Agenda and draft minutes

To enable members of the public to ask questions, express views or present petitions, IF NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN, (by telephone, in writing or by email) BY NO LATER THAN 12 NOON OF THE WORKING DAY PRECEDING THE MEETING. As per Procedural Rule 14.4 at any one meeting no person may submit more than 3 questions and no more than 1 such question may be asked on behalf of one organisation.

In accordance with Rule of Procedure 14.4, the following people attended the meeting to speak on Item 4 – Temporary Traveller Sites:

-        Mr Victor Launert – Matlock Bath Local Resident

-        Cllr Kevin Rowney – Rowsley Parish Council

-        Mr Peter Baranek– Chair of Matlock Bath Parish Council

-        Mr Stephen Walton – Local Resident

-        Mr George Ashbrook – Ashbrook Roofing

-        Mr Richard Bean – Natural Stone Sales Ltd

-        Mr Keith Jennings – Matlock Local Resident

-        Ms Kerry Andrews – Level Centre

-        Ms Hannah Lister – Rowsley Local Resident

-        Mr Jonathan Shaw – Matlock Local Resident

-        Mr Tim Simcox – T C Harrison Group

-        Mrs Karen Whittle – Matlock Local Resident

-        Mr Richard Walsh – Local Resident

-        Ms Judith Ashness – Matlock Local Resident

-        Mr Andrew Bishop – Matlock Local Resident

-        Ms Julie Bishop – Matlock Local Resident

-        Mr Mike Walton – Matlock Local Resident

In accordance with Rule of Procedure 14.4  the following questions were also received:

Questions from Ms Jo Wildgoose, Rowsley Local Resident

1.     Tommy Shaw sent an email to our chair saying that the gypsy and traveller working group would be submitting recommendations to the council after they had read the report following the consultation. However, according to Sue Hobson the Gypsy and traveller work group has not met since the 8th of November. Why were they not involved in making recommendations for this meeting?

2.     Why was there no third-party visual evidence included in the report from submissions to the travellers@ email address, for example photographs, plans and aerial maps etc.?

3.     Who compiled the list of stakeholders included in the equality impact assessment, and why was Rowsley primary School, Marston’s plc on behalf of the Grouse and Claret and Derbyshire County Council omitted from this list?

Response:

1.       Due to the significant public interest in the temporary Traveller sites public consultation exercise and in the interests of openness and transparency, the Leadership of the Progressive Alliance considered that it would be more appropriate for this matter to be considered at a meeting of full Council rather than the Gypsy and Traveller Working Group and/or Community & Environment Committee. This provides an opportunity for members to contribute on this important subject.

2.       The public consultation generated over 1500 responses and included several hundred emails and letters in addition to the survey consultation responses themselves. The report and appendices seek to bring all of this information together into a form that Council Members and the public can comprehend. The report with the appendices is already 156 pages long. Adding further material to the report will not assist the decision-making process.

3.       Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) are completed by the public authority bound to undertake them under the Equality Act 2010 – in this case, the District Council. The EIA was completed by the Council’s officers who are considered best placed to assess the Equalities impacts due to their knowledge of the service,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 251/24

Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any interests they may have in subsequent agenda items in accordance with the District Council’s Code of Conduct. Those interests are matters that relate to money or that which can be valued in money, affecting the Member, her/his partner, extended family and close friends. Interests that become apparent at a later stage in the proceedings may be declared at the time.

There were no declarations of interest.

This report brings together the results of the consultation process that took place from late July to late September 2024 concerning 6 potential traveller sites and invites council to consider which, if any, of the six potential sites previously identified are to be progressed as temporary site(s) for use by Travellers.

The Director of Housing introduced a report which brought together the results of the consultation process that took place from late July to late September 2024 concerning 6 potential traveller sites and invited Council to consider which, if any, of the six potential sites previously identified are to be progressed as temporary sites(s) for use by Travellers.

The Community and Environment Committee on 22^nd July 2024 approved seven recommendations relating to Travellers. One of the recommendations included undertaking a six-week consultation concerning the potential use of six sites in Council ownership for use as temporary traveller sites.

A public consultation exercise was initiated which included an online and hard-copy questionnaire and a series of public meetings. A dedicated traveller email inbox was established to provide a central point of contact. Significant volume of material was received through these channels. These emails, together with other individual emails sent to officers had also been documented and the results of these were set out within section 2 of the report. It was noted that the combined impact of the consultation exercise significantly stretched the Councils capacity and officer resources.

A total number of 1751 respondents participated in the survey. The University of Derby undertook the analysis of the responses received via the Council’s online survey. Their report was attached at Appendix 1.

19:20 – Councillor Bob Butcher left the room and re-entered at 19:22.

19:26 – Councillor Simon Ripton left the room and re-entered at 19:28.

Members asked the Director of Housing a number of question on the report, which were answered.

The officer recommendations as set out in the report were then moved by Councillor Steve Flitter, and seconded by Councillor Neil Buttle in accordance with Rule of Procedure 16, together with an amendment to the recommendations as set out below:

1.     That Council note the responses received to the public consultation exercise, has due regard to the responses, and consider which, if any, of the six potential sites previously identified are to be progressed as temporary site(s) for use by Travellers.  

2.     That in accordance with the 2024 – 2028 Derbyshire Dales Corporate Plan commitment to deliver permanent and temporary sites for Travellers, authority be delegated to the Director of Housing to progress the provision of a temporary site (subject to planning permission) on land at Matlock Station, Derwent Way, Matlock for a site occupation period of 2 years and just for named travellers for whom the Council has a homelessness obligation through their local connection. Such provision is to include necessary facilities and services to satisfy the human welfare needs of the site occupiers and to mitigate potential impacts identified through the consultation, on the surrounding environment, and on the host communities, as far as possible.

3.     That subject to planning permission, further temporary site provision be made for a site occupation period of 2 years just for named travellers for whom the Council has a homelessness obligation through their local connection, at the following sites: at Station Yard  ...  view the full minutes text for item 253/24