'Little progress' improving Gypsy and Traveller sites
The May 2022 inquiry report found cases of where people have been waiting for more than 20 years for a pitch on a local authority site.Sites were also often in "unsuitable locations", far from facilities and next to busy roads and industrial areas with poor air quality, in part because of local opposition.That report also listed accounts of "issues with uneven plots, lack of footpaths, blocked drains, rat infestations and mouldy bathrooms".The committee's follow-up report, published on Thursday, calls for ministers to ensure all local authorities have a Gypsy and Traveller liaison officer, and to reinstate a Gypsy and Traveller Forum as quickly as possible to improve dialogue.
'Disinterested'
Griffiths, Labour Newport East MS, said "We heard that the persistent neglect of Gypsy and Traveller sites by local authorities in Wales has led to significant physical and mental health issues among their residents, due to widespread disrepair and pollution.""It's clear that some local authorities are not doing the bare minimum to maintain sites, and seem disinterested in maintaining good relations with the Gypsy and Traveller community. This needs to change urgently."We're calling for the Welsh government to set out how it will deal with local authorities that continue to neglect their duties in providing adequate and safe sites for families, and urgently start work on their commitment to help those seeking to develop private sites."
'Practical and effective'
The Welsh government said ensuring councils "provide good quality, well-maintained sites for Gypsy and Traveller communities" was "central to our Anti-racist Wales Action Plan".A spokesperson added: "This week, we have launched a public consultation to update guidance on Gypsy and Traveller sites, and to gather views on how sites are planned, built and managed across Wales. "This is an opportunity for site residents, local authorities and communities to help shape new guidance that's practical and effective."We will consider the committee's findings and recommendations before responding formally."A WLGA spokesperson welcomed "the committee's conclusions and recommendations on this important issue"."We look forward to working with the Welsh government to support the implementation of those recommendations that involve local councils in improving and providing sites for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities across Wales," the spokesperson said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
an hour ago
- ITV News
Kemi Badenoch labels Labour policy a 'disaster' for farming in Wales
Kemi Badenoch has said Labour policies have been a disaster for farming in Wales. The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has said that Labour governments in Cardiff and London have been 'a disaster for farming' here in Wales. Speaking at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells, she said a Conservative UK Government would 'reverse' Labour UK Government plans to change inheritance tax, which she called 'the immoral family farm tax'. She told ITV Cymru Wales: 'We are promising to back farmers. Farming is a way of life. Standing up for farmers is standing up for Britain. And one of the things that Labour did when it first came into office was bring in the immoral family farm tax. It is going to destroy farming across our country. And I have said that once Conservatives get back into government we will reverse it.' As well as still reeling from a massive defeat in last year's UK General Election, which saw not a single Conservative MP elected for Wales, the party is also looking at losses ahead of next year's Senedd election. The most recent Barn Cymru poll for ITV Wales and Cardiff University suggested the Conservatives could end up in fourth place with as few as nine Senedd Members. In her interview, Kemi Badenoch acknowledged that her party faces an uphill struggle. 'Well, we know that we suffered a historic defeat last year," she said. "It's not going to be easy to get back on track, but that's the work that I'm doing. It's one of the reasons why I'm here, getting all across the country, trying to rebuild trust with the public, acknowledging where we made mistakes and showing that Wales has not thrived under Labour. It certainly won't under Plaid. It most definitely will not under Reform.' She was asked, too, if she has confidence in Darren Millar's leadership of the Welsh Conservatives in Wales. She said. 'Absolutely. Darren is here with me. We get on famously. We speak all the time. He is absolutely the right person to be First Minister.' And she was asked, too, about the status of his leadership. When Andrew RT Davies was first in charge of the Welsh Tories, the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, said publicly that Mr Davies was considered the leader of the wider party in Wales. Since then, other leaders have held varying views. I asked her: 'Who is the leader of the Welsh Conservatives? Not just the group in the Senedd: who leads the Welsh Conservatives?' KB: 'I do.' 'And where does Darren Millar sit in that?' KB: 'Darren is the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd but this is not what the public are asking about. They want to know who's going to deliver for the people of Wales and that is the Conservatives.' 'The only reason I ask is because different Conservative leaders have given different answers.' KB: 'Well you've asked me the question. We are a united party. We are the Unionist party. We're not interested in carving ourselves up and having lots of little, you know, different groups and factions. We are the Conservative and Unionist Party. We believe in the United Kingdom. We want Wales to be very much a part of the United Kingdom, not what Plaid Cymru is offering. Labour will end up sectioning Wales off the way they're going.' And she backed the decision to insist that Conservative candidates in next year's Senedd election should not be opposed to devolution, saying: 'That is the settlement that we have now. Devolution is a process. What we need to make sure is we have the best people. It's the people that matter.' Asked if she was sceptical about devolution, she said: 'Well, yes, because people think devolution is a solution in and of itself. It's not. It's how you use it. And that's why you have to look at the people. If you put bad people in, then it doesn't matter whether you're devolved or not, if you have great people then yes, devolution would work.' The Conservative leader said: 'That's that, honestly, in terms of the top 100 things that this country needs, that's not one of them.'
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Tommy Robinson is the last thing Epping needs
Much of the reporting on the anti-migrant protests at the Bell Hotel in Epping has focused on the violence and disorder. But from speaking with residents, I believe the vast majority of protestors are peaceful, although some blame the police for provoking the situation by allowing 'counter-protestors' from Stand Up To Racism into the area on Thursday night. Orla Minihane is a local mum of three who has lived in the area since she was 12 years old. She is also a Reform council candidate and a leader of the peaceful protests around the Bell Hotel, which began as a result of increasing local concern about the behaviour of migrant men living there. The arrest and charging of Hadush Kebatu, a 38-year-old migrant who arrived in the UK on June 29, for the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl has amplified these fears. This was the final straw for the people of Epping, who feel their once safe town has become plagued by shoplifting and threatening behaviour from the hotel's tenants. Orla told me how on Thursday night the locals were determined to keep the protest peaceful. She described their surprise at seeing 'so many police everywhere ... on all the side streets' and that they 'came in heavy-handed'. Despite this, and as hundreds of locals gathered, the protest stayed calm. But within an hour Orla said that reports began to come in of masked Stand up to Racism protestors travelling to Epping via public transport. That night Essex Police, the Met and British Transport Police were present. All three forces have denied escorting these masked men towards the Bell, although the Met and Essex police have confirmed their vehicles were used to transport these protestors away after the violence had begun. Even taken at face value this seems very strange. Why would the police allow these two groups to confront each other, making a conflict inevitable? Is it common practice for violent protestors to be escorted to safety rather than being arrested? As Orla said to me, if masked counter-protestors were 'walking towards a Palestine march, what would happen? They wouldn't let them anywhere near'. Very soon after the violence began, these so-called anti-fascist protestors withdrew, leaving residents and police to clash with each other on the streets of Epping. Despite this, residents gathered again on Sunday night, with the protest led by local women, who stood in a line holding hands as they chanted 'protect our kids'. Homemade signs were held, bearing slogans like 'make England safe again', 'deport foreign criminals' and 'I'm not far-Right – I'm worried about my kids'. This last slogan captures the beliefs of the protestors. They are absolutely clear that this is a group of residents, especially parents, who believe the large number of migrant men housed at the Bell represent a grave threat to local children. This fear is perfectly reasonable. Official figures show that Afghans in the UK are 22 times more likely than Brits to be convicted of sexual assault. Indeed, according to the Centre for Migration Control, Home Office statistics indicate that 87 nationalities have a higher conviction rate for sexual violence than the British population. This shouldn't be surprising, nor is it racist to recognise this reality. Afghan men are raised in a profoundly misogynistic culture, where women are treated like property. In the last 24 hours, Tommy Robinson has suggested he will attend next Sunday's protest at the Bell, before apparently changing his mind in a video posted today. He should stay away. The brave men and women of Epping are sending a powerful message. The local council leader, and the MP, are behind them, both calling for the asylum seekers to leave the Bell Hotel. Outsiders, whether supporters of Robinson or masked 'anti-fascists', will only distract from the real protest, and make women and girls less safe.
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Police body's legal action warning over Donald Trump's Scottish visit
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The body representing rank and file police officers across Scotland has warned that it could take legal action if the extraordinary challenge posed by Donald Trump's visit to the country causes the national force to fall foul of legally binding work agreements. David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said that there were 'certain parameters' that Police Scotland had to follow, and stressed that it could go to court if there is a breach of any legally binding deal. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The upcoming visit by the US president to Scotland poses one of the biggest operational challenges for the force since the COP26 climate change summit nearly four years ago, with thousands of officers set to be deployed as part of a vast security operation. Donald Trump will visit his Scottish resorts this weekend, prompting a major policing and security operation. Picture: Getty | Getty Images Mr Trump is set to arrive in Scotland on Friday for a five day visit. It is understood his trip will begin at the Trump Organisation owned Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire, before he heads to Aberdeenshire to his inaugural Scottish property, Trump International Golf Links. With several anti-Trump protests also expected across Scotland protest scale of the policing operation, Police Scotland has submitted a mutual aid request to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) for additional officers to help with the demand. Warning over 'legally binding' agreement But amid ongoing warnings about the impact of Mr Trump's visit on police resources, Mr Kennedy said that if necessary, the federation would go to court so as to look after officers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'We have an agreement reached for all officers in Scotland and the shifts they work, and how you police Scotland. There's certain parameters that the service have to follow, and if they don't follow them, then that is a breach of that agreement, which is legally binding. 'If they breach that, then the only option to the SPF to protect its members is to go to court.' David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire | PA He added: 'This is a big event for Police Scotland, but we have major concerns. We do not have enough police officers in Scotland. Anyone that says we do, I don't know where they get those figures from. 'We know what police officers have to do day in, day out and we need more officers in Scotland. When these events come along that puts those officers that are here under so much pressure.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At the weekend, the federation's chair, David Threadgold, told Scotland on Sunday that some officers involved in Mr Trump's visit may be expected to work 12 hour shifts, posing a 'challenge' for how they eat, sleep and rest. Mr Threadgold said that 'very few if any' officers will not be impacted by the operation, and compared it to previous presidential visits and the COP26 summit that took place in Glasgow in 2021. He added: 'We are talking about bespoke workforce plans because although this is a well-established workforce, we are cognisant we cannot deliver this without impacting on individual officers across the country. Mr Trump will visit Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire as part of his return to Scotland. Picture: Getty | Getty Images 'What that means in simple terms is some may be required to work 12-hour shifts, for example, which normally wouldn't happen. That is the type of change cops will see during this event.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police in Northern Ireland assessing request Details of the request by Police Scotland to the PSNI remain unclear, but it has echoes of the mutual aid agreement struck with other forces in 2018, when Mr Trump visited Scotland during his first term in office. A spokeswoman for the PSNI confirmed it had received a request from Police Scotland, and that the force would have to ensure its own 'operational competence' when assessing it. She explained: 'There are well established processes for any UK based police services to request support from other services at times of peak demand. 'These requests are managed via the National Police Co-ordination Centre and we can confirm that PSNI have received a request to provide mutual aid to Police Scotland which we are currently assessing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The so-called Trump baby blimp featured prominently in protests against the then US president during this visit to Scotland in 2018. Picture: Jeff| Getty Images 'The decision to provide officers under the mutual aid process will be considered against our own demands, ensuring that we retain the capacity to respond effectively to local issues and maintain our own operational competence.' Mr Trump's visit - his first to Scotland since 2023 - will see him meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer while in Aberdeen. A spokeswoman for the White House said the meeting will allow the two men to 'refine the great trade deal' that was brokered between the UK and US. Plans are also being drawn up for an engagement between Mr Trump and First Minister John Swinney, although it is not clear where, or when, the two men will meet. Airspace restrictions in place Strict airspace restrictions will be in place over Mr Trump's resort in Balmedie. According to notices filed by the Civil Aviation Authority, there is a ban on unmanned aircraft flying below 1,000 feet within a one mile radius surrounding the property. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The ban not only covers drones, but parachutes, paramotors, small balloons, and any kites, according to the documentation. When Mr Trump visited Turnberry seven years ago, a paraglider descended on the resort, prompting Police Scotland to warn the individual that they had put themselves in 'grave danger.' This time around, protesters who have joined forces under a group known as the 'Stop Trump Coalition' have organised two protests in Scotland, with one scheduled to take place at Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen on Saturday, while another will be held outside the US consulate in Edinburgh the same day.
