North East Herts MP Oliver Heald has reported the East of England Regional Assembly to the National Audit Office and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, over its decision to impose a levy of fifteen pitches for travellers for each district in the Eastern Region, thereby ignoring the accommodation needs of travellers in each district.
In his letter Oliver refers to evidence that the Gypsy Council has not been properly consulted and that the President of the Gypsy Council, Hughie Smith, has described this process as “a complete waste of time and public money”.
Commenting, Oliver Heald said, “I was disappointed that the East of England Regional Assembly ignored my representations to them, that the allocation of pitches for travellers should be on the basis of need. It is quite wrong for travellers to be forced into sites in isolated locations on the outskirts of small villages when this is not the sort of provision which is wanted or needed by travellers.
“The Barkway Parish Council has produced a detailed paper setting out how the policy is being implemented and I have also forwarded this to the Comptroller and Auditor General, Tim Burr.
“I also believe this raises equality issues and have therefore raised the matter with Trevor Phillips.”