ROMANY travellers are calling for a permanent site in Dorset and say they feel “completely failed” by the council.

Members from Kushti Bok, a Dorset traveller community group, said the unauthorised encampments are the outcome of council leadership’s failure to provide permanent sites.

Romany traveller, 66-year-old Betty Smith, said: “For my people, for all the Romany, I feel the council have completely failed us and let all our people down. We are human beings, we need to stop the prejudice and have pitches where our people can follow their own culture.”

Charity Director of Kushti Bok and mother-of three, Caroline Smith, said her family had been travellers for generations.

Her great-grandmother Betsy was a familiar face selling flowers in Bournemouth Square in the 1950s.

Caroline added that a permanent site for travellers in Dorset was essential.

She said: “The litter problems with encampments could have been completely avoided if the council had offered to provide skips and portaloos – the travellers would have paid to use them.

“For the peace of mind of local residents and for our own freedom, we need at least one permanent site and several transit or temporary ones. I feel completely let down by the council.”

The head of gypsy and traveller services at Dorset County Council has said there is truth to this as they are aware increased site provision helps to reduce illegal encampments.

Dave Ayre, head of traveller services, said: “There is definitely an element of truth in what the travellers are saying as, so far this year, we have not had a temporary site and there has been a huge influx of travellers in unauthorised sites.

“Yesterday alone, 14 unauthorised encampments were reported to Dorset council.”

Dorset County Council has led a consultation to find potential sites as part of a joint development plan, but the earliest date for permanent site would be 2015. 

John Beesley, leader of Bournemouth Borough Council, said: “We feel it is absolutely right that if possible in the Dorset area there are transit sites made available to gypsy and traveller groups. However, it is clear that for sound planning reasons none of the sites included in the consultation for Bournemouth have been appropriate to take forward to later stages of the process.”

Jeff Morley, regulatory team manager for Borough of Poole, said: “We are working with Bournemouth and Dorset councils to assess the future needs, for both permanent and transit traveller site provision, throughout Dorset.

“However, until such sites are in place, it is difficult to know the exact impact they would make on unauthorised encampments. We are keen to find a solution, which meets everyone’s satisfaction, as soon as possible.”

Chief Officer of the Dorset Race Equality Council, Adnan Chaudry, has proposed a meeting between representatives from the council, residents and travelling community. 

He said: “The government is not offering solutions to the issue. We need to start the ball rolling and have a real dialogue and push ahead with plans for transit and permanent sites.”

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