Hundreds turn out to voice opposition to traveller site
HUNDREDS of residents turned out to voice opposition to any new site for travellers being established in Llansamlet.
The ward's councillors called a general meeting at Birchgrove Comprehensive School on Monday evening to give residents an opportunity to discuss any local issues of concern.
But a large audience of more than 400 squeezed into the school's main hall, determined to discuss what they believed was a new site being considered in Llansamlet by Swansea Council.
It follows the revelation earlier this year that the authority was considering a shortlist of five sites to meet its legal obligation to provide "adequate provision" for travellers.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
Llansamlet already has one permanent travellers' site, while one family is camped temporarily on the Swansea Vale park and ride.
Last week, Swansea Council leader David Phillips, outlined the authority's new approach for looking for a site.
He said the search for a second permanent site for traveller families would be entirely based on expert advice, and that council officers would rank a shortlist based on professional assessments, which would conclude with the ranked sites being considered by full council.
The meeting in Birchgrove was told Llansamlet councillors would not be able to fully discuss the issue with residents, so they did not prejudice themselves when it came for the council to vote on the sites.
But Labour party member Bob Clay told the audience: "Anyone who has researched this will know there is a great deal of circumstantial evidence that the Peniel Green Site may be one of those being considered.
"I belive no other site is being considered, other than that one.
"But it is difficult to say it is wrong if no-one will say they are looking at Llansamlet."
The meeting was also told Newport County Council had also been considering where to locate sites for travellers, and that it had publicised its search on its website, beginning with an original list of more than 200 potential sites, and inviting views from residents, updating them as they produced a shortlist — an approach not adopted by Swansea Council.
And it was also claimed that during the mid-1980s, the former West Glamorgan County Council had formulised what became known as the West Glamorgan Agreement, which meant there would not be another travellers' site in the Llansamlet area.
Swansea Council said that despite the leak of sites said to be on a shortlist earlier this year, there was no current shortlist of potential sites yet.
A spokesman for Swansea Council said: "A member-led task and finish group has been established to look at the provision of a second gypsy traveller site in Swansea. "This work is ongoing and no decisions have been made on any sites that could be included in any shortlist.
"Swansea is among a number of councils in Wales that are looking at gypsy traveller site provision and some are further along the process than Swansea is.
"Any list of sites that is developed will be presented to council for further consideration and could also include public consultation on those sites."
nino.williams@swwmedia.co.uk
01792 514624
Comments
by BobDavies2
Friday, September 28 2012, 4:44PM
“Apparently there is another site being considered, this is situated at the old bible college site just off Mumbles rd.
Asda couldnt build there, maybe the Gipsies will have more luck.”
by Hadoken4543
Friday, September 28 2012, 4:21PM
“Until gypsies pay their way like everyone else they deserve to be treated like the second rate "citizens" they are.
Look at them in their scummy caravans in laybys pretending its out of choice, when its nothing more than the familiy being so dysfunctional they are nothing more than one step away from living on the street.
There are already two camps within a mile of this one, that means there will be HUNDREDS of gypsy kids ruining the local schools.
I was in school when a gypsy family housed their kids there, they were all remedial trouble makers, and their father came down and head butted the teacher in the nose over some minor issue.
All of them are now small time crims in the local area.”
by Neathboy234
Friday, September 28 2012, 9:24AM
“Philosoraptor is that so!. So they wouldn't be claiming social security and child benefit as well. Than's for dispelling the myth that Gypsies claim a lot of benefits.”
by Philosoraptor
Friday, September 28 2012, 9:13AM
“Neathboy, you don't count travellers because they don't have an address and skew the census.”
by Neathboy234
Thursday, September 27 2012, 9:11PM
“Hadoken4543Thursday, says "NO need for ethnic cleaning, just put them out of sight and sound".
Again that has also tried before, they were called concentration camps. Invented by the British don't you know, used during the Boer war. Perfected by the Nazi's.”
by Neathboy234
Thursday, September 27 2012, 9:07PM
“seasolder I have got quite liberal views, and having such views i feel that i must apply them equally to everyone. I'm sure your average daily mail reader would think me to be a work of fiction and that i couldn't possibly exist. But i can assure that i do exist, and have done since the early 1960's.”
by seasolder
Thursday, September 27 2012, 8:57PM
“Neathboy----I have read your many comments in support of these travellers, you seem so critical and take a greal delight in anyone who does not share your views , why ? because i believe you are just a wind-up fellow.”
by Hadoken4543
Thursday, September 27 2012, 7:59PM
“NO need for ethnic cleaning, just put them out of sight and sound.
Nobody wants to live around smelly, dirty violent trash, and that is basically what gypsies are.
peniel green is a nice area, the average house there is worth over 150k, its a scandal these people should even be thinking about the misery of having these scummy vermin living at the end of their back garden.
The local people have every right to kick up a stink, and I hope they do before they become the victims.
The council will be reading this and looking for what areas put up a fight, so I say make some noise people, cos by the looks of it someone is trying to push this through while pretending its not going to happen.”
by Neathboy234
Thursday, September 27 2012, 7:43PM
“seasolder U need to control your anger. whenever i was playing rugby and someone pushed me in full view of the ref, i would just stand there laughing. I'd laugh even more when the other guy got sent off. As my old coach once told me a real man is one who can take a punch, not the other away around.”
by Neathboy234
Thursday, September 27 2012, 7:34PM
“Hadoken4543 What's your answer a bit of ethnic cleansing, is that your answer !!!!!. The right wing tried that before didn't they!. Tell us what would U like to see.
Personally I'd rather help people.”