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Dale Farm fate to be announced on Friday
3:11pm Wednesday 7th May 2008
Comments (30)THE fate of Europe's biggest illegal traveller site will be revealed on Friday.
High Court judge Mr Justice Andrew Collins will announce his long-awaited ruling over the evictions of hundreds of travellers from Dale Farm, Crays Hill and Hovefields, Wickford.
It is believed the court delayed the decision until after this month's local elections.
Meanwhile, the Rt Rev Thomas McMahon, bishop of Brentwood, and Rt Rev John Gladwin, the Bishop of Chelmsford are expected to visit the unauthorised "St Christopher's" community centre at Dale Farm also on Friday.
Father John Glenn, of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, London Road, Wickford, blessed the building, which doubles up as a chapel, at Saturday's opening attended by the Equality and Human Rights Comm- ission.
The row over why a £12,000 Government grant was released by Essex County Council for the project continues to escalate.
Danny Nandanwar, Bas- ildon Labour councillor, is a trustee of Essex Racial Equality Council, which sponsored the project, yet was not informed of it.
Mr Nandanwar said: "I am concerned with strategy rather than the day-to-day running, but they are aware I am on the planning committee and should have alerted me. I would have advised them to try to get permission or look at alternatives."
John Dornan, Tory councillor, who lives in Oak Avenue, Crays Hill, has health and safety concerns.
He said: "In aerial pictures there was a small caravan wedged between the building and another caravan with a gas bottle. After the fire at the site, you have to be concerned for the safety of any children using the centre."
Your Say YourEcho
jj griggs, thundersley says...
6:03pm Wed 7 May 08
If the powers that be do allow the irish to stay at dale farm and reward them with retrospective planning , then this is a sad time for the english countryside.
What they will be saying is , there are no greenbelt laws just build whatever you desire and plead human rights.
This will set a very dangerous precedent for the whole of the country.
No person who lives next to or near open countryside will be able to live in peace without fear of this same situation happening to them.
I actually own a large plot of land in rayleigh and i was thinking of selling it, but i wont now as it will be a lot more profitable to me to plot it up and sell it on like that, which i intend to do after fridays decision.
The council can take me to court and i will employ the same solicitors as the irish.I will do it over a bank holiday weekend like they did in tessa jowells neighbourhood.
Kim Gandy, Rayleigh says...
7:04pm Wed 7 May 08
JJ if you are not an Irish traveller, or any other kind of minority, it won't work mate.
Believe me. You will be subject to the full rigours of the law, PARTICULARLY if you are English.
Be warned. I'm deadly serious.
However, if you are into a bit of people trafficking, growing cannabis in poly tunnels or regenerating the slave trade, you should be OK.
jj griggs, thundersley says...
7:52pm Wed 7 May 08
evilc, essex says...
9:09pm Wed 7 May 08
OUTRAGED, Pitsea says...
9:11pm Wed 7 May 08
knobby, billericay says...
11:07pm Wed 7 May 08
Vange, Vange says...
11:51pm Wed 7 May 08
Lisa Jensen, Southend says...
6:21am Thu 8 May 08
Good luck to you all, everyone deserves a roof over there heads!
Andrew, Shoeburyness says...
6:56am Thu 8 May 08
Lisa Jensen wrote:Well if they are evicted maybe you'll offer up your back garden for them to park up in.
Bunch of sodding bigots.
Good luck to you all, everyone deserves a roof over there heads!
You can even cut out the taxman and benefits office and just give them all your money. Then you can watch them laugh all the way back to their homes in Rathkeale, County Limerick, Eire.
jj griggs, thundersley says...
7:57am Thu 8 May 08
Lisa Jensen wrote:They have roofs over their heads in rathkeale you gullible fool of a person.
Bunch of sodding bigots. Good luck to you all, everyone deserves a roof over there heads!
And as for bigots you stupid tart you dont know what your talking about.
Sherry, says...
8:55am Thu 8 May 08
Lisa Jensen wrote:Good luck?, i'm sorry but i don't understand you Lisa, why do you wish them luck, they certainly don't need it. Wish your luck on people who have genuinely lost their homes that are living in bedsits, those that can't keep up the mortgage re-payments because of crippling costs of everyday living. This lot at Dale farm will always be alright, they don't need the likes of you to fight their corner.
Bunch of sodding bigots. Good luck to you all, everyone deserves a roof over there heads!
Rob, Suffolk says...
12:02pm Thu 8 May 08
I know people at Dale Farm, some of them are a bit rough around the edges but generally theyre good people trying to get by like anyone else.
They bought that ex-scrap yard because Michael Howard told them theyd be able to settle it when he took away their caravan sites its hardly their fault that he lied, and if they get permission now, it'll be justice.
Dave, Essex says...
12:22pm Thu 8 May 08
MRS CY NICLE, Crays Hill but WORKING in London says...
12:37pm Thu 8 May 08
Lisa Jensen wrote:Lisa - are you mad or just plain stupid?
Bunch of sodding bigots. Good luck to you all, everyone deserves a roof over there heads!
Rob, Ipswich says...
1:38pm Thu 8 May 08
I'd also like to know the definition of 'illegal' here, given that it's under judicial review?
Not only do they own the land, they have tried to pay their taxes, despite not getting any council services - they had their cheques returned to them. And a friendly warning - accusing them of tax avoidance without evidence is libellous.
NB// Also, why should travellers be denied benfits when settled people aren't? Would you prefer they starve?
Rob, Ipswich says...
1:41pm Thu 8 May 08
I'd also like to know the definition of 'illegal' here, given that it's under judicial review?
Not only do they own the land, they have tried to pay their taxes, despite not getting any council services - they had their cheques returned to them. And a friendly warning - accusing them of tax avoidance without evidence is libellous.
NB// Also, why should travellers be denied benfits when settled people aren't? Would you prefer they starve?
GRILLO HUNTER, says...
2:12pm Thu 8 May 08
Rob wrote:Rob, are you actually from Ipswich?
Mrs NICLE, are you actually WORKING or are you simply posting abuse on the internet? I'd also like to know the definition of 'illegal' here, given that it's under judicial review? Not only do they own the land, they have tried to pay their taxes, despite not getting any council services - they had their cheques returned to them. And a friendly warning - accusing them of tax avoidance without evidence is libellous. NB// Also, why should travellers be denied benfits when settled people aren't? Would you prefer they starve?
You sound very much like our old friend Grillo to me.
YAWN............
Rob, Ipswich says...
2:24pm Thu 8 May 08
GRILLO HUNTER, says...
2:31pm Thu 8 May 08
Rob wrote:Then you should not concern yourself as to whether people are WORKING or not.
Yes Im from Ipswich, I am as I write mere metres from the Orwell in fact. I have no idea who Grillo is. Now, rather than questioning my identity, you could more usefully tackle the points I raise
That has nothing to do with the points raised to here either...
Rob, Ipswich says...
2:52pm Thu 8 May 08
Next time though Ill try and keep it simple, just for you.
Vernon, Basildon says...
3:57pm Thu 8 May 08
Rob, they get the same council services as everyone else who pays Council Tax!
Just because they own the land, does not give them the right to develop it illegally, and perhaps you should ponder how single mothers on benefit have paid many thousands of pounds to buy these plots
Rob, Ipswich says...
4:52pm Thu 8 May 08
Its crass bigotry to talk about single mums on benefit buying those plots. If youd ever taken the time to ask, youd have found out that money for the land was raised by one of the original families after a particularly successful period of trading in antique Welsh furniture. They then split the land up into a series of plots which got passed on.
Contrary to popular myth, not everyone at Dale Farm is unemployed, many are active traders who shift goods right across Europe.
mike b, Billericay says...
4:53pm Thu 8 May 08
The Judge cannot grant planning consent.
The Judicial Review was about whether Basildon Council had fully considered all the consequences of it's decision to take direct action in response to the breach of planning law.
If Basildon's process was incorrect,they'll need to put right any defect before anything else happens.
knobby, billericay says...
7:45pm Thu 8 May 08
How about a little support for the local population that have to put up with these outcasts.
They have homes but they are here to play the system and I hope, for all our sakes, that their days are numbered.
Mind you, who would bet against Basildon Council getting it right first time.
It's been said before, their Irish Law would not let them get away with it, so they come here. Doesn't that tell you something?
Vernon, Basildon says...
8:38pm Thu 8 May 08
Rob wrote:Rob
They certainly do miss out on services, though I think they do get schooling which may be what youre talking about. Its crass bigotry to talk about single mums on benefit buying those plots. If youd ever taken the time to ask, youd have found out that money for the land was raised by one of the original families after a particularly successful period of trading in antique Welsh furniture. They then split the land up into a series of plots which got passed on. Contrary to popular myth, not everyone at Dale Farm is unemployed, many are active traders who shift goods right across Europe.
What services do they miss out on?
If you had taken the time to 'ask' you would have known that the land was split and and sold on in small plots to other travellers.Its not 'crass bigotry' to talk about single mothers on benefits buying these plots, its a fact that most of the illegal plots are occupied, supposedly, by single mothers claiming benefits.If you wish more proof, Basildon Council has a planning website where you can access all the facts.Facts that were actually given by these travellers themselves, and not the hearsay of locals or over eager journalists.
Why would you believe that anyone thinks that everyone on Dale Farm is unemployed?I don't think anyone believes that, and there lies the problem.Apart from the disproportinate amount of single mums on benefit,there is also, undoubtedly a lot of tax evasion going on, and no I don't have proof of that!Most level headed people who address traveller issues want equality.Either we say everyone has to pay income tax, or we abolish it and 'pay as you go'for health,education and everything else income tax goes to.I know what world I'd rather live in!
CaptGuvnor, Sarpend, Greater Loondon says...
9:05pm Thu 8 May 08
Lisa Jensen wrote:The main point here is if you let anyone, whether they be so called travellers or ordinary Jo Public to totally ignore the laws of the land then you're heading for disaster
Bunch of sodding bigots. Good luck to you all, everyone deserves a roof over there heads!
Some laws are daft but most are put into place for good reason and intent and every society must have some order whether you like it or not otherwise they'll be anarchy
A Resident, says...
10:09pm Thu 8 May 08
Grillo Hunter, says...
4:49am Fri 9 May 08
GRILLO HUNTER wrote:GRILLO
Rob wrote: Yes Im from Ipswich, I am as I write mere metres from the Orwell in fact. I have no idea who Grillo is. Now, rather than questioning my identity, you could more usefully tackle the points I raiseThen you should not concern yourself as to whether people are WORKING or not. That has nothing to do with the points raised to here either...
Local Man, Crays Hill says...
7:28pm Fri 9 May 08
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Judge Vicar, Residing says...
5:19pm Wed 7 May 08
You have your answer right there, folks.