Councillors update 8 February 2014

Hello everyone, again welcome to all residents who have today joined our circulation list

Well better news today!

As promised we met with two leading representative of the Gypsy Council UK this yesterday afternoon.

We talked about many different things and we learnt much about the genuine Gypsy way of life which differs from Travellers.

The upshot was that they will not use the site, it is not fit for their habitation purposes and would put their children/elderly and livestock/dogs in danger, they don’t like the busy noisy dual carriageway and we discovered today on yet another visit this time in the dark that 14 street lights blare directly onto the site, great for kids trying to get to sleep, very worried about the flood plain and the danger of the water culvert, the methane seepage ‘ bomb’ risk onto a surface that has many air pockets where methane can gather  and the insult of a cage type fencing corralling them on the site and all in clear view of every motorist driving along the dual carriageway and the business park workers during the day and some of our residents from Millfield.

So this is a sound planning reason, as under law BOP should have consulted with the Gypsy Council to see if they would be content to use the site, Eric Pickles has said that it has to be somewhere where G&T’s will agree to go, clearly they feel this site is totally unsuitable and they will not use it. They see spending 170K at present costs, plus 35k maintenance costs per annum to create and run a site they can’t use is ridiculous and the money would be better spent working to change the law and find smaller sites to accommodate smaller family group of 6/7 vans.

Mr Jones the Gypsy Council rep agreed with us to write in his capacity as Southern Region Gypsy Council rep and  in the strongest of terms to the BOP planning dept to object to the planning application on the above grounds, amongst others, he will also attend the planning committee and will demand  to speak in objection, this further strengthens the case.

It is ironic that the very folk  that this TSP is supposed to serve will not go there and this fact may be the reason that the planning permission is not granted. Obviously we do not know that but this very much strengthens our case.

Mr Jones and his colleague Mrs Johnson ( Creekmoor resident) have agreed to come to our meeting to answer questions and speak with us, they are happy to do this. They are both accepting that residents will have their view and there are many concerns and they are happy to listen to this and discuss matters openly.

There may be someone at the meeting who wishes to film our debate, Mr Jones has asked if this would be in order as they want to show how communities can come together with Gypsy and Travellers reps to sensibly discuss matters regarding the G&T agenda. If anyone has any strong feelings against this please let us know, it would be used in a very positive way but Mr Jones can tell you exactly what is will be at the meeting, if anyone at the meeting objects then we won’t allow filming.

We all agreed in  the irony that the very community of Creekmoor that has been accused of being, nimbys and discriminatory and lacking tolerance by some Cllrs is instigational in at least engaging with the G&T reps which is more than the Council have done.

Mr Jones tells us that no one from the Council has consulted him despite the fact that he wrote a letter to the Council before the Cabinet meeting on Jan 14/special Council on Jan 27^th, asking to be consulted, he received no reply to his letter, save from the three of  us who did write back to him to ask him if he would meet with us to chat, and he did this yesterday afternoon with Mrs Johnson.

Further good news the Business Park planning agents objecting to the planning application, they  have now instructed a team of consultants to object to the application, we are to meet with them this Monday afternoon,to listen to what planning reasons they have ascertained, so matters are moving forward apace.

Dorset Wildlife Trust asked the Council to stop removing vegetation from the site as they would want to complete their survey before potential damage is done to the area, we do not know if the Council have agreed to this, but from e-mails rec’d it seems they are content that some ‘ investigation works’ re contamination can go ahead prior to planning permission being agreed, we will keep you posted re any developments here.

We have also had confirmation today that if there is an unauthorised encampment on private land the Section 62a powers do not have the same effect as on Council land. So as the G&T community are not stupid and they genuinely cannot use a contaminated site they may very well seek out private land if pos to stay on,  which puts the whole expensive TSP as you have told us ‘white elephant’ project in to disarray.

The site was about 0.80 of a meter under water at its worst today and a lot of surface water sitting there amongst the undergrowth, we are concerned as to how the surface water will drain and where once the 30cm compacted ‘ hogging’

is laid down how the water will run off and where to!

Anyway lots to think about, deliverers we hope to get your leaflet packs to you this weekend, doesn’t seem to be  enough time in the day just recently!!

We fight on, please keep encouraging folk to e-mail us so we can add  their e-mails to join our circulation list and we are always here to answer any questions you may have and to listen to your concerns

Best always

Judes, John and Les

WE ARE CREEKMOOR!