EAST Hampshire District Council has come in for renewed criticism after shelving, until 2008, plans to set up a short-stay gypsy and traveller site in the area. Public consultation on the issue of providing a temporary encampment site in the district was put on ice last September. Now it seems likely that a decision will not be made until spring 2008, with the South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) carrying out a review of travellers' needs. At a meeting of East Hampshire District Council's community forum in Bordon on Tuesday evening, the council's business director, Bill Price, said SEERA's recommendations, to be made this December, would be followed by a 12-week consultation period. Mr Price had earlier informed the meeting that the council was also awaiting a Housing Needs Assessment (HNA), due in February, which would determine the need for site provision in the district. He revealed that the HNA, a county-wide initiative, "highlighted a need for the equivalent of five transit (short-stay) sites across Hampshire. "Given this," he added, "it is uncertain that any sites will be needed in East Hampshire." He told the meeting: "Given the findings of the consultants' report and the work planned by SEERA, the council has deferred its work to seek suitable sites in the East Hampshire district. It will now focus on working strategically with other Hampshire councils to consider the appropriate criteria for site selection before any proposals for site provision within or outside East Hampshire are considered." One member of the audience asked if any eventual site would be managed by a warden. Mr Price replied: "We have been asked to consider very carefully the issue of management arrangements, but cannot confirm what these will be." Another question asked whether a site would be self financing or supported by taxpayers. Patricia Hughes, the council's environment manager, said she would like to see a similar system to that employed on travellers' sites in Wiltshire, where users were made to pay for the nights they spend on a site. Several travellers' sites caused public concern last year, including those: On land adjacent to the Whitehill Club, in Petersfield Road; at the Beaver Industrial Estate, in Liphook, and at various locations along Mill Lane and Newmans Lane in Alton. Last year, there was widespread concern when the ruling Conservatives decided to put public consultation on the back burner by taking travellers' sites' discussions off two community-forum agendas. Liberal Democrats accused the majority party of "political cowardice" with elections due in May this year. But Ferris Cowper, the leader of the district council, vehemently denied the claim and said more time was needed to find out the position of neighbouring authorities. In a letter to The Herald in September, he said: "The slower timetable allows for a more thorough and effective consultation process and also allows us to assess our position vis- a-vis other councils." At a later community forum in Rowlands Castle, Patrick Burridge - cabinet portfolio- holder for development at the district council - told the meeting that the council was being "extremely open" about the subject. His comment came weeks after the authority turned down an appeal under the Freedom of Information Act - submitted by The Herald - for the three remaining sites being considered to be named. They are still secret.
