WITH reference to recent decision by the Forest of Dean council regarding gypsy and traveller sites, it is 'Jam to-morrow and jam yesterday – but never jam to-day' as spoken by the council's cabinet member for strategic planning on the issue.

 It must be dreadfully confusing to many as it was to Alice. Based on the signals over the years, solution to gypsy and traveller sites in the Forest of Dean would come as a pleasant surprise in the future, and is highly unlikely to materialise... but this is the Forest wonderland and we live in hope.

Government policies and guidelines abound. The previous government had set out lengthy guidelines, and allocated sizeable budgets to facilitate traveller sites but councils, including ours, had dragged their heels.

The council's website clearly stated that 'Local Planning Authorities are required by national policy to allocate land for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Show-people accommodation.  As part of this process, Forest of Dean District Council is carrying out an assessment to identify suitable sites.' That was nearly two years back.

There has been a county Gypsy and Traveller group for years charged with finding legal camping sites for the travellers, but has not even tried. The demand in the Forest was verified and a draft policy formulated nearly two years back and consulted on in spring 2010. A number of likely sites were under active consideration. Councillors were taking an interest. Then it went dead.

Coalition policy is no different in principle to their predecessor's. Although regional targets and top down directives have been abolished, it is incumbent upon local councils to allocate land, and put in place appropriate policies to facilitate planning to meet traveller accommodation needs, same as for bricks and mortar housing.

The Conservative party direction on planning, housing, and gypsy and traveller accommodation has been known for over two years. The thrust is for local communities to find local solutions. The government policy consultation early this year set out in principle that 'councils will have both the freedom and responsibility to determine the right level of traveller site provision in their areas, in consultation with local communities.'

This goes hand in hand with more stringent powers of enforcement of planning breeches. Unless appropriate sites are in place, councils will continue to lose court actions and planning enquiries, costing taxpayers plenty. The Forest of Dean is no stranger to losing traveller planning appeals over the years.

Planning considerations in terms of location close to community amenities, transport, access, etc, are no different for traveller sites from that for settled housing.

Good practice can be found across the country. Many authorities have taken the bull by the horn in countering local prejudices and promoting community harmony. There are a number of established sites in the Forest of Dean and in neighbouring districts and gypsy and traveller communities there have become part of the community despite retaining their distinct lifestyles.   

The fundamental point is whether those supposedly in control of the council have the honesty to put their populist prejudices behind and get on with the serious business of allocating land for traveller sites to meet need same as they are doing for settled housing. Waiting even more years for endless surveys and consultations will only increase uncertainty and tensions both within the traveller, and settled communities.

– Venk Shenoi, Blaisdon.