The Daily Echo 22 February 2007

Written by Sandra Gidley MP on Thu 22nd Feb 2007

A somewhat misleading headline in last weeks paper would suggest to those who read no further that I am backing the proposal for the transit site at Monk's Brook so I thought I would take the opportunity to clarify my stance.

I have written on previous occasions about the sheer misery caused by illegal encampments. It is not uncommon for damage to be caused and local people to feel intimidated so it is little wonder that residents are wary about the proposal for a transit site.

However, in the past when concerns have been raised with the local police they have been relatively powerless to act. The reason always given is that due to the lack of official transit sites they are unable, in law, to move the travellers on. In the mean time the travellers sit pretty, waiting for the necessary court papers to be served and, in many cases continuing to despoil the local environment and intimidate residents. To be fair, there are many travellers who travel singly or in very small groups and few people object to them because they are not obtrusive and they clean up after themselves. They are not the problem.

In some ways Southampton City Council has to be commended for at least trying to tackle the problem by providing a site, the presence of which will assist the police greatly in tackling the wider problem. Other local councils are trailing in this regard. No one appears to want to make a difficult decision.

In principle therefore, it is clear that a site should be provided. The problem then becomes one of location. Many sites have been looked at and these are now public knowledge and I am aware that many hours of Council Officer time have been devoted to the problem. The police also had an opportunity to comment on potential problems with each location. It is a pity that early public involvement was not greater.

I do not have the background details to suggest another site but I understand that Kanes Hill is not large enough. However, there do appear to be some very real planning reasons why the proposed site is problematic so people do need to raise those concerns and although I have no say in planning matters I am more than happy to help with obtaining information so that a fully informed decision can be made and I will do everything I can to ensure that the views of the public are fully taken into consideration.

Published with the kind permission of the Daily Echo