Transit site plans for travellers

Up to 12 traveller families would be allowed to stay a maximum of one month at the new site, which the three councils involved say would ease the pressure caused by fleets of caravans arriving on the south coast during the summer months.

Worthing is also to be considered in the search for one or more new camps, after a county council report in January highlighted a shortage of transit sites around the two coastal towns.

Officials have warned councillors there could be difficulties "selling" the idea of a transit site to local residents.

But, in a joint report to Arun, Worthing Borough and West Sussex County councils, Paul Unsworth, Arun's head of environmental services, pointed out there would be significant benefits from lower costs, reduced damage to the environment and disruption to residents, and more speedy and effective removal of illegal encampments.

The cost of dealing with illegal camps, including forcibly removing travellers and clearing up afterwards, was 42,000 two years ago and 25,000 last year. Residents and all three councils had been significantly affected by an increase in such problems over the past few years, said Mr Unsworth.

Councillor Stephen Brookman, Arun cabinet member for the environment, questioned whether 12 places would be enough.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Monday, when the issue was discussed, he said: "We know, anecdotally, that often you get more than 20 families turning up in Arun, maybe up to 40 families. Twelve places may not be enough to cope with a sudden influx."

Co-operation between the authorities was critical, said Mr Brookman, and there needed to be firm commitment from the police to act in the case of illegal encampments.

Funding to set up the site '“ around 100,000 '“ would be met by central Government, but the three councils will have to pay the annual running costs of 30,000, although travellers staying on a site would be charged fees.

In his report, Mr Unsworth said the existing situation was unsatisfactory. "Powers to respond to illegal encampments and their impacts are available but, in practice, are difficult to adminis

ter in what can be hostile and highly charged situations. This leads to frustration for everyone involved."

Increased concern for human rights and for the prevention of racial prejudice had led to a softening of the Government's approach to travellers in 1994, but the resulting increase in problems since then had led to the current Government taking a tougher stance, with legislation proposed to rapidly close down illegal camps, if adequate official sites were available locally.

"In future, what is needed is a balanced approach to managing encampments by travellers, so the rights of both travellers and the settled community are protected and respected, and within which both the travelling and settled communities accept and act within their responsibilities," Mr Unsworth's report added.

Arun's cabinet agreed to making a partnership bid with the two other councils for one or more travellers' sites in Arun and Worthing, and to setting up a joint group of councillors to oversee development of the bid and the selection of sites, with the involvement of town and parish councils, community and travellers' representatives. In the meantime, closer working with the police will be reviewed.

* Last summer Arun chief executive Ian Sumnall stood defiantly in front of a travellers' vehicle when a convoy attempted to move onto council land next to Littlehampton Swimming and Sports Centre.