Rother District Council
Agenda Item:
Report to
-
Cabinet
Date
-
2 October 2006
Report of the
-
Director of Resources
Subject
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References
Committee
from
Services
Overview
and
6.2
6.3
Scrutiny
The Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting held on 25
September considered reports on the East Sussex Travellers Strategy and Public
Conveniences. The minutes and recommendations relating to these items are
reproduced below.
Recommendation to COUNCIL: That
1)
the East Sussex Travellers Strategy be supported but that the paragraphs
within the Strategy described in paragraphs 10 and 11 of the report submitted
to Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee be deleted; and
2)
a one-off contribution of £15,000 be approved towards the cost of a temporary
officer who will submit bids to the Government on behalf of all East Sussex
authorities for the provision of suitable emergency stopping places and transit
sites;
AND
It be RESOLVED: That a further report be submitted to Cabinet following the
completion of the accommodation needs assessment and likely capital and revenue
contributions.
CABINET AGENDA ITEM 6.2
S27. EAST SUSSEX TRAVELLERS STRATEGY
Councillor Bob Tidy, Lead Member for Community Services and EGovernment at East Sussex County Council, and Trudy McGuigan, Traveller
Liaison Officer at East Sussex County Council, were welcomed to the meeting.
Rother District Council officers had been authorised to work with East Sussex
authorities on producing a Joint Traveller Strategy. A draft East Sussex
Travellers Strategy had been considered by East Sussex County Council and
was subsequently put out to consultation. This Strategy set out a work plan
for the next three years.
The Housing Act 2004 meant the Council’s Housing Strategy must address
the accommodation needs of travellers whilst the Local Development
Framework needed to ensure that the Council met this need by identifying
sites. Furthermore, if authorised traveller sites were provided within the
county, the police would be able to use their powers to evict travellers from
unauthorised encampments.
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There were currently five travellers sites in East Sussex provided by East
Sussex County Council (ESCC): Robertsbridge; Maresfield; Hailsham;
Polegate; and Lewes. Future provision of land for traveller caravan sites
would need to be made within Councils’ Local Development Frameworks.
However, the size, number and type of site (permanent, transit or emergency
stop) would be determined by the travellers Accommodation Needs
Assessment that would be reported back to Cabinet in due course.
To assist local authorities in meeting this need, the Department of
Communities and Local Government (DCLG) had established a grant fund for
travellers site provision in which 100% funding would be available but
applications had to be submitted by February 2007 (it was noted that there
was no guarantee that 100% funding from DCLG would be awarded, nor was
there a guarantee that 100% funding would be available after 2007). To assist
ESCC in submitting bids, a revenue contribution of £15,000 was sought from
each local authority in East Sussex to employ a temporary officer and cover
the cost of preparing plans, carrying out surveys, etc. This temporary officer
would be employed by ESCC but would work on behalf of all five local
authorities in the county. The postholder’s remit would be agreed by all Chief
Executives in the county. Further funding would be required to maintain the
sites once they had been developed.
Officers at Rother had reservations regarding two paragraphs within the East
Sussex Travellers Strategy. Although it was important and necessary to meet
the welfare needs of travellers, in those circumstances where medical checks
needed to be undertaken, it was not within the Council’s power to ensure that
these checks were carried out. It was proposed that ESCC would assume
responsibility for ensuring that travellers received appropriate medical help.
Members recognised that tensions may occur between gypsies and travellers
and the settled community as areas become identified as possible authorised
sites for travellers and that careful consideration would be given to the impact
on the settled community when identifying sites.
Whilst gypsies and travellers unauthorised encampments were not just an
issue for rural areas, it was suggested that the Council convene a meeting of
Parish and Town Councils in Rother to give the rural areas the opportunity to
comment on the proposals. Councillor Tidy and Ms McGuigan would be
happy to attend any such meeting.
(Councillor K.J. Glazier declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as
he is a Member of East Sussex County Council and in accordance with the
Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the room during the consideration
thereof).
(Councillor C.R. Maynard declared a personal interest in this matter in so far
as he is an elected Member of East Sussex County Council and in accordance
with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the room during the
consideration thereof).
(Councillor R.F. Dyason declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as
he is an elected Member of East Sussex County Council and in accordance
with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the room during the
consideration thereof).
(Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee Agenda Item 6.1)
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CABINET AGENDA ITEM 6.3
Recommendation: It be RESOLVED: That consideration be given, as part of the
budget-setting process, to additional investment into the current remaining facilities
to bring them up to modern standards.
S29. PUBLIC CONVENIENCES
The Public Conveniences Working Group had been set up to review the
existing provision of public conveniences and to look at options for their future
management and provision. The recommendations for each facility in the
District were set out in the report along with a summary of responses from
those organisations that had been contacted with regards to taking over
responsibility for specific public conveniences.
From the responses received, some Parish and Town Councils, whilst not
interested in taking on public conveniences, expressed an interest in taking on
the facilities as part of a package of devolved services. In addition, it was
agreed that further negotiations would be undertaken with the Bexhill Town
Football Club and the Bexhill Bowls Liaison Committee in respect of the public
conveniences situated in the Polegrove.
Members agreed that the provision of public conveniences in both the rural
and urban parts of the District was essential for both residents and visitors to
the area and that the current level of service provided excellent value for
money. However, it was also agreed that additional investment was required
to ensure that all of the current facilities were of a good standard. As such, it
was suggested the Cabinet be asked to consider making provision for
additional investment in public conveniences within Rother as part of the
budget-setting process.
It was noted that the current cleaning contract for the public conveniences was
due to expire on 31 March 2008. Should the responsibility for the public
conveniences not be passed on to other organisations, officers would need to
start the contract procedure by late autumn 2006.
Councillor Matthew Wilson, as Chairman of the Public Conveniences Working
Group, formally thanked the Parish and Town Councils and members of the
public for the views they had expressed during the review of public
conveniences. Members on the Public Conveniences Working Group were
also thanked for their thorough work on this review.
The Committee also resolved that:
RESOLVED: That
1)
the Public Conveniences Working Group and the Parish and Town
Councils be thanked for the work undertaken and input on this review;
2)
negotiations with Bexhill Town Football Club and Bexhill Bowls Liaison
Committee continue with the view to them taking over the respective
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public convenience provision at the Polegrove Grandstand and
Polegrove Bowls Pavilion, and officers report back on progress; and
3)
as other services are considered for devolvement to Town and Parish
Councils, the public conveniences be considered within this framework.
(Councillor S.H. Souster declared a personal interest in this matter in so far as
he is a Rye Town Councillor and in accordance with the Members’ Code of
Conduct remained in the room during the consideration thereof).
(Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee Agenda Item 6.3)
Anthony Leonard
Director of Services
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