This week I paid a visit to a special meeting organised by Roydon
Parish Council to discuss the current consultation about gypsy and
traveller provision in the area. The meeting was very well attended
and I appreciated the opportunity to speak to so many of my
constituents about an issue I feel very strongly about, and listen
to what they had to say.
It was clear that with so many people attending on a cold
December’s evening, you all feel strongly about this issue
also!
The East of England Regional Assembly has recommended to the
Government that Epping Forest provides an additional 49 gypsy and
traveller pitches by 2011. The Government has requested all
districts in the East of England undertake a consultation on the
proposals. The consultation asks your views on the strategy to be
adopted for additional pitch provision in the district, and
secondly potential sites which may be acceptable or otherwise
depending in part on which strategy is chosen.
I feel very strongly that 49 pitches is too
many and I have campaigned very strongly at both national
government and regional assembly level to reverse the decision to
allocate more gypsy and traveller pitches to both Epping Forest and
Harlow districts. While I appreciate that the reason for more legal
pitches is to prevent the spread of unauthorised encampments which
cause major problems for local residents, I feel that both
districts, in particular the villages of Roydon and Nazeing,
shoulder an unfair burden.
Historically, Epping Forest and Harlow have
provided their fair share while other districts in the county and
region have not. I have therefore also pressed extremely strongly
for the Regional Assembly to do more to get other districts to take
their fair share, for example Tendring, Rochford, Southend and
Castle Point. I have also pressed the Government very strongly on
this.
I intend to make my strong opposition to the
proposal clear during this consultation process, and I am pressing
for an urgent meeting with the minister responsible for this
decision to put Epping Forest’s case forward.
| 
