A local MP has slammed Winchester City Council for ‘a total lack of duty and care’ towards residents living near travellers who are allegedly breaking planning rules.
Flick Drummond says that despite multiple breaches, the council has taken no enforcement action at World’s End and The Paddock in Durley.
Who's surprised? Not me, Reader!
“The rules are there for a reason. The council has a duty to enforce them and I cannot understand why this is not happening. The fact the leader of the city council hasn’t even replied to the residents’ MP speaks volumes and shows a complete lack of leadership and a total lack of regard for those who live in the southern parishes by this Liberal Democrat administration.
“I am angry on behalf of my constituents whose lives are being made intolerable by a minority who have no respect for the law and I am angry the council’s political masters seemingly want to do nothing to help.”
And what do they say to this?
When contacted by the Chronicle, a spokesperson for Winchester City Council said: "“The land at Worlds End, Denmead, has planning permission for use as a travellers’ site and is being occupied for this purpose. This has not expanded outside the property boundary of the approved consents that were awarded by the Planning Inspector on appeal in October 2019 and a further permission issued by the council in 2020.
“The council carefully assesses complaints and will take enforcement action where the breach in question is causing significant harm in planning terms, following our adopted Local Enforcement Policy and national planning guidance. Enforcement notices served in 2018 were overturned by appeal in 2019. We are aware of alleged on-going breaches regarding the terms of the planning permissions granted primarily relating to lighting, size of the day room, drainage connection and landscaping, which we have been investigating, including making a number of visits to the site.
“In addition, we have also looked into issues relating to allegations around the noise generated at the site and animal welfare. Our investigations have not resulted in formal action being taken.”
See? They spit in your face and don't even bother to tell you it's raining.
H/T: i r jackson via email
Situation normal, no council official in today's PC Woke age will take action against any minority group. They want to keep their job and promotion prospects intact thank you. It's much easier to just let the settled population suffer so that's what will happen. Don't hold your breath this kind of thing is going to be become ever more prevalent as time passes.
ReplyDeleteTravelers? They are a "Protected" species. In the eyes of any authority the "Travelers" are innocent of anything. Where I live, farmers fields and village playgrounds have had huge concrete blocks placed in the entrances to stop these self-important parasites from setting up their camps, parking their expensive 4x4s then terrorising the local area.
ReplyDeleteI know a chap who lives on one of these 'caravan' sites, he buys hay from me for his horses. He's OK, I've never had a problems with him, he doesn't travel around, he just lives there and runs a roofing business. One day he while collecting hay he saw an old diesel tank in my yard and asked if he could buy it. No problem I said, but its full of holes, its no use as a fuel tank. Thats no problem he replied, we use them as septic tanks. Just dig a hole, bury it, and pipe the sewage into it. He's had several from me now for that purpose.
ReplyDeletePart of me admires the attitude of the gypsy community to the authorities, they just do as they please and dare anyone to do anything about it. And all stand shoulder to shoulder when one is attacked. If only they could differentiate between the State and ordinary non-gypsy neighbours, and not treat both alike, they'd get a lot more support.
Is it time to define a sub-species of "traveller" named "parasite" (or perhaps some other, less unkind, word)?
ReplyDeleteMembership of the "parasite" community would be composed solely of those "travellers" who could not/would not prove that they were like Sobers' hay buyer and lived in a manner respecting the wider community, i.e. removing all rubbish and contamination from a site before moving on.
Or am I offending someone?
"It's much easier to just let the settled population suffer so that's what will happen."
ReplyDeleteThere needs to be consequences for that. That'll stop it.
"They are a "Protected" species. In the eyes of any authority the "Travelers" are innocent of anything. "
Sadly true. We need to stop reflexively cringing at the very thought of being accused of 'racism'...
"Thats no problem he replied, we use them as septic tanks. Just dig a hole, bury it, and pipe the sewage into it."
But...won't it leak - not fuel, but, err..? 🤢
"Or am I offending someone?"
It's impossible not to, these days, isn't it?