A meeting of Copeland council saw outbursts from the public gallery over the allocation of land for potential use as a Gypsy and Traveller site.
The authority met last night and the item which would see Sneckyeat Industrial Estate in Whitehaven allocated as a site for Gypsy and Traveller pitches included proved contentious.
The council is required by law to allocate a site in the Local Plan for potential use as a permanent Gypsy and Traveller community.
Council voted to drop Greenbank from consideration and move forward with Sneckyeat as the preferred site.
Residents and town councillor Edwin Dinsdale attended the fiery meeting submitting a petition objecting to the site allocation, as well as previously mooted land at Greenbank.
Concern about the Sneckyeat location is centred on its past as an old landfill site, the cost of remediation works and its proximity to the settled community.
Mr Dinsdale submitted questions for the mayor asking: “how much will the proposed gypsy and traveller site for Sneckyeat cost?”
Copeland mayor Mike Starkie responded: “The answer is we don’t know, we’re acting here as the planning authority not the provider of gypsy and traveller facilities in accordance with our statutory responsibility, the value of the site is in our asset register.”
The authority was also asked why the Lake District National Park was excluded from the consultation and Mr Starkie said that a need was not identified in the rural areas.
Councillor Gemma Dinsdale said: “From past evidence from working with the town council and speaking to residents, I am aware that the Sneckyeat site used to be a local tip and that when the allotment committee put forward for it to be used as an allotment site it was deemed as unsafe to do so, because issues with metals under the ground, a build-up of methane gas and multiple other reasons.”
She said that while she supports the council’s efforts to find a site “I do not see how we can vote on it today without having that information and knowing about it before we make that decision. Every person deserves to live in a safe place, regardless of their background, regardless of people’s opinions of them they deserve to be somewhere safe.”
She said that people need to be able to voice their concerns “because when they’re not allowed to that is where racism flourishes that is where it is born and bred.”
The meeting was told that any issues with the site would be addressed through the planning process.
Cllr Joseph Ghayouba said: “I would counter Cllr Dinsdale’s points made about the discussions and accusations of racism, I think what would help the situation is toning down the hyperbole a little bit.”
After a recorded vote approved Sneckyeat as the council’s proposed location, there was an outburst from the public gallery.
A member of the public interrupted proceedings and said: “Well I think it’s a whitewash because you’re all supposed to be representing the people….”
The chair interrupted and asked him to sit down. “No I won’t sit down because it’s a whitewash, you’re supposed to represent the people you represent nothing,” the person added.
