Minutes of the South Somerset Gypsy and Traveller Forum
Held on 29 June 2012 at Brympton Way
Present
Les Collett - Community Development Officer
Area North SSDC
Jo Morgan - Community Cohesion Officer
Mike Toop – Devon and Somerset Fire and
Rescue
Martyn Ford - Somerset County Council
Drew Hubball - People Can
Alison Cox - YMCA Homes Project
Apologies (Agenda Item 2)
Councillor Jo Roundell Greene
Kevin Greenwood
Toni Lines - Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Mel Rowlands - Avon and Somerset
Constabulary
Jon Batty - Housing Policy and Performance
Officer
John Sanderson
Kelly Sanderson
Anne-Marie
Amy
Becky
Lacey
Gwyneth Harwood – Children’s Society
Lata Waters – People Can
Christian Wells - Avon and Somerset
Constabulary
Lee Walton – Planning Officer
Tina Adams - Gypsy Site and Liaison Officer
Minutes
Item Notes
1
Welcome and introductions
Les Collett welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2
You said…… we did (Agenda Item 3)
Minutes from meeting 23 March 2012
 No report from Tina about Keep Fit class
 Attendance of new people to the Forum – The Forum
expressed their disappointment that no new people have
been encouraged to attend particularly from the Sites.
The Forum queried what had happened to the request to
use the Yarlington Bus for site visits.
 Forum meeting day of week. The Forum agreed to
change the day from Monday to Friday so that a member
from the Sites could attend. Unfortunately, this has not
happened. The Forum agreed not to hold the meetings on
Fridays
 The Friday arrangement had also meant that many
Officers and Agencies also could not come. The Forum
noted that if someone could not attend they should send
a substitute or a report on actions/progress
 Useful Contact list has been given out and are in all of
our Area Offices
 Information on Training courses – no report has been
Action
Tina to report at next
meeting on numbers and
whether new people
have shown an interest
in going.
Tina and Jon to report
back to next Forum on
what actions have been
taken to encourage new
participants.
Jon to make sure that
reports are ready for
each Forum meeting
Malcolm and Tina to
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received from Malcolm or Tina
Bank Accounts – Drew had not been able to follow up
You said …. Question about excluding gypsy and
travellers from planning applications and putting in HG11
instead – No report has been received from Lee
Amendment Agenda Item 6 –Please note the change of
wording from Transit Sites to Transit Pitches
Updates from Agencies
 Mike Toop and Drew went on a local tour giving out CO2
Detectors. Mike also attended the Sunrise Festival
providing advice and information as well as giving out
Detectors
 Mike suggested contacting Travellers Times for them to
do an article on the Forum
 Drew has been visiting The Tintinhull and Ilton Sites
every month dropping off information and meeting with
residents to see if they have any issues.
 Drew has been working mainly in Mendip/Frome
following a change in Site management that has caused
some problems. Drew has been in touch with some Law
organisations to get advise on rent levels.
 Jon reported that SSDC has shared our Model Lettings
Policy with another Gypsy site landlord as an example of
good practice. It is hoped that perhaps some of the policy
will be adopted by the landlord.
 Drew explained that People Can have a new worker that
deals with Hate Crime, her name is Lata Waters. (Lata
sent her apologies for today’s meeting but hopes to
attend the next meeting to explain her role)
 Drew gave an example of a meeting to discuss planning
where racist views were aired.
 Ali from Somerset Homes project YMCA, explained what
they do. The Project supports 16-24 year olds to give
them housing options. They are able to provide host
report back to the next
meeting on all previous
actions:
You said …. Please
produce a leaflet for 1825 year olds. Malcolm
to follow up.
Malcolm to provide
information on Chain
Saw and ICT skills
courses
Malcolm to look into
LCF application to be
put on next agenda
Tina to check whether
the bus can go to the
Sites to provide courses
Drew to report back to
next Forum on issues
arising from Bank
accounts and confirming
address
Lee to report back on
HG11 query
If anyone wants a C02
Detector please contact
Mike:
[email protected]
Tel: 01749 334952
Mob: 07802 565897
Mike to contact
Travellers Times
Jon to invite Lata to next
meeting, item to be put
on agenda
People Can to attend
Parish Council meetings
to observe
Jon to add YMCA
details to contact list
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families, mediation, short term crisis solutions with long
term goals. The project can also offer help in producing a
CV
Martyn predicted that numbers of transient Travellers
visiting Somerset over the summer months will increase.
The Forum were reminded that County have no Housing
responsibilities or housing provision.
Les updated on an individual case
Jo has spoken with Yeovil College who are interested in
becoming involved in the documentary project
Jo/Jon to invite Yeovil
college to attend the
next Forum meeting
Kelly to lead on this
project
 Question: Freedom of Information request
Becky to write question
out for Forum to send

Jo and Jon to make
contact
SSL to attend or provide
information on
Apprenticeships
Question: Can Job Centre, Yeovil College and SSVCA
be invited to next Forum meeting? Specific focus
on Apprenticeships
Any Other Business
The Forum would like to formally congratulate Maggie Smith
Bendall on her receiving the British Empire Medal. This is a
great honour and recognises her voluntary services to the Gypsy
and Traveller communities.
http://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/blog.aspx?c=f1b1c82c-0f3c4edf-98cd-502ea80ed8fa&n=cc919643-fd28-48d7-b20c68dbddd8ee9f
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Date of next meeting
10 October 2012 at The Council Offices, Brympton Way, Yeovil
Committee Rooms 3 & 4.
Starting at 10.15am
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