition, by allowing this appeal to proceed, it would not only be grossly unfair on those local residents living close to these illegal traveller sites and on those on the current housing lists, but it would grossly unfair also on the wider population.

For a successful appeal in my view would send out a clear signal that the greenbelt is up for grabs.
• Our greenbelt is already under threat from the government’s centralised house building targets which ride roughshod over the wishes of local people.
• For local people and councils should be making these housing decisions, not politicians sitting in London.
• In addition, the government high handed approach on this issue threatens to over whelm our already overstretched public services.

The appeal if granted would also erode our greenbelt without the consent of local residents and this is again wrong.

But a successful appeal would also be unfair on the wider community because it would give out a clear signal that such actions by the travellers do succeed.
• It would in effect encourage groups to break the rules because, very simply, they could see that they can get away with it.
• It would in effect create a ‘free for all’.
• And this can only encourage further conflict between the travellers and local residents which is something we all wish to avoid.

In short Mr. Mordern this appeal needs to be refused for if it succeeded it would be grossly unfair on a wide range of people.
• It would be unfair on local residents living close to these illegal traveller sites who do abide by the rules
• It would also be unfair on who have housing needs and are currently waiting on the councils lists
• And it would be unfair on the wider community not only because

a) it would erode our greenbelt with out local peoples consent and would put strain on our already overstretch services
b) but it would also, in my view, drive a ‘coach and horses’ through our planning laws and send out a very clear signal that the greenbelt was up for grabs – and this would create further tension and conflict between the traveller community and local residents which needs to be avoided.

I therefore, Mr. Mordern request that this appeal be refused.