Issue - meetings

Following consideration of a report of the Corporate Manager for Property, Leisure and Climate Change, the Community Policy Development Group has made the following recommendation: that the updated Unauthorised Encampment Policy and procedure for managing and enforcing unauthorised encampments as detailed in Annex A be adopted.

Following consideration of a *report of the Corporate Manager for Property, Leisure and Climate Change, the Community Policy Development Group had made the following recommendation: that the updated Unauthorised Encampment Policy and procedure for managing and enforcing unauthorised encampments as detailed in Annex A be adopted.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Property Services and the Corporate Manager for Property, Leisure and Climate Change outlined the contents of the report stating that this was a 3 yearly review of the policy and procedures for unauthorised encampments on Council owned land.

Consideration was given to:

·         The timescales for eviction from Council owned land

·         The number of sites available for gypsies and travellers in Mid Devon

·         The number of evictions that had taken place

·         Whether the policy and procedures could be condensed

RESOLVED that the updated Unauthorised Encampment Policy and procedure for managing and enforcing unauthorised encampments as detailed in Annex A be adopted.

(Proposed by Cllr C R Slade and seconded by Cllr Mrs C P Daw)

Reason for the decision – there is a need for an updated policy to be in place.

Note *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To receive a report on the three yearly review on the Unauthorised Encampment Policy on land in the ownership of Mid Devon District Council, including guidance for encampments on land in the ownership of Devon County Council.

The Group had before it a *report from the Corporate Manager for Property, Leisure and Climate Change presenting the 3 yearly review of the Unauthorised Encampment Policy.

The officer outlined the contents of the report and stated that the Policy ensured that the Council acted lawfully.

Consideration was given to:

·         There had been 4 unauthorised encampments in the past 3 years which had a cost to the Council circa £3k

·         Legal Services had reviewed the policy and had updated the Equality Act, sections 77-78

·         A minimum of 13 permanent sites would be delivered in the District within the next 2-3 years

·         The location of pitches had been determined during the initial planning process

·         The Council had a duty to provide both permanent and transit pitches and Members would be provided with an update on the current situation

It was therefore RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that the updated Unauthorised Encampment Policy and procedure for managing and enforcing unauthorised encampments as detailed in annex A be adopted

(Proposed by the Chairman)

Note: *Policy previously circulated and attached to the minutes