Many Hastings and St Leonards residents will be familiar with the arrival of Gypsies or Travellers in the town, often setting up their encampment illegally. This is not always popular with nearby communities and inevitably negative stories appear in the media.
Hastings Borough Council is working proactively with neighbouring authorities to find a better, more manageable solution to this problem.
A number of powers are available to evict illegal encampments, but some rely on space being available locally in an official transit site or emergency stopping place.
A Government-funded survey carried out by Sheffield University identified that Gypsy and Traveller communities suffer a range of inequalities, in particular poorer health, than settled communities. Children in these groups also suffer from lower educational achievement. There is also significant prejudice within settled communities towards Gypsies and Travellers. It is recognised that providing sufficient sites is key to addressing these inequalities. Hastings Borough Council, together with other local authorities, has adopted an East Sussex Traveller Strategy to tackle these issues.
The Housing Act (2004) requires local authorities to carry out an accommodation needs survey and to develop a strategy to meet the need for sites for Gypsies and Travellers. The new rules require Hastings Borough Council and neighbouring authorities to analyse the need for sites and then meet that need through housing and other plans.
There is a strong need for a transit site or emergency stopping place in Hastings to deal effectively with unauthorised encampments. Hastings Borough Council recognises this and is working to find a suitable location. A bid for central government funding will then be submitted to construct the site as part of a co-ordinated countywide approach. Bids have to be made by the end of February 2007.
A proposed transit site or emergency stopping place will be selected on the basis of minimal impact to communities in the immediate area, the least environmental impact and good/safe access. Local planning permission will be required before the site can be developed
and it will have access to drinking water, toilets and waste disposal facilities. The site will be proactively managed to ensure the needs of both the Gypsies/Travellers and settled community are met. Residents will be kept informed of any decisions made.
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This page last updated: 06/02/2007