The UK Government acknowledges that Gypsies and Travellers are the most socially
deprived group in Britain, but the Social Exclusion Unit has no plans to examine their
plight. Other priorities have been seen as more important, as the Prime Minister Tony Blair stated
in reply to a lette, and that is still the position.
Local authorities are
not obliged to provide somewhere for Travellers to live, since the repeal of the
Caravan Sites Act 1968 nine years ago, and only 4% of Travellers who apply for
planning permission on their own land succeed. The number of Traveller families
with nowhere to live is increasing, and passed the 3,000 mark in January 2003.
'The situation today [2008] is much worse- cramped sites are witnessing an increase in health problems much liken to those of the previous century. What is fuelling the problem is the increasing numbers of populations joining with traditional nomadic cultures.
The issue is that many of the swelling numbers joining the traditional gypsy traveller communities originate from non- nomadic lifestyles and are forced into the traveller lifestyle simply because they cannot afford or find anywhere to live within the mainstream communities. There is a growing unease about the integration of mainstream communities into the nomadic way of life because they are ill equipped and find it difficult to maintain health and wellbeing due to lack of knowledge.
The increased growth of nomadic communities is also placing pressures on nominated site capacities which in turn are compounding the well known and recognised struggles that the gypsy and traveller communities are already faced with. It is therefore 'vital' that the UK governments become accountable for homeless issues. This is because should issues relating to gypsy and travelling communities continue to remain ignored and under funded it is likely that the problems will magnify greatly and potentially act as a trigger.
Clearly the UK Governments have not addressed the issue of gypsy traveller communities adequately and there is much evidence that their linked planning practices are in fact unsustainable and this has caused for much despair and unrest amongst the oldest and traditional cultures.
It is also obvious that Climate Change is an issue therefore the low impacts associated with gypsy traveller communities must be appreciated as a valuable asset and should be nurtured and supported not marginalised and squeezed'. (Dr K. Y Sumser-Lupson, 2008)
Problem: At present there is no proper security of tenure for Gypsies and Travellers on sites. However local authority tenants in houses or flats and non-Traveller residents of mobile home parks have security of tenure. In November 2004 the government said they would change the law. They still haven't done so/
Council tenants (i.e. of flats and houses) who might be evicted have a right to go to court and have their say in answer to the council's reasons for evicting them. The judge hears evidence from the council and from the tenant (and any witnesses either wants to call) and then the judge decides who s/he believes and also whether s/he feels it is reasonable to grant a possession order and evict them. Very similar security of tenure is available to residents of mobile homes parks. The Mobile Homes Act specifically excludes local authority Gypsy sites from its protection
In May 2004 the European Court of Human Rights heard a case brought against the United Kingdom by Mr Connors. Mr Connors had been evicted from a local authority site in Leeds. He had hotly contested the councils reasons for evicting him but had not been enabled to put forward any defence. The European Court of Human Rights held that this lack of procedural safeguards meant that Mr Connors human rights had been breached. He was awarded compensation. In November 2004 the government said they would change the law to ensure this didn't happen. Much campaigning and pressure later and...they still haven't changed the law, . . .
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