Wednesday 4 January 2012

Crewe and Nantwich MP set to fight Gypsy site plans at council meeting

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson aims to scupper plans for a Gypsy camp in Coppenhall.

The council wants the Gypsy camp on a field at the junction of Parkers Road and Kent Lane.

It is unusual for MPs to address council committees but no date has yet been set for the planning board meeting. If Mr Timpson is unavoidably kept in London on affairs of State when it does come up, he will send a senior staff member to represent him and the views of his constituents.

The MP, who was with members of Crewe Against Travellers Sites (CATS) when they presented a 5,500 signature petition to Downing Street in November, said: “I’ve written to the chief executive and council leader to inform them that I, with members of CATs, presented a copy of the petition at 10 Downing Street. To ensure my support for my constituents is heard loud and clear, I intend to speak at the planning committee when the future of the site is determined.”

CATS has also presented the petition to Cheshire East.

CATS secretary Wendy Middleton said: “The number of signatures gathered in a short space of time shows the strength of feeling against this camp. Our aim is to trigger a full council debate on this ill-thought plan.”
CATS chairman, Glenn Perris, said: “Cheshire East are delaying because they say they are trying to get it right.That’s impossible as it’s fundamentally flawed in so many aspects.”

The group stresses it is a non-racist organisation and is fighting to find a site ‘fair’ to Travellers, residents and the council tax payers.

“How much more of our money are they prepared to waste until the application finally fails?

“We will win this campaign,” said Mr Perris.

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