1. Report by members of the All Party Parliamentary Group
for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers
Visit to Dale Farm Travellers site: A year on from the
eviction
September 2012
Introduction
On 7th September Lord Avebury and Andy Slaughter MP, both members of the All Party
Parliamentary Group for Gypsies, Roma and Traveller’s, and Jane Connolly from the Irish
Embassy1 visited the evicted residents of Dale Farm who continue to live on the entrance
road to the unauthorised site. The visit was organised by the Irish Traveller Movement in
Britain and attended by the British Red Cross and volunteers working closely with the
Travellers. The visiting delegation would like to thank the Travellers for their kind
hospitality on the day.
The objective of the visit was to establish how the situation at Dale Farm has developed
since last year’s eviction and to explore peaceful and sustainable solutions to the issue.
The visit was carried out in the context of Dale Farm being a national issue which brings to
light the severe shortage of Gypsy and Traveller sites across the country and the
discrimination these communities face in accessing appropriate accommodation.
Background
Following last year’s £7M eviction2, many of the families made homeless from the land
they owned or rented at Dale Farm returned to the area and have, for the last year, been
living either on the side of the privately owned road leading into Dale Farm, or on the
1
The Irish Embassy is not included as a party to this report’s conclusions and recommendations. It’s role in
the delegation was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing the Irish Traveller Community in the
UK and observe some of the work ITMB are involved in.
2
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/9510408.Dale_Farm_eviction_cost___7million/
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2. authorised site at Oak Lane, which is adjacent to Dale Farm. Numbers of caravans vary,
but typically there are between 20-30 caravans on the road into Dale Farm.
During the visit the Dale Farm Travellers made two key points regarding their
circumstances: Firstly, if they had anywhere else to go, they wouldn’t continue to live
in such poor conditions, and secondly that the vast majority of Travellers living on
Oak lane or temporarily on authorised pitches are the original residents of the
evicted site (contrary to claims by Basildon that the Travellers temporarily living on Dale
Farm have moved in from outside the Borough and were never resident on the site).
Meanwhile concern has been expressed by the British Red Cross regarding the health of
Travellers as a result of their continued poor living conditions and the major excavation
works on the nearby evicted site. The Environment Agency has also recently conducted
tests on the site for asbestos and hydro-carbons, both pollutants which are dangerous to
public health. It should be noted that the Irish Traveller Movement in Britain (ITMB) have
submitted a planning application for 15 permanent residential pitches on vacant non-Green
Belt land owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) at Gardiners Way in
Basildon.
The visit and issues arising
Lord Avebury, Andy Slaughter MP and Jane Connolly spent over an hour talking to the
Dale Farm Travellers on issues ranging from health, services, further enforcement, future
accommodation, education and children. Serious concerns were expressed by Travellers
in all these areas as outlined below. The group also took a tour of the unauthorised section
of the site where Basildon has carried out extensive works to restore it to the green belt.
Lord Avebury talking to Dale Farm Travellers about conditions on the site
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3. Health
Residents expressed serious concern about the health and wellbeing of Travellers living
on the entrance road and temporarily on the authorised pitches. Of particular concern was
the fact that midwife visits to women living on the site were suspended for approximately 8
months, with women who had given birth by caesarean section (who are generally
discharged from hospital 2 days following the operation) being refused visits and expected
to make their way to the hospital for care.It was only following complaints from various
individuals and organisations that these services were restored. However, during the visit
some residents and volunteers indicated that health visitors were still reluctant or not
willing to visit the site and that provision of such services may not be in line with standard
provision to other communities. One resident made this comment:
“Midwives and health visitors don’t come here since the eviction; we have to go to
Billericay for ante-natal care. Three women are pregnant on the roadside, two on the
settled site”.
Volunteers on the site and the British Red Cross updated the group that as of May 2012 a
Health Bus has been conducting weekly visits and offers baby-weighing, health advice etc.
However, it was emphasised that this was no substitute to standard domiciliary services
and mid-wife ante and post-natal home visits.
The delegation found that many of the residents are highly vulnerable and have serious
conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, Dementia, Osteoporosis, Chron’s Disease, Bowel
Cancer, Down Syndrome etc. Below are some of the health conditions residents described
to Lord Avebury (personal details have been removed):
Male 24, severely disabled after a car accident and 30 operations for broken bones.
Female 65, has dementia. Daughter is her full-time carer and has high blood pressure
herself.
Male 81, oldest resident, COPD, gout, high blood pressure, was a smoker and uses a
breathing machine at night. He has no carer.
Female 76, dementia, stroke, over-active thyroid, needs to go twice a week to health
centre at Billericay.
Female 76, Parkinson’s, used to be visited by district nurse, but that stopped after the
eviction. Daughter Margaret Quilligan, her carer, has thyroid problem for which she is
treated with 275mg thyroxine daily.
Female 36, children 14, 15, has Crohn’s disease for which she had surgery last year, and
is taking medication. [Note: there is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but symptoms can
sometimes be alleviated].
Female 72, COPD, uses breathing machine, also osteoporosis. Daughter is carer.
Male 7, has Down’s syndrome who attends Pioneer special needs school in Basildon
where he is doing well. He has a problem with his hearing and also with breathing for
which he needs to attend Wickford Health Centre and Basildon Hospital regularly.
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4. “I don’t drive, so I need the help of my community. When Basildon evicted us they didn’t
assess special needs. If we get evicted, where do we go? Everybody helps each other
here, but if we’re separated we can’t do that”.
Female, looks after her brain-damaged son, 32. Partner (Male) has had 2 heart attacks,
suffered stroke 2 days after the eviction. “We have nowhere to go with all our problems”.
Female 60, high blood pressure, stroke victim, being treated at Wickford Health Centre,
which she says is good. “I can’t drive, so I depend on the neighbours for shopping and
visits to the doctor”
Male 80, Angina, bowel cancer, scan awaited for prostate cancer. Lives with daughter and
her three children. She suffers from depression and two of the children are deaf, one
profoundly.
Female fractured spine caused by police attack with batons during the eviction, caught on
video. They shouted at her ‘Get down you pig’ when she tried to stop them knocking down
a wall on a legal site. Police have admitted responsibility, her solicitors have made a claim
for damages.
It should be noted that the British Red Cross have expressed concern regarding the health
of Travellers as a result of their long-term poor living conditions and the works carried out
on the nearby evicted site.
Services
The delegation found conditions to be very poor on site, largely due to the lack of services.
There are no toilets. Fresh water is only available from taps on the authorised site and
residents complain about the number of rats. Residents also made the point that if they
had anywhere else to go, they wouldn’t be living in such poor conditions. It was noted that
the community returning to the site reflects the chronic shortage of accommodation for
Gypsies and Travellers throughout Essex and nationally. It also reflects the increasing
impossibility of living on the side of the road (because of the risk of repeated evictions,
abuse, assault etc). During the visit residents repeatedly expressed their worries about
spending yet another winter living in such precarious conditions. Below are some of the
concerns residents described to Lord Avebury:
“Conditions are terrible. No toilets, no electric. Water has to be fetched in jugs. Nearest
laundrette is 3 miles away”
“Biggest problem is the toddlers – 12 aged 1-2 out of some 60 children up to the age of 16
on the site. About 20-25 from the illegal site attend primary school, none go to secondary
school”.
“There has been a recent outbreak of vomiting and diarrahoea. Fifteen children have been
to the doctor in Wickford or Billericay”.
“You can have a shower at the ‘sporting village’ in Basildon, at £3.50 for an adult, £2.70 for
a child”.
Resident on lawful site: Overflow from drains broken by Council in his garden.
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5. Environment Agency and British Red Cross
Between 14th and 16th August the Environment Agency were on the evicted site at Dale
Farm testing for pollutants, particularly asbestos and hydro-carbons. The fact that they
have taken this action suggests they are convinced there is a significant risk that harmful
pollutants could exist. If they are found the responsible parties (potentially Basildon
Council and their bailiffs) could be liable for the costs of carrying out the testing and of
possibly capping the site. The EA’s test results are not expected until mid-to-late
September.3
Meanwhile an independent assessment carried out by the British Red Cross in February
2012 expressed concern regarding the health of Travellers on the site as a result of the
major excavation works and the shortage of adequate sanitation (see Appendix A). During
the 7th September visit members of the Red Cross again stated their continued concerns
regarding the physical and mental health of the Travellers, lack of sanitation and the
possible health threats posed by the evicted site.
Dale Farm volunteer showing Andy Slaughter MP excavation works carried out on the evicted site
in order to restore it to green belt
Enforcement notices
In July 2012 Basildon Council served enforcement notices on residents living on the
entrance road to Dale Farm, but not on the allegedly overcrowded authorised plots. These
notices were appealed by the Travellers, however, the Planning Inspectorate deemed the
appeals invalid as the appellants could not prove they ‘had any interest whatsoever in the
land the subject of the issued Enforcement Notice.’4 As a result the notice came into effect
3
http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Environment-Agency-inquiry-Dale-Farm-asbestos/story-16669787-
detail/story.html
4 th
Letter from Basildon Council dated 7 September 2012, Neil Costen, Manager of Planning Enforcement
(see Appendix A0
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6. on the 29th August 2012 and according to Basildon its requirements must be complied with
by the 29th September 2012 (see Appendix B).
Planning application Gardiners Way Basildon
In media interviews Cllr Tony Ball, Leader of Basildon, has acknowledged the need for
further provision of Gypsy and Traveller sites in Borough.
On 21st August the ITMB submitted a planning application for 15 permanent residential
pitches on vacant non-Green Belt land owned by the Homes and Communities Agency
(HCA) at Gardiners Way in Basildon. This application was validated by Basildon on the 4 th
September and should be determined within 8-13 weeks, after which time the applicant
may have the right to appeal against non-determination on the grounds of invalidity.
The objective of the application is to deliver a high quality authorised site for the most
vulnerable on Dale Farm (the 15 proposed pitches will address approximately half the
accommodation needs of the homeless Travellers on Dale Farm). The plans for the site
also include a children’s play area and a community building / site manager’s office (see
Appendix C).
ITMB together with Homes Space Sustainable Accommodation5 (who are a partly Gypsy
owned not-for-profit business with expertise in site management and development) will
shortly be submitting a bid for funding to the Homes and Communities Agency for funds to
develop the Gardiners Way site.
Meeting with Dale Farm Travellers, Matthew Brindley ITMB, Josie O’Driscoll ITMB (standing)
and Jane Connolly from the Irish Embassy (seated in front of Josie)
5
http://www.homespacesa.co.uk/Home.html
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7. Conclusion
Basildon Council will note that under the Government’s Planning Policy for Traveller Sites
and National Planning Policy Framework, they have a duty to develop a core strategy
which includes a five-year rolling land supply for Gypsy and Traveller sites that will cover
the needs of the community in the area, including those displaced from Dale Farm, by
March 31, 2013. It should also be noted that the 2009 Essex Gypsy and Traveller
Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTANA) carried out by Fordham Research
highlighted on behalf of the Council found that Basildon had a requirement to provide a
minimum of 81 additional residential pitches by 2011.
If Basildon’s core strategy is not in place, the Council may not be able to resist planning
applications on land they may consider unsuitable.
None of the children of secondary school age in unauthorised families is attending
secondary school, and the Council is in default of its obligation to satisfy itself that these
children are receiving suitable education, through the Education Welfare Service.
Recommendations
 The PCT and the local authority should immediately conduct assessments of the
health and welfare needs of the residents, to ensure that they are carrying out their
statutory duties to vulnerable groupings including the chronically ill, the disabled,
plder residents, mothers and babies and children.
 Basildon should refrain from carrying out further evictions of the residents on Oak
Lane when it is patently evident that they have nowhere else to go.
 The Gardiner’s Way planning application should be granted, providing there are no
objections based on sound reasoning and robust evidence. The immediate welfare
of the Travellers living at Dale Farm should be taken into serious consideration in all
future planning decisions made by BBC.
 The office of the Children’s Commissioner should visit Dale Farm, and make
relevant representation to the Council Leader and CEO of BBC regarding the
current serious risks to the health and welfare of babies and young children living in
Oak Lane.
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8. Appendix A
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9. 9

10. 10

11. Appendix B
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12. 12

13. Appendix C
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