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“My grandchildren would be across the road from the site and I would be worried. Why not have a swimming pool there or build some houses that local people can afford?” Cathy Bell, Ashton Drive
Cathy Bell
TheChronicle June 20, 2008
“There would be devastation. The way of life would change completely.” Evelyn Whitehead, Ship Street
“I have just had a baby and our family is going to be too big for the house soon. Now I won’t be able to sell my house until this is all over, and if a site is put there I won’t be able to sell it at all. It may be a controlled site but what if you get a bad element – there will be nothing we can do.” Christine Williamson, Ship Street
N E W S S P E C I A LN TE RWASV E L L E R S ’ S I T E
Pamela Brooks, Thelma Whorton, Nancy Hind and Jean Spooner
“It shouldn’t be where pensioners or children are. Are they going to police it?” Pamela Brooks, Ship Street
“I live alone and I’ll be frightened.” Nancy Hind, 82, of Ship Street
RESIDENTS of Ship Street and neighbouring roads have reacted angrily to news their area could host a permanent Travellers site.
Frodsham town councillor Frank Pennington has started a petition against the idea and this week gathered concerned people outside Weaver Vale Primary School to give their views on the idea. He said: “I now plan to speak to the landowners about what is planned. “We have got one caravan site on Marsh Lane that has grown and grown and I am concerned this would happen here too. “A petition is going in shops and businesses around Frodsham and I will pass this on to Vale Royal Borough Council. They have got to know how strongly people feel about this.” Other residents aired their views. Ann Keable, of Ship Street, said: “Has the council thought about the perception people will have of Frodsham as they drive
By Rebecca Edwards and Clare Moll down the M56 and see a camp there? At the moment it looks like a lovely place, people won’t want to come here if there is a big site next to the road.” Anita Ireland said: “We tried to calm the traffic down in this area but a site would cause mayhem. “The problem with Frodsham is that this side of the A56 is classed as the deprived area, anything bad gets put on this side of the road.” Joanne Stubbs, of Ashton Drive, said: “If it happens I will take my children out of Weaver Vale Primary School.” ■ A public meeting will take place at Weaver Vale Primary School next Wednesday, June 25, at 7pm for anyone who wants more information.
CONTROVERSIAL: The site off Ship Street, Frodsham.
Travellers site in Ship Street, Frodsham in the forthcoming public consultation, they could be barred from future council votes on the issue. But they say they will promote a full, transparent consultation and encourage residents to have their say. Cllr Dawson explained this week: “I will promote and support the con-
Duo aim to help others BOROUGH councillors are gagged from giving their views on a proposed Travellers site – but they say it won’t stop them helping others make their voice heard. If Vale Royal Borough Cllrs Brian Lloyd and Andrew Dawson express views for or against proposals to put a
and play area in Ship Street, Frodsham – one of four sites identified in Vale Royal – is about as unsuitable as can be imagined. The Chronicle calls on the borough council to make a quick decision to delete the Frodsham site from their list to head off an explosive collision between the travelling and existing communities.
CHRONICLE COMMENT Gypsies and Travellers are rarely welcomed with open arms by communities appalled at the unpleasant chaos often left behind the temporary and illegal occupation of land. No doubt the lack of official, permanent, well-run sites with good amenities contributes to the problem. But a parcel of land alongside a primary school
tell us your views
what do you think of the plans for a travellers’ site on Ship Lane? see page 2 for details of how to make your voice heard
TheChronicle June 20, 2008
time I heard about it was when I received the council papers last week.” He added: “It is important for people to remember Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are ethnic minorities, this is an emotive issue and in today’s world you could end up in court for saying the wrong thing.”
Landowners’ shock at plans
LANDOWNERS did not know Vale Royal Borough Council had picked their two fields as a potential site for Travellers until reading about it in last week’s Chronicle. A total of 10 acres between Weaver Vale Primary School, the M56 and Wayford Mews have been earmarked for the site, subject to public consultation. The field adjacent to Weaver Vale Primary School is owned by siblings David Woolley, Catriona Cheetham and Ewart Woolley and is rented out and used for crops. The next field, which borders Wayford Mews, is owned by Brian Quarterman, who lives in the next street. He said: “I want people to know that I haven’t had anything to do with it and I don’t want to sell my land – my dad only signed it over to me eight months ago. We were thinking of using it as a garden centre.” Catriona Cheetham inherited the land with her brothers from her father Graham Woolley, who farmed in the area. She said: “We are very shocked that there has been no discussion with us.”
Brian Quarterman
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to solve the problem of unlawful camps they have to have somewhere where Gypsies and Travellers can live and I applaud them for it.” Ms Janes added that people should not jump to stereotypes of a Travellers’ site being based in their area. She said: “There is a negative perception but often it is based on second-hand information or stories in the media. “There are issues and bad behaviour within every community, but we don’t tarnish everyone with the same brush. “What people don’t realise is that Gypsies and Travellers don’t want bad elements living nearby either – they want people to be punished just as you or I would want someone in our community punished for criminal behaviour.”
‘Travellers have to live somewhere’
WITHOUT a permanent site for the travelling community, unlawful sites will always be an issue, says Shantele Janes of Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Racial Equality Council. She said: “If you have got unlawful encampments in the area people complain about it. The idea of having a permanent site for people is that they have a home there, they pay rent for that pitch, they send their children to school, they access health care and pay Council Tax like everyone else. “Vale Royal has realised that if they are going
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“I live right opposite the site and have been here for 20 years. Everything would be affected by this – we would have no security, no privacy, nothing.” Jill Mainwaring, Ship Street
N E W S S P E C I A LN TE RWASV E L L E R S ’ S I T E
“Whether it happens or not, nobody will be able to sell their Georgina Swift with houses for children Leah and Nicole the next two Hughes, aged years six and seven, because who Christine Williamson wants to buy and Jill a house Mainwaring where this “They were planning to build a could swimming pool on there years ago. happen?” Why not spend the money on that?” Andrea Ellison, Georgina Swift, Clifton Close Frodsham
sultation process as it is important everyone’s view is taken into account. “I cannot say whether I support or do not support the issue because if I do I might lose my chance to help make the decision.” Cllr Brian Lloyd added: “I want to make it clear that I had nothing to do with this decision until now, the only
have say on proposal
‘We’ve got to make our voices heard’ The story so far… nt ■ Vale Royal Borough Council has identified a need for 17-23 permane for pitches for Travellers and Gypsies in the borough plus four pitches travelling show people. ■ Four sites have been earmarked by outside consultants as being m; potentially suitable for a permanent site. They are Ship Street, Frodsha New Road, Winsford; Bradford Road, Winsford; and Chester Road, Sandiway. to ■ Last Thursday the executive group of Vale Royal councillors voted hold a public consultation to decide which site to use.
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