Derbyshire Dales District Council's Gypsy and Traveller Working Group has listened to the public concerns expressed this week and in response has postponed for its further consideration two of 10 recommendations scheduled to be debated at this Thursday's full council meeting.
The meeting will not be asked to consider, at this stage, starting a period of consultation in respect of designating as temporary Traveller sites Council owned land at Old Station Close, Rowsley, and Ashbourne Fishpond Meadow Overspill Car Park.
The other recommendation put on hold is rescinding a decision taken by the previous council administration in November last year, which declared a total of 27 sites across the Derbyshire Dales unsuitable for designation as temporary sites for Gypsies and Travellers.
In a statement, the three Progressive Alliance members on the Working Group said: "We recognise an urgent need to focus on identifying and investigating potential permanent sites as this is the only resolution to this complex issue. The remaining recommendations will be put to full council as these provide a pathway to begin this process."
A key recommendation that will be debated on Thursday is adopting a requirement to undertake online consultation for a minimum of six weeks, supplemented by public meetings, on proposals to allocate land for use as temporary or permanent Traveller sites, with relevant consultation materials being made available on the Council’s website and in other formats to enable a wide level of response.
Another recommendation is that the Council approves and adopts the decision-making processes outlined in the report in respect of permanent and temporary Traveller sites, which "clearly sets out the various stages involved in a clear and transparent manner and encourages engagement and participation in those decision-making processes".
Also to be considered on Thursday are recommendations to amend the assessment of Clifton Road Coach and Car Park against Local Plan policies and to agree to undertake a period of six-weeks of online consultation supplemented by public meetings in respect of designating The Woodyard, Homesford, as a temporary or permanent Traveller site post completion of the RIBA stage 3 assessment.
- The report can be viewed in full here on the District Council's website
YouTube broadcast
Thursday's meeting will be broadcast live on our YouTube channel from 6pm:
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