Dale Farm Latest News, update

[legalRomany]

Travellers granted legal aid to appeal against eviction again

7:00am Friday 27th February 2009


By Jon Austin »

TRAVELLERS at Dale Farm and Hovefields have been granted legal aid to apply for another appeal against eviction in the House of Lords.

Andrew Montgomery, Legal Service Commission spokesman, confirmed: “Legal aid has been provided to several members of the travelling community to seek permission for an appeal to the House of Lords, relating to the judicial review proceedings against Basildon Council's intention to evict them.”

The families passed a series of financial means tests to qualify.

The decision does not mean the case will be heard in the Lords, but Law Lords will now decide if it should be heard.

The case centres around the “correctness” of the decision by the council to evict them.

Richard Sheridan, Dale Farm spokesman, said: “We’re relieved to know that we have a good chance of a hearing by the highest court in the land.”

Council leader Malcolm Buckley said: “I find it disappointing Legal Aid has decided to fund another stage of the case even though it has already been through the High Court and Court of Appeal.”

source - Basildon Recorder

This post has been edited by legalRomany on Feb 27 2009, 07:53 PM

[legalRomany]

Further info

New Supreme Court may get to rule on Dale Farm eviction

4:10am Tuesday 3rd March 2009
Comments (10) Have your say »

By Jon Austin »

TRAVELLERS are more confident than ever of continuing their fight against eviction from the Dale Farm campsite.

They say they have now been granted legal aid to take their case to the highest court in the land.

Law Lords will consider an application for an appeal against the eviction.

If successful, the case may be among the first to be heard by the Supreme Court, a new body which is being set up by the Government to act as the country’s final court of appeal.

Representatives of nearly 90 families at the Dale Farm site at Crays Hill, near Billericay, have issued a statement saying their case is now likely to go before the court, which is due to start hearing cases in October.

Grattan Puxon, a campaigner for the families, said travellers would be asking the court to end “a policy of physical exclusion which has afflicted gipsies in Britain for generations”.

He said: “Thousands have been evicted from their own land and tens of thousands of children denied a chance to go to school.

“Old folk and the sick have been left to perish, because medical care has been unobtainable in what is supposed to be a welfare state. A few of those internal refugees have sought refuge at Dale Farm.”

At a meeting at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church on Saturday, church leaders agreed plans to help the most vulnerable Dale Farm residents should an eviction go ahead.

And the Children’s Commissioner has asked Basildon Council for details of its eviction plan.

Specifically, the commissioner wants to know what would be done to avoid trauma to the 150 children who live at Dale Farm and where they would live.
source - Echo News

[legalRomany]

Wednesday, 04, Mar 2009 12:00
John Baron MP has challenged Communities Minister Sadiq Khan MP in the House of Commons to support his call for travellers at the Dale Farm site to move on peacefully now their legal battle is drawing to a close. John hopes that a forced eviction and the sorrow it will bring can still be avoided. He also asked the Minister to help to identify transit sites which would enable the travellers to move on quickly without being left on the roadside.
John asked:
“Some travellers at Dale Farm are reported to be preparing to resist an eviction, despite having exhausted all their arguments in court. No one wants to see a forced eviction and the sorrow that that would bring, so will the Government do what they can to persuade travellers to move on peacefully? To this end, will the Government help to identify transit sites, so that families are not made completely homeless?”
In reply the Minister sidestepped the issue of help with transit sites, suggesting that this is a matter for the local authority. He pointed out that the travellers have been allowed to appeal to the House of Lords.
Afterwards, John said:
“No one wants to see a forced eviction which is why I have already written to the Government, the travellers, Basildon Council and to local community leaders urging them to use their influence to persuade the travellers to leave. Today, the Government confirmed it is not interested in avoiding an eviction.”
“The Government will not even help to find transit sites outside the District to help ensure travellers move off and will not be homeless. Having helped create this problem, it is shameful the Government will not now help to resolve it.”

source - Politics UK

[legalRomany]

Update

Council leader says at least two months before law lords decide over case

2:07pm Tuesday 17th March 2009
By Jon Austin »

COUNCIL chiefs have admitted it could take three months or longer before law lords decide if they will hear appeals by ilegally-camped travellers.

Lawyers acting for 86 families at Dale Farm, Crays Hill, and around 15 at Hovefields, Wickford, today applied to the House of Lords to hear their case against forcible eviction by Basildon Council.

The case, funded by Legal Aid, centres around human rights issues and the rights or wrongs of evictions.

Council leader Malcolm Buckley said it was unlikely any evictions will take place ahead of the law lords decision.

He said: “We are checking if there are any plots at Hovefields which are not involved in the proceedings, and if not theoretically those could be evicted. In terms of the others there is no point serving the 28-day notices until we know the outcome.

Mr Buckley said: “We hope the law lords take the common sense approach that three judges have already thrown this out and refuse to hear it.

However, it could take two to three months to decide if the case will be heard and longer if it goes beyond the summer recess. If they do agree to hear the case, it could be another two-year delay before it is heard.”

Grattan Puxon, speaking for the travellers, said: “We are hopeful this application will lead to a further appeal and eventually a common sense solution for Dale Farm.”
source Basildon Recorder

[yvonneyewbow]

I wrote on the petition For Dale farm, and wrote a e-mail to Macolm Buckley.
:D if it is any encouragement to you :P

[legalRomany]

Woooooooop Woooooooooooooop

every little action helps :D :D :D

[legalRomany]

another report on same issue.

THE mass eviction planned at Crays Hill traveller camp will not take place until at least the summer.

Council chiefs have said it will take around three months before the law lords will decide if they will hear appeals by travellers.

Lawyers acting for 86 families at Dale Farm and around 15 at Hovefields yesterday applied to the House of Lords to hear their case against the eviction planned by Basildon Council.

The case, funded by Legal Aid, centres around human rights issues and the rights or wrongs of evictions.

Council leader Malcolm Buckley said: “We are checking if there are any plots at Hovefields which are not involved in the proceedings, and if not theoretically those could be evicted.

“There is no point serving the 28-day notices until we know the outcome. We hope the law lords take the common sense approach that three judges have already thrown this out and refuse to hear it.

“However, it could take two to three months to decide if the case will be heard and longer if it goes beyond the summer recess. If they do agree to hear the case, it could be another two-year delay before it is heard.”

Grattan Puxon, speaking for the travellers, said: “We are hopeful this application will lead to a further appeal and eventually a common sense solution for Dale Farm.”source Echo

[legalRomany]

Update


MP backs probe into cost of building Dale Farm travellers' site

3:10pm Friday 20th March 2009


By Jon Austin »

AN MP has backed calls for a probe into the cost of building Dale Farm travellers’ camp.

Ramsden Crays Parish Council heard reports between £1.6million and £5.5million had allegedly been spent developing the camp, in Crays Hill.

This includes paying for mobile homes, acres of asphalt, brick walls, bungalows and wrought iron gates.

The bulk of the camp’s residents are also believed to receive benefits and have been granted legal aid to fight eviction.

Resident Mike Beiley asked the parish council’s position after learning Billericay MP John Baron was critical of the Legal Services Commission’s approval of legal aid.

Concern about the financing of illegal sites increased following Echo exposes of an illicit furniture trade at Dale Farm, links to cigarette smuggling and revelations the McCann family, from the Hovefields camp, in Wickford, bought a £230,000 house while on legal aid.

Parish councillor Roy Reeve said: “Most residents have no visible income.

“As we know, there are few men on site. Most of the women are on benefits. Where do these vast sums of money come from?

“If you or I had £1million, customs officials would want to know where it came from.”

Mr Reeve said the parish council needs to write to the Legal Services Commission plus, police, HM Customs, Basildon Council, Mr Baron, Basildon MP Angela Smith and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to demand investigations.

Mr Baron, who was not at the meeting, said: “I support any initiative which can shed light on these issues.

“I have written to the commission questioning this grant, and also questioning whether it has done its due diligence in ensuring whether these travellers are entitled to legal aid, particularly after the Catherine McCann case at Hovefields.”

Basildon district councillor John Dornan called for a joint inquiry into the funding of the site in 2006.

He added: “Nothing has happened since to change my view. In light of recent revelations, it is needed more so now.”
source - Echo UK

[yvonneyewbow]

nais tuke, you made me laugh thanks Legal Romany oh God bless :D

[legalRomany]

Traveller evictions may start before Lords appeal ruling

8:30am Friday 10th April 2009
Comments (8) Have your say »

By Jon Austin »

TRAVELLERS’ bid to appeal to the House of Lords may not stop Basildon Council starting action to evict some of them.

A Lords committee is expected in June to rule whether the Lords can hear the travellers’ appeal against evictions from the Dale Farm, Crays Hill and Hovefields, Wickford.

Until then there is nothing legally to stop the council taking action, though officials are taking a cautious approach.

However, the Echo has learned five plots at Hovefields, Wickford, are not subject to any appeal – making their early removal more likely.

Crays Hill villager Len Gridley, 49, has endured eight years living next to Dale Farm and wants to see the council acting.

He said: “The council should be ready to go. If it waits for the Lords, there will probably be another hearing and a two-year wait.”

Tony Ball, deputy council leader, confirmed preparations were under way to bring in the bailiffs.

EU law means because the Dale Farm evictions will be expensive, the contract must be advertised across Europe, a process which will take at least three months.

However, the Echo understands a smaller eviction at Hovefields might be possible without such a long-winded process.

Mr Ball would not rule this out, but declined to comment further. On Dale Farm, he said the council had decided to wait for a Law Lords decision.

He explained: “The advice from barristers is evicting now would be looked upon very badly by the House of Lords.

“If it then decided to hear the case, it could leave us open to being sued or the travellers being allowed to return. This is a test case about human rights.”

He said the Equality and Human Rights Commission had also made it clear it would not be happy with an eviction before the decision.

He added: “We are aware of the statutory powers the commission also holds.”

Grattan Puxon, travellers’ campaigner, said: “There is an agreement between the lawyers of no action before we know if the case will be heard.

“I would like to think no individual plots would be targeted in the meantime.”

source Echo News

[legalRomany]

Basildon council have admitted that despite wasting hundreds of thousands of pounds evicting Travelling families at Dale Farm, it will eventually have to provide new pitches in the area anyway. SO WHY BOTHER WITH THE EVICTIONS?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Council will provide more traveller sites

By Jon Austin »

BASILDON Council leader Malcolm Buckley has admitted the district will eventually have to provide more traveller pitches.

The council is currently resisting Government recommendations for it to identify land for 62 more legal pitches by 2011, on top of the 106 already in the district.

As part of an ongoing public consultation it argues neighbouring authorities with few or no pitches should provide more.

Mr Buckley says the authority will even take legal action if it is forced to provide the 62 pitches.

However, he has conceded to the Echo there will come a time when Basildon will need to provide a small amount of new pitches to cater for “natural growth” among the traveller community.

He said: “As part of planning for new housing provision, we also have to take into account future gipsy and traveller site provision.

“There are of course many families in the district living on legal sites and there will come a time when we will have to provide more provision to allow for natural growth.”

Mr Buckley said the admission did not mean there was any chance of either of the controversial illegal sites at Dale Farm, Crays Hill, or Hovefields, Wickford, being allowed to stay put.

He said: “This is nothing to do with illegal sites. These have been through the full planning process and been found to be inappropriate development.

“When we are able to, they will be cleared.”

He said the council would be prepared to compromise if the level of site provision required by the Government was significantly reduced.

But Mr Buckley would not say by how much amount would need to fall for this to happen.

He added: “It would need to drop considerably, with other districts making up the numbers.”
source Echo News

[yvonneyewbow]

I don't get what Mr buckley is doing, seems topsy turvy, and rather pointless.
:blink: May he be removed from power.

[legalRomany]

Row over plots for travelling showpeople

9:00am Thursday 23rd April 2009


BASILDON could be forced to bear the brunt of new pitches for “travelling showpeople” in Essex...on top of 62 extra caravan plots for travellers.

It has emerged the county will have to find 103 caravan pitches by 2011 for travelling showpeople who run fairgrounds and circuses.

This is on top of about 430 pitches the county needs to find for gipsies and travellers, including 30 temporary plots.

Members of Basildon Council’s cabinet voted against creating 62 new traveller pitches because they already have 112, while some neighbours have none.

Yet they heard the district would also bear the brunt for new showmen’s quarters, despite having ten plots more than most in Essex.

The latest cabinet report said: “While the policy refers to all parts of the region providing additional plots, it makes clear those areas where there is strong presence of travelling showpeople yards should bear the brunt of new provision. As there is already a relatively high number of travelling showpeople plots in Basildon, inevitably it will be looked to provide a significant number of further plots.”

Councillors also voted against this regional policy, claiming other authorities must provide.

They described plans to overburden Basildon as “unacceptable, irrational and undeliverable”.

The meeting condemned the “flaws” in the way figures were calculated including a “fictional” local need based on the amount of unauthorised sites. They said the fact many of the travellers at Dale Farm, Crays Hill, came to Basildon from other sites in Hertfordshire and council homes in Wolverhampton, as revealed by the Echo in 2006, meant the need was exaggerated.

Tony Ball, the council’s deputy leader, said: “We accept the need to accommodate some growth on the authorised sites, but while we have planning law and the confidence of the majority of our residents on our side we will not accept unauthorised plots.”source Basildon Echo

[legalRomany]

The United nations are now supporting Dale Farm! :D :D :D :D

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UN group calls for halt to traveller evictions at Dale Farm

9:00am Tuesday 28th April 2009
Comments (5) Have your say »


A United Nations committee is expected to call for Basildon Council to freeze its traveller eviction plans after representatives visited their Dale Farm camp in Crays Hill, near Wickford.

Yve Cabannes, French-born chairman of the UN Advisory Group on Forced Evictions, told residents at the unauthorised site they should not have to negotiate with the council while the threat of homelessness looms.

Mr Cabannes said his committee’s report to the Government would include a recommendation for a moratorium on evictions.

He argued the UK had signed international covenants pledging that nobody should be removed from their homes against their will.

Mr Cabannes, a professor of architecture at University College London, went on to commend residents for their resistance to eviction and said Dale Farm was an example to travellers across Europe in their long fight against discrimination.

Dale Farm spokesman Richard Sheridan said he expected UN advisory group members to be present should an eviction operation be launched.

A meeting will take place next month at Westminster to finalise plans for human rights monitors to oversee an eviction, including Lib Dem peer Lord Avebury.


source Echo News

[legalRomany]

UN Mission backs Dale Farm 30. 4. 2009
A UN mission will call shortly for a freeze on plans by Basildon District Council to bulldoze Britain’s largest Gypsy community.

Yves Cabannes, the French-born chair of the UN Advisory Group on Forced Evictions, who led a mission to Dale Farm this week (23 April) told residents
they should not have to negotiate with the council while under threat.

After listening to mothers plead for the future of their children and the safety of elderly and sick relatives, Cabannes assured them that his committee’s report to the UK Government would include a recommendation for a freeze on evictions.



e said the UK had signed international covenants pledging that nobody should be removed from their homes against their will.
“We have heard you say you want to stay where you are,” said Cabannes, who holds a professorship at University College London. “We support you in that.”

He went on to commend residents for their resistance to eviction and said that Dale Farm was giving an example to Roma across Europe in their long fight against anti-Gypsy racism.

Richard Sheridan, president of the Gypsy Council, said afterwards that he expected UN Mission members to be present should an eviction operation be launched at a later date. A meeting would be taking place on 14 at Westminster to brief and finalise the plans of eviction monitors, who include Lord Avebury.

Meanwhile Essex police and fire services are investigating a suspected arson attack on Dale Farm which took place during Sunday night (18 April). At about 10.30 pm the emergency services were called to a blaze which destroyed a bungalow
belonging to Sam Vinden, one of the older Romani residents at Oak Lane.

source Dzeno Association.