§ 15. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by local authorities in establishing caravan sites for gypsies.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineThe full information is in the following table. But I can summarise the returns we have received from local authorities by saying that there are new proposals for 129 gypsy sites. There are 30 sites already in existence. One site which is at present temporary will be made into a permanent site.
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Existing Proposed Total Provision County Remarks Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Herefordshire — — 3 50 3 50 Hertfordshire 3 48 5 57 8 105 Huntingdonshire and Peterborough — — 1 20 1 20 Isle of Wight — — — — — — Under consideration. Kent 6 72 3 36 9 108 Lancashire — — 5 100 5 100 Leicestershire — — 4 60 4 60 Lincolnshire (Holland) — — — — — — Present need for provision not established. Being kept under review. Lincolnshire (Kesteven) 1 16 — — 1 16 Lincolnshire (Lindsey) 1 15 1 15 2 30 Norfolk — — — — — — Under consideration. Northamptonshire — — 1 30 1 30 Northumberland — — 1 24 1 24 Nottinghamshire — — 1 15 1 15 Oxfordshire — — 1 15 1 15 Rutland — — — — — — Present need for provision not established. Being kept under review. Salop — — 3 29 3 29 Somerset 1 8 7 72 8 80 Staffordshire — — 4 80 4 80 Suffolk (East) — — — — — — Under consideration. Suffolk (West) — — — — — — Under consideration. Surrey 2 61 2 60 4 121 Sussex (East) 3 13 4 19 7 32 Sussex (West) — — 2 12 2 12 Warwickshire — — 2 32 2 32 Westmorland — — — — — — Temporary provision in connection with Appleby Fair under consideration. Wiltshire — — 2 42 2 42 Worcestershire 1 12 5 75 6 87 Yorkshire (East Riding) — — — — — — Under consideration. Yorkshire (North Riding) — — 1 12 1 12 Yorkshire (West Riding) — — 5 75 5 75 Total 23 311 102 1,524 125 1,835 348W349W
England: County Boroughs (79) Existing Proposed Total Provision Boroughs Remarks Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Bolton … — — 1 15 1 15 Bradford … — — 1 15 1 15 Bury … — — 1 10 1 10 Chester … — — — — — — Under consideration. Darlington … — — — — — — Under consideration. Derby … — — — — — — Under consideration. Doncaster … — — 1 15 1 15 Exeter … — — — — — — Small site under consideration. Gloucester … — — 1 15 1 15 Huddersfield … — — 1 15 1 15 Kingston-upon-Hill … — — — — — — Under consideration. Leeds … 1 22 — — 1 22 Leicester … — — 1 15 1 15 Lincoln … — — 1 15 1 15 Liverpool … — — — — — — Under consideration. Manchester … — — 1 16 1 16 Norwich … — — — — — — Under consideration. Oldham … — — 1 15 1 15 Oxford … — — 1 15 1 15 Plymouth … — — 1 12 1 12
Existing Proposed Total Provision Boroughs Remarks Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Rochdale … — — — — — — Under consideration. St. Helens … — — 1 12 1 12 Sheffield … 1 15 — — 1 15 Stoke-on-Trent … — — 1 20 1 20 Teesside … — — 1 20 1 20 Walsall … — — — — — — No proposal. West Bromwich … — — — — — — Under consideration. Wolverhampton … — — 1 24 1 24 Worcester … — — — — — — Under consideration. Yarmouth … — — — — — — Under consideration. York … 1 15 — — 1 15 31 Boroughs … 3 52 16 249 19 301
The following County Boroughs (12) have claimed exemption on grounds that suitable land is not available (Section 6(2)(a)): Barnsley Dudley Salford Birmingham Luton Wakefield Bootle Nottingham Warley Bristol Preston Wigan
The following County Boroughs (36) have claimed exemption on grounds that the number of Gipsies resorting to the Borough in the 5 years ending 1st May, 1968 was not such as to warrant provision being made (Section 6(2)(b)). Barrow-in-Furness Dewsbury Rotherham Bath Eastbourne Solihull Birkenhead Gateshead Southampton Blackburn Grimsby Southend-on-Sea Blackpool Halifax Southport Bournemouth Hartlepool South Shields Brighton Hastings Stockport Burnley Ipswich Sunderland Burton-upon-Trent Newcastle-upon-Tyne Torbay Canterbury Northampton Tynemouth Carlisle Portsmouth Wallasey Coventry Reading Warrington 350W351W
London Boroughs (32) Existing Proposed Total Provision Boroughs Remarks Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Barking … — — 1 15 1 15 Barnet … — — — — — — Proposal under consideration. Bexley … — — 1 15 1 15 Brent … — — — — — — No proposal. Bromley … 1 12 — — 1 12 Camden … — — — — — — Proposal under consideration. Croydon … — — — — — — Proposal under consideration. Enfield … — — 1 15 1 15 Greenwich … — — 1 15 1 15 Harrow … — — — — — — No proposal. Havering … 1 27 1 16 1 16 Permanent site for 16 will replace temporary site for 27. Hillingdon … 1 15 — — 1 15 Hounslow … — — 1 15 1 15 Kingston/Thames … — — — — — — Proposal under consideration. Merton … — — 2 15 2 15 Newham … — — 1 15 1 15 Redbridge … 1 16 — — 1 16 Richmond/Thames … — — 1 15 1 15 Sutton … — — — — — — Proposal under consideration. Waltham Forest … — — 1 15 1 15 20 Boroughs … 4 70 11 151 14 194
The following London Boroughs (12) have claimed exemption under section 6(2)(a): Ealing Islington Southwark Hackney Kensington and Chelsea Tower Hamlets Hammersmith Wandsworth Haringey Lambeth Westminster Lewisham
Summary (England) Existing Proposed Total Provision Local Authorities Sites Pitches Sites Pitches Sites Pitches County Councils … … 23 311 102 1,524 125 1,835 County Boroughs … … 3 52 16 249 19 301 London Boroughs … … 4 70 11 151 14 194 30 433 129 1,924 158 2,330
§ Mr. Pardoeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the local authorities which are required by Section 6 of the Caravan Sites Act, 1968, to provide sites for gypsies, showing in each case whether the authority has replied to the Ministry's circular and how many pitches it intends to provide; how many pitches are available on sites that exist already; and, in the case of the county and London boroughs, whether exemption has been applied for under either Section 6(2)(a) or Section 6(2)(b).
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineI would refer the hon. Member to the answer given today in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, West (Mr. Wingfield Digby).
§ Mr. Marksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment by which date plans are required from local authorities for the establishment of caravan sites; and which authorities have so far not submitted them.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineLocal authorities were asked to give notice of their proposals for caravan sites for gypsies by 30th September, 1970. Full details are given in the list circulated today in the OFFICIAL REPORT in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, West (Mr. Wingfield Digby).