'We are not wanted anywhere' say travellers as Walsall residents oppose transit site plan

Representatives told Pleck residents and councillors that they were not “feeling the love” from the community, adding they would face a backlash wherever the traveller site was placed in the borough.

Last month, Walsall Council’s cabinet decided to create a facility for the gypsy, Roma and traveller (GRT) on land on the corner of Pleck Road and Darlaston Road.

The proposal sparked fury among residents and Pleck ward councillors who said they weren’t consulted and believed the location was unsuitable, citing reasons including pollution, traffic and impact on services.

They stressed they were not against the GRT community but felt a political decision had been made to place it in a Labour dominated ward.

But a motion put forward to try to overturn the cabinet decision was narrowly defeated by scrutiny committee members.

At a scrutiny meeting following the ‘call-in’ of the decision, traveller Abiline McShane said: “I’m not feeling the love and the cohesion.

“I know there has to be a transit site and I disagree with the way this went forward. But no matter where you put this transit site, this would have happened.

“All my life, and I have travelled my whole life, this would have been the outcome. We are not wanted anywhere.

“No-one would have agreed. No councillor no matter which party, would have agreed to having us in their constituency.

“I feel the site being proposed is actually a good place for a transit site. I know there are lots of things being said against it such as pollution. But there are houses around there and no-one is bothered about the pollution there.

“When it comes to schools and things, most people use a transit site as a temporary thing. It is completely different to a permanent site. You probably wouldn’t be sending your kids to a school for two days or a week.

“We agreed in the working group that cohesion would take place with the community beforehand and I feel as if we and the Labour councillors were put against each other and I feel upset about that.

“I put a lot of work in over the years with Walsall Council and I feel even the working group should have been informed about this so we could do what we said to work with the community and save all this hatred.

“We know we’re going to get it anyway but at least we would have been prepared for it.

“I feel the site is not too close to the residents. But we don’t want to be hidden out of site, we want to be part of the community.

“I feel though everyone is saying we are with the GRT community and they should have somewhere to live.

“But really what they are saying to us is ‘we don’t really want you in our communities and we’d be better sticking you out the way’. I’m upset about this actually.”

Siobhan Spencer, of the Gypsy Liaison Group, added: “People pick up on one or two things and say that’s the whole of the community that does it when it’s not.

“I fear we have an ‘us and them’ argument out of something that wasn’t of our making.”

Resident and trade unionist Martin Lynch has lived in Pleck for 20 years and said it was an inclusive and welcoming area.

He said: “I share concerns about the process by which non-existent consultation has taken place but otherwise I do not agree that we should oppose this site.

“One of the hardest things we’ve heard is ‘we’re not wanted anywhere’ and if we’re truthful about it, we know that it would be the case that this kind of question would be asked wherever the transit site was proposed.

“Some of the issues which are not discussed, the elephants in this room, are really what is at stake here.

“The travelling community is part of our community and no community should ever be judged by the poor behaviour of the minority within.

“Air quality is important, schooling is important, health is important but I’d ask us to reflect should housing have been proposed, would we be having this meeting? I think the honest answer is no.”

Walsall Council leader Mike Bird and his deputy denied it was a political decision and said it was based on all the facts presented to them.

They added issues raised were planning considerations that will be considered, along with a full consultation with all parties, when the application comes forward.

Residents 'angry and bewildered'

Meanwhile residents and ward councillors claimed they had been treated “contemptuously” over the site, saying there had been no consultation prior to the decision being made last month.

They added the site was unsuitable due to issues such as pollution, traffic and would put a strain on local services such as schools and doctors.

Cabinet chiefs said issues would be addressed when a planning application comes forward, which will also include a full consultation with all residents, ward councillors and interested parties.

Shakil Younis, a nearby resident, said: “We haven’t got an issue with the travellers and they have exactly the same rights we have as residents of Pleck.

“We are angry with Walsall Council over the lack of transparency.

“Wolverhampton has a similar project and what they did was a public consultation, inviting all the people directly affected by these proposals and sat down and had a discussion with them.

“But what has Walsall Council done? Nothing. Because they don’t want to hear from us. We mean nothing to them and we’ve just got to pay council tax.”

Pleck councillor Naheed Gultasib, who set up an online petition which attracted more than 600 signatures against the proposal, said: “The community of Pleck feels Walsall Council has acted contemptuously towards them in allocation of this site.

“We deserve the same consideration and consultation as other wards when decisions as impactful as this are made.”

Walsall South MP Valerie Vaz added: “My constituents are angry and bewildered by the cabinet decision to set up a transit site at Narrow Lane. This decision is a flawed decision.”

Walsall Labour Group leader Aftab Nawaz said: “This call in is not against the gypsy, Roma and traveller community.

“The GRT community is a valued and integral part of our society and should be shown the level of respect we would expect to be shown ourselves.

“If the administration continues with the decision to place the transit site in Pleck, after our arguments, we will work to ensure that all our communities work together to promote understanding, togetherness and cohesiveness.”

Lynne Cherry, head teacher at nearby Hilary Primary School, said they were “proud” of their diversity with pupils speaking 50 different languages.

She said: “I would be happy to have additional children if needed and I do believe we could cater for additional needs.

“I do think it is a poor site. I know how busy the roads are around there, I know how poor the air quality is. I think the site is too small for groups to use. Where would children play? Children currently in Pleck have inadequate play space.”

Council leader Mike Bird said they had been looking at a site in private ownership but that hadn’t materialised.

He added Pleck was the only site they owned that was suitable for fulfilling their legal obligation to provide a transit site.

Deputy leader Adrian Andrew said: “Many of the arguments, concerns and questions put forward will be heard during the planning process. And the consultation will be undertaken through the planning process.

“We’re going through a process currently. We have taken this policy decision with all the facts in front of us.

“This is to ensure the GRT community have facilities but also we can help alleviate some of the UEs we have had over the years.”