Motion on travellers

Proposed by Cllr Julian Ware-Lane and seconded by Cllr Margaret Borton

MOTION

The traveller community often visits the borough, and the local authority’s immediate reaction is to seek police assistance to have them moved on.

Little attempt has been made to find somewhere where the travellers can stay within the borough.

Finding travellers a place to temporarily stay would stop the problem of them pitching up in public parks and other unsuitable open spaces. This may entail, of course, dialogue with our neighbouring local authorities and residents.

We condemn all bad behaviour and law-breaking and this should be punished as appropriate. However, we should not pre-judge.

The traveller community has also been the subject of some very unsavoury comments by some councillors.

This Council

1, Condemns any language that stigmatises or labels the traveller community.

2, Condemns every instance of race hate language, or support for race hate language.

3, Should encourage greater understanding and tolerance of all minority groups.

4, Welcomes all visitors to the borough. This borough aim is increase visitor numbers, to be a bigger tourist magnet. This local authority should not discriminate at all, nor should it pre-judge the motives of any visitor.

5, Should attempt to find somewhere for travellers to temporarily de-camp when they visit, thus ending the sight of caravans in our parks and open spaces.

(The traveller community includes a variety of peoples who prefer a nomadic lifestyle.)