7:00am Thursday 11th September 2008
By Jane Reader
"THERE is no such place as a perfect travellers' site in Bournemouth - we will have to settle for the least bad option."
These are the words of a senior councillor who claims officers have already been "scraping the barrel" to find suitable sites for a permanent transit site.
Deputy leader of the council Cllr John Beesley was speaking after council officers were urged to go back to the drawing board to find a site.
Of four possible sites identified this year, two - Millhams and Ensbury Park - have been ruled out.
This leaves sites at Queens Road, Westbourne, and Townsend estate.
But Peter Charon, cabinet member for housing and procurement, hopes other possibilities can also be found.
In Townsend, ward councillors have pledged to support residents who do not want the site on land adjacent to Westfield cattery, near hundreds of homes.
Cllr Beesley, ward councillor for the Westbourne site on a narrow strip of land bordering the Wessex Way, said he is confident it will not be selected.
"It does not meet the government criteria and anyone who has seen the site will realise officers have been scraping the barrel to find suitable sites," he said.
The government has stated that all local authorities must provide transit sites by 2011.
News that the council is still searching for a suitable site in Bournemouth fuelled debate at bournemouthecho.co.uk.
APMF of Bournemouth said the government should not be able to "dictate" who should live next-door to you. "Let's face it, this is going to happen to some poor home-owners - put the site in the grounds of 11, Downing Street."
Firefly of Bournemouth added: "If the government insists that councils should find sites, maybe they should shoulder some of the responsibility and release some MoD land, for example Tyneham."
Other suggested Bournemouth council should delay a decision in case a change of government leads to a change in the rules.
And kevcal of Poole said: "If I had a caravan, I'd have to pay a campsite to stay at - why should these people be any different?
"If the government forces councils to supply sites, give them a field in the middle of nowhere and make them pay for the privilege."
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisisdorset.net