Mayor Dave Hodgson Criticises Government's 'Arbitrary and Unreasonable' Approach on Gypsy and Traveller Pitch Targets

Mayor Dave Hodgson has criticised the Government over the process which has resulted in Bedford Borough being forced to accept a requirement for Gypsy and Traveller pitches in the Borough which is two-and-a-half times the independently assessed need. Mayor Hodgson has attacked the arbitrary target, stating that it bears no relation to the needs of the Borough, its local neighbourhoods, or of Gypsies and Travellers

The Council's draft version of its Allocations and Designations Planning document, approved for consultation at an Executive meeting last week, lists nine options for permanent gypsy and traveller sites in order to show that the Borough is considering a wide range of sites and is making adequate preparations for meeting an obligation to provide 46 additional new pitches by 2021. However, this figure of 46 was reached after the Government imposed a binding target for the Borough to provide more than double the number of sites shown to be required by 2011, and then added an additional 5 pitches to the number needed by 2021 through a bizarre clarification of the formula for ongoing site provision.

Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "Bedford Borough has been treated appallingly by government on the issue of Gypsy and Traveller sites. As a Councillor, I chaired the Committee looking at Gypsy and Traveller issues and have always argued that the Borough should act responsibly and seek sustainable solutions for both the settled and the travelling communities. A key part of a five-point plan issued by Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats was the provision of an adequate number permanent and transit sites to stop the merry-go-round of unauthorised encampments which serves no-one and causes real disruption in our communities. However, the government has imposed on Bedford Borough a requirement far greater than adequate for pitch provision. The Secretary of State forced us to accept more than double the number of pitches which an independent assessment of need says are required. There was a clear indication that this was imposed because the Council had acted responsibly and not complained angrily about an earlier, smaller proposed number of pitches. In other words, Bedford Borough is being punished for behaving responsibly on this sensitive issue.'

"The Government then made matters even worse when it announced suddenly that the 2021 pitch provision target we believed we were working to was too small. It increased it from 41 to 46 via a bizarre explanation of the formula for growth in pitch provision.'

"The provision of adequate permanent pitches is an important part of finding a sustainable solution for all. However, with a shortage of available sites, Bedford Borough has not been helped at all by the Government's imposition of arbitrary, unreasonable targets which bear no relation to the needs of the Borough, its residents or gypsies and travellers."

An Independent Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment was carried out in Bedfordshire in 2006. This identified a need for 'up to 10' additional permanent pitches in Bedford Borough by 2011. In March 2009, however, the then Secretary of State for Local Government Hazel Blears declared that Bedford Borough should be forced to provide 25 additional pitches by 2021, two-and-a-half times the number actually needed. The brief, subjective reasons given included the implication that because Bedford Borough Council had not complained strongly, as many other authorities had done at that stage, about an earlier recommended allocation of 15 pitches, they could have their requirement increased.

Councils across the Eastern region were also told that they must plan for 3% annual compound increase in pitch provision from 2011 onwards. It then issued a 'clarification' in January this year which stated that, in fact, the growth figure should be calculated with reference to the overall growth figure for the region. This means that instead of an expected 41-pitch requirement by 2021, the Council suddenly faces a requirement to provide 46.