Agenda item

At the Housing and Major Projects Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel (HMP) on Tuesday 20th November 2012 the Panel received an update on Boat and Mobile Home Dwellers from the Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning. The Panel were asked to consider if they wished to undertake any policy review work on this matter. It was agreed at this meeting that there were a number of issues that still needed further investigation and that the Panel should undertake some Task and Finish Group work to explore some of these issues further and report back to the Panel in May 2013.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson addressed the Panel. A copy of her statement can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book, a summary is set out below.

She spoke of how the Task & Finish Group were tasked with considering accommodation needs only, the quality of life for boat dwellers and travellers and the needs of those who are often marginalised from society for other reasons: age, infirmity, being a lone parent and peripatetic lifestyle.

She said that the group tried very hard to balance the positives of life out in the open with perhaps much lower accommodation costs than ashore, and the negatives – poor facilities in commercial moorings, lack of access to healthcare, homecare and education and constantly being ‘moved on’ by the Canal & Rivers Trust (CRT), who seemed to have no understanding of equalities issues.

She believed the review was an important step between anecdotal and individual case histories and concrete policies, which is why it is so important to continue the research.  She stated that they had uncovered alarming evidence of potential homelessness, with possibly 50-70 families at immediate risk (on the basis of CRT) figures.

To sum up she spoke of the groups aspirations;

·  Ask the Council to establish a national standard of good practice,

·  Provide proper mooring facilities itself where appropriate and encourage others to do so, especially developers,

·  Communicate to boat dwellers what the Council can do for them.

She wished to thank all of the officers who helped with the review, the members of the public who contributed their stories and the review consultant.

The Chairman commented he felt it was an excellent piece of work that straddled across a number of Panel remits.

Councillor Gerry Curran commented with regard to recommendation 1. He stated that any full in-depth study / review on Boat Dwellers and River Travellers within our area should take into account the Council’s bio-diversity and use of the river by the general public.

The Chairman commented that the Council should also be mindful of the work of the River Regeneration Trust.

Councillor Dave Laming addressed the Panel. He informed them that he had recently received a letter from the Canal & Rivers Trust that enquired how they could work with the River Regeneration Trust and have a joining of assets. He added that 1,000 residential moorings were required for the area.

Councillor Brian Simmons proposed that the recommendations as printed be passed to the relevant Cabinet Members.

Councillor Gerry Curran seconded the proposal.

The Corporate Policy Manager for Equality stated that as the recommendations were not going to be discussed by the Panel but were being forwarded, as written, to Cabinet, she needed to assure herself that the Panel were fully aware of the implications of the report’s findings.

The Chairman replied that at this stage it was the Panel’s role to make recommendations and was confident of a fuller debate when the decision making element was played out.

Councillor Ben Stevens, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development suggested that as part of the process officers could be invited to a discussion at informal Cabinet.

Councillor Gerry Curran asked where the figure for 1,000 residential moorings came from.

Councillor Dave Laming replied that the figure came from the Canal & Rivers Trust.

Councillor Brian Simmons asked if a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been agreed with the Canal & Rivers Trust.

Councillor Dave Laming replied that a meeting had been agreed with the Canal & Rivers Trust and that a MoU had been agreed between Wessex Water and the River Regeneration Trust.