Why is there still no Traveller’s Transit Site in Warrington?

£2m has been ring-fenced in the Council budget to provide a Traveller's Transit Site. So why has Warrington still not got one?

Warrington Borough Council has not addressed the lack of a Traveller's Transit Site since I was elected in 2016. This lack of political will to do the right thing means that this Labour-led Council has consistently dodged its promises and obligations both to the settled community in Warrington and to the travelling community. It has been a constant problem and during lockdown we have seen an increase in unlawful traveller encampments throughout the town.

Every time there is an illegal encampment in the town a huge amount of police and council resources are put into moving travellers on. What a waste of time and effort when the situation could be easily resolved if Warrington had a permanent Transit Site. This would safeguard the human rights of travellers enabling them to have access to water and electricity that they would pay for, as well as access to medical services. It would also enable authorities to move them on quickly and effectively.

A Task Group to identify appropriate sites was formed in 2016. This group assessed many sites throughout Warrington but none of them was deemed deliverable for a number of reasons. In 2019 the Warrington Guardian ascertained, through a Freedom of Information request, that more than £72,000 had already been spent on this process.

By continuing to push this sensitive issue into the long-grass, could it be that the Labour majority is afraid of losing seats at the forthcoming election if the Transit site ends up in one of their held wards? Traveller's Transit Sites are generally well managed, close to motorways and do not cause any problems for local settled communities. Could it be that political expediency comes before doing the right thing?

In 2019 Cllr Russ Bowden, Leader of the Council as well as leader of the Task Group, stated that he was "not prepared to cut corners - residents expect us to do the job properly." It seems that on this issue he is content to go around in circles and do nothing. This is not only disappointing but unacceptable.

Sharon Harris is a Liberal Democrat Warrington Borough Councillor for Appleton ward and Walton Parish Councillor