No solution to a big fat gypsy dilemma

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

No solution to a big fat gypsy dilemma

Attempts to create new legal traveller sites have proved controversial, but David Maclean says the city mayor deserves credit for grabbing this political hot potato

It's the city council's big fat gypsy problem – where do you put scores of travellers without upsetting the local community? Last month the authority came up with three preferred sites – all in Beaumont Leys.

Then, earlier this week, the full shortlist from which those were whittled down was revealed. It showed that a further four sites in Beaumont Leys had been shortlisted as suitable sites by the council, as well as one in Aylestone.

All eight sites are now in play, after public outcry over the original three sites sent the council back to the drawing board.

Behind the push to create new legal traveller sites is city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, and his name is surely mud among some of the residents who could see travellers living next door.

However, he is right to persevere with his plans.

There's no political gain to be had here, no sweetener for potential voters. It's a headache he's enduring through principle.

At the moment, if gypsies pitch up illegally in an area, the council can move them on – but it makes no sense moving them on if their only option is to set up camp at another illegal site.

Seeing gypsies kicked from pillar to post might satisfy some residents who harbour a misguided view that, if travellers are moved on and hassled enough, they will eventually settle down in a nice semi-detached house somewhere.

But that won't ever happen.

Of course I'd feel unhappy if a traveller site was proposed right next door to me and I sympathise with those who are concerned.

But I'd certainly be more tolerant if there was a nice belt of grassland between a gypsy site and my house, as some of these proposed sites have.

When the proposed sites were announced, I drove out to each of them.

One of them already had travellers pitched illegally there. Up at Greengate Lane, the site which has provoked the most public outrage so far, there are caravans and other vehicles parked up.

It's being used as a traveller camp now, so why not formalise it, manage it properly, and make sure the council can bring in some income through rent and council tax?

It's a fair distance from nearby homes, and it really is difficult for me to see what additional disruption would be caused compared to what's already there.

Campaigners against the sites have showered the city council with freedom of information requests about its existing legal site at Meynell's Gorse in a bid to try to find new angles to oppose the moves.

For example, they have asked for the rate of rent defaults. But it turns out they're about the same as council tenants across the city. And they've asked how many gypsies have been evicted from the site in recent years, but the answer is none.

The site at Meynell's Gorse is so well-managed that some people I spoke to in the area didn't even know there was a camp nearby.

The people of the city are being given a choice – the current situation sees travellers randomly selecting plots of council land and setting up, potentially causing disruption, then being pushed on.

The option now on the table is three fixed sites, well-hidden by shrubbery and trees, managed directly by the authority, with council tax and other charges levied on those using the site.

Nonetheless, putting gypsy sites in a Labour stronghold such as Beaumont Leys will do nothing but lose Sir Peter and his colleagues popularity.

But elected mayors with guaranteed four-year terms were created, in part, to brave the difficult decisions which council leaders often balked at.

By grabbing one of the biggest hot potatoes in local government, Sir Peter is showing his mettle.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender centre is relaunched

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender centre is relaunched

A meeting place for Leicester's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is being relaunched to raise awareness of its services.

The LGBT centre, in Wellington Street, in the city centre, is hosting an event today from 1pm to help raise its profile.

Stilt-walkers and drag queens will be on hand to meet and greet visitors at the newly-refurbished bar and function room at the centre.

Food and drink have been supplied by the Rainbow and Dove pub, in Charles Street.

Martyn Parker, trustee at the centre and chairman of the Leicester Pride festival, said: "Pride has always been well supported, but the centre itself has remained more in the background.

"We're hoping to change that, though, and the event is all about raising the profile.

"We've invited lots of people, including city councillors and city mayor Peter Soulsby, we're expecting a good turnout."

The event runs from 1pm until 6pm.

For more information, visit: www.leicesterlgbtcentre.org

£5m cash granted to set up traveller sites in Leicestershire

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

£5m cash granted to set up traveller sites in Leicestershire

Nearly £5 million of Government cash has been made available to provide new sites for travellers in Leicester and Leicestershire.

The money, for 56 pitches, is an attempt to reduce the number of unauthorised encampments.

Housing association Framework is to get £4.3 million to provide 50 pitches, while Leicester City Council successfully bid for £270,000 to provide six pitches.

Both organisations said they did not yet know where the sites would be.

If built, the pitches would more than double the number of publicly managed traveller pitches in the county.

There are currently 20 at Aston Firs, near Hinckley, 21 at Meynells Gorse, in Leicester, and one in Hemington.

The money was welcomed by travellers' representatives but they warned 56 pitches would not be enough to meet demand.

Framework chief executive Andrew Redfern said the association would look to develop five pitches in Harborough and 15 each in Leicester, Melton and north west Leicestershire.

He said: "Deciding where these sites go is always a sensitive issue.

"There are some potential areas but we didn't want to identify any before we knew we had the money because it could lead to concern about something that may not happen.

"People's views are often that travellers are okay but not in their back gardens.

"It is the case that if we can't find suitable sites, we might not get the money.

"I honestly do not know where the sites will be. That is something we will be looking at over the next few months before we sign the contract.

"That's when the planning process will begin.

"We will manage the sites and provide good-quality accommodation.

"This is not just a question of laying a strip of concrete for people to park a caravan on.

"There will be bricks and mortar where we build accommodation for members of the travelling community not moving around – the elderly or children going to a specific school.

"We will also have install proper sanitation, electricity, communal space and play areas as well as buy the land."

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: "The figures bid for by the city council and Framework are based on the sorts of numbers needed to address unauthorised encampments and contribute towards meeting the need identified in the city.

"We are looking at how and where this money should be spent to best meet the needs both of residents and the travelling community.

"A full consultation process would be carried out on any potential travellers' sites identified as part of that work."

Tracy Nedic, chairman of Leicestershire Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Group, said: "This will help because 56 pitches is good for 56 families, but it is not enough.

"Based on the number of gypsy families in and around the areas, we need triple that."I have also heard this kind of thing before and nothing has happened.

"It is one thing to say that there will be new pitches and another entirely to put it into action.

"We would like the sites to be on the outskirts of towns and villages but not next door to tips and sewage works."

Disabled face a city of obstacles

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Disabled Face a City of Obstacles 

A campaigner has drawn up a list of challenges facing disabled people trying to get around the city. 

Paul Southwood, disability officer for Leicester and District Trade Union Congress, visited busy parts of the city centre on his mobility scooter, identifying "the good, the bad and the ugly" for access. 

His report has been sent to mayor Sir Peter Soulsby. 

Mr Southwood has Guillian Barré syndrome, a disease of the nervous system which causes weakness and paralysis in the limbs. 

His report said an increase in street furniture from outdoor cafes, smoking areas and advertising boards had created obstacles for the less mobile. 

Mr Southwood said Market Street and streets near Leicester market were the worst. 

He said: "It's nice to be able to sit outside in the summer but it's about getting a balance. 

"The advertising boards are getting worse and in St Martin's the pavement, which is already small, is getting smaller because of them. 

"When you are on a scooter, it can be like going round the chicanes at Donington Park. It just needs common sense to see how that could create problems for some people. 

"There needs to be a limit on the obstacles." 

The report said the railway station was also difficult to negotiate for people with disabilities and the major redevelopment work being carried out had exacerbated the problem. 

Mr Southwood said: "Instead of doing the work in phases, they have chosen to do it all at once, which has meant quite a narrow corridor to get to the cash machine and the area has been boxed in. 

"At one point, the only way for everybody to get to the ticket hall was a narrow ramp with no handrails." 

A Network Rail spokeswoman said: "As a result of passenger comments, we have made improved, secure arrangements to give disabled users access to the station into the ticket hall from the long-stay car park via the storage lift. 

"While not specifically designed to improve disabled access, this should improve the station for all users." 

The bus stops at Leicester General and Glenfield hospitals were also criticised. 

Mr Southwood said the stops needed raised kerbs and the shelters should be upgraded.
He said: "Proper bus shelters – the same as in the city centre – are needed at all hospitals." 

Ruth Ward, travel manager for Leicester's hospitals, said: "We continuously review our travel and access plans and we will certainly bear these helpful suggestions in mind." 

Deputy city mayor Rory Palmer said: "I welcome this report. 

"We take these issues very seriously and we are always looking at how we can improve disabled access in the city."

£2.2m card system to aid bus passengers

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

£2.2m card system to aid bus passengers

Their existing bus passes have electronic chips which will be activated in late September and from that point they will swipe their cards on scanners in Arriva buses to register their journeys rather than just show their passes to the drivers.

They will ultimately be rolled out to enable people to access all commercial public transport by topping up cash on them.

Council bosses said the scheme was being introduced to make travelling on public transport quicker and easier, as well as cutting the risk of fraud.

The OneCard was officially launched by City Mayor Peter Soulsby and deputy mayor Councillor Rory Palmer yesterday.

Sir Peter said: "The OneCards are absolutely brilliant. I know in London people say they would not want to be without their Oyster Cards.

"I hope people in Leicester will be saying the same of OneCards before too long.

"They will make it easy for people to travel by bus so they won't have to dig around for change in their pockets.

"Initially this will be used by existing concessionary bus passengers.

"However, the potential to expand this technology to enable people to access all sorts of services in enormous."

Longer term there are proposals to extend the uses of the OneCard, which is funded by the Government, to allow access to public libraries, leisure centres, universities and school transport and more.

Leicester Deputy City Mayor, with responsibility for transport, Councillor Rory Palmer, said: "Residents are often frustrated the different bus companies operate their own ticketing systems with little or no integration, so the launch of the OneCard is one step to resolving this.

"Smart ticketing is one way we can get more people using public transport in the city and eventually we will link the card technology with other services as well."

City council OneCard project officer Adele Wearing said swiping the cards would register which journeys were made but not who made them to protect passenger privacy.

She also said lost cards could be quickly deactivated and replaced.

She said: "It will help us prevent fraud where people get fake bus passes made and flash them at our drivers. We know it is a problem in Leicester but we don't know the scale of it."

Arriva spokesman Keith Myatt said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as the first bus operator to run the OneCards. It should make loading passengers much quicker."

Bus passenger Keith Sperrey, 62, from Leicester, said: "It's a good idea but I don't think I'd use the other services more though.

"It's about time. Have you not been on the continent? They've got them all there."

For more information, visit: www.leicester.gov.uk/onecard