Thursday, May 06, 2010

LibDem policy on Gypsies and Travellers

Although it is LibDem policy to get rid of the Regional Spatial Strategies, this is qualified by the statement that

' we are not intending to disturb the plans already in place for providing traveller sites'.

I'm very surprised that policy on Travellers didn't arise during the campaign, considering that the Tories made it clear they did intend to scrap the arrangements that have been set up laboriuusly over the last seven years, from the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act onwards, leaving the grant of planning permission for Traveller sites at the discretion of every single local authority. As very few if any permissions would be granted, this means a proliferation of unauthorised sites and worse deprivation and harassment for Travellers with nowhere to live.

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