Celebration held at proposed Walsall travellers site

Organisers said the gathering was aimed at showing solidarity with the gypsy, Roma and traveller (GRT) communities as well as voicing support for a facility on land at the corner of Old Pleck Road and Darlaston Road.

In February, Walsall Council cabinet approved the temporary transit site before submitting a planning application last month. If given the go-ahead, the site will have space for six caravans, 12 cars, a fresh water tap and male and female showers.

But the plans sparked anger in the community, with residents, business owners and councillors furious they weren’t consulted prior to a cabinet decision being made to select the site.

They said they were not against the GRT community but said the location was too small, and unsuitable with issues including pollution, traffic and impact on local services.

At a special scrutiny meeting, after the decision had been called in, representatives from the GRT community gave emotional accounts of how they are treated with traveller Abiline McShane telling the committee they were “not wanted anywhere”.

Pleck resident, trade unionist and anti-racism campaigner Martin Lynch also spoke up at the meeting and attended the celebratory event on Thursday, April 8.

He said: “It was International Roma Day and it was a little celebratory event in support of the GRT communities and in solidarity with them.

“It was also in support of the transit site. The GRT spokespeople are very clear it is fit for purpose so on that basis it is my belief and the belief of Stand Up To Racism we must listen to that and run with it.

“That’s why we held it at the proposed site. ‘No one wants us’ was one of Abiline’s phrases and that does have to make us think.

“One of the complaints put up against this site is it is not big enough because very often you are talking about more than eight caravans arriving.

“What Abiline says is she hopes and expects there will be a negotiated stopping agreement to supplement it whenever there is a bigger group coming.

"Negotiated stopping means, and there are a number of northern councils that have done this, the authority finds a site for a week, provides portable toilets and a skip.

“People in return pay £20 a night to stop over and the deal is the site is kept clean and tidy. That arrangement is working well in Leeds in particular and it saves councils a fortune in legal fees or paying to tow people off.

“I am a Pleck resident and I would welcome the traveller community here on their way through.”