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Travellers' centre could be moved to school

11:23am Monday 23rd June 2008

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A CONTROVERSIAL community centre put up at Europe's biggest illegal traveller site near Billericay may be moved to the village school.

Essex County Council is in talks about moving a log cabin, put up at Dale Farm without planning permission, to Crays Hill Primary School, where many of the camp's children go.

The unauthorised St Christopher's centre, which doubles up as an IT school and chapel, made headlines after the Echo revealed it had been funded with a £12,000 grant from the county council.

Lord Hanningfield, county council leader, who previously said he would try to get the funding back, said talks were under way with Basildon Council about a new location.

He said: "We are trying to find a suitable place where it could be given planning permission which would be acceptable to both councils.

"The school has been suggested as possibly acceptable to everyone and that would suit me."

Lord Hanningfield said new procedures had now been brought in place to prevent a reoccurrence of money being given ouyt for unautorised developemnts like the centre.

He also said the staff involved in the blunder could face disciplinary action.

Basildon Council leader Malcolm Buckley was adamant the centre could not stay at Dale Farm.

He argued there could be difficulties getting permission elsewhere, because of lack of toilet facilities, but if it goes to the school the county council would make the final decision.

Meanwhile, US human rights volunteer James Dasinger, who was living at Dale Farm and due to teach IT to secondary school children at St Christopher's, has returned to the USA and will not be returning.

Dale Farm campaigner Grattan Puxon said: "He went back to finish his MA and was due to return, but his now concentrating on a career in human rights.

"We still want to get lessons up and running and hope the Advocacy Project are sending over another volunteer, who may be a woman this time.

"There have been some technical problems with the computers, but they are in place.

"There has also been a children's painting competition held there and the women are using it for regular rosary prayer meetings."


Your Say YourEcho

undertaker, crays hill says...
1:40pm Mon 23 Jun 08

The ideal place for this building would be rathkeale in ireland.
It would fit in well with their garish dwellings which are owned by those poor homeless people at dale farm.

JuliaM, Essex says...
2:50pm Mon 23 Jun 08

He also said the staff involved in the blunder could face disciplinary action.
Only 'could'...?

DB, London says...
4:30pm Mon 23 Jun 08

quite simply a joke. Just shut the site down and send them all back to where they come from. these people are there illegally.

Steve W, Wickford says...
5:00pm Mon 23 Jun 08

it is like a boxing match round 101 WHY ARE WE PUTTING UP WITH THIS IT BEAT ME AS A RATE PAYER some have there own parking space at the school

Kim Gandy, Rayleigh says...
5:43pm Mon 23 Jun 08

1. If it is going to be moved to the school, then it should be made available to the rest of the community for IT lessons - as it has been paid for out of taxpayers' money.

2. "Staff involved in the blunder" - this little exercise was pushed through by Cllr Mardner of Greenwich Council, according to sources I spoke to at Essex CC. He was the one behind it. But nobody could tell me who signed the cheque. I wonder why.

3. I also wonder why interfering American do gooder Dasinger really has returned to the US, especially as he was so hell bent and passionate on helping these people.

Could it just be that their use of slaves on the site didn't sit comfortably with his human rights principles?

There are a lot of things I wonder about the apparent reticence of the authorities to deal with this outrageous mass contravention of the law and the despicable and provocative way these people conduct themselves.

I also wonder at the sanity of their supporters, both at the site, behind closed doors and on these forums.

Because anybody who hasn't seen through their barefaced and audacious illegal conduct by now, has to be a brick short of a load.

Or is it a slab short of a driveway.

Vernon, Basildon says...
5:55pm Mon 23 Jun 08

Er...am I missing something here? Surely the school has a few unused rooms where this IT room could be located.I thought it was a good idea having at the site, cos lets face it, a lot of the kids don't / won't attend school, so whats the point in moving to a place where they won't be ar5ed to go to anyway?

bonzer, essex says...
6:39pm Mon 23 Jun 08

It shouldn't go to the school.Until the final destination of those on unauthorised parts of Dale Farm is known,leave it where it is.

Remember,Justice Collins said eviction was "not if but when".
The Council should be concentrating on that rather than wasting time and more tax payers money on arguing about a log cabin.

Jes, says...
7:30pm Mon 23 Jun 08

Vernon & Bonzer
Good points, surely there are bigger issues here than a log cabin. Its not even the tip of the iceberg

meldrew, benfleet says...
7:43pm Mon 23 Jun 08

Kim Gandy wrote:
1. If it is going to be moved to the school, then it should be made available to the rest of the community for IT lessons - as it has been paid for out of taxpayers\' money. 2. \"Staff involved in the blunder\" - this little exercise was pushed through by Cllr Mardner of Greenwich Council, according to sources I spoke to at Essex CC. He was the one behind it. But nobody could tell me who signed the cheque. I wonder why. 3. I also wonder why interfering American do gooder Dasinger really has returned to the US, especially as he was so hell bent and passionate on helping these people. Could it just be that their use of slaves on the site didn\'t sit comfortably with his human rights principles? There are a lot of things I wonder about the apparent reticence of the authorities to deal with this outrageous mass contravention of the law and the despicable and provocative way these people conduct themselves. I also wonder at the sanity of their supporters, both at the site, behind closed doors and on these forums. Because anybody who hasn\'t seen through their barefaced and audacious illegal conduct by now, has to be a brick short of a load. Or is it a slab short of a driveway.
Kim,

Good to see more of your arguments for common sense here.

1. Totally agree that the building should be used by the people who paid for it.
If it goes to the school the cost should be deducted from the Essex CC education budget for that school.

2. I am still awaiting even an acknowledgement from Lord H. after asking who authorised spending my money!

3. American do-gooders need to look at their own record on human rights first – Native Americans and the folks in Alabama might warrant some support from his ilk. Mind you Guantanamo Bay might have some nice cheap land where “the travelling people” could build and be undisturbed.

4. I am convinced that there must be some agenda behind the lack of action taken against these groups. I am digging for information within the true blue Castle Point Borough Council and believe me all those who scream we need to ditch socialism and the “loony left” would be very surprised to know what has been going on here.

My latest “find” was Rokker Radio – a BBC sponsored 2 hour slot each Sunday Night 7:00 pm till 9:00 pm. especially for Roma folk. You have never heard so much blatant one-sided clap trap in all your days. Listeners are told how us settled folk (actually “Jake” the presenter called us a racist name starting with G…. which I took great pleasure in reporting to Ofcom) have historically abused the Roma and must be “educated” in their culture. You really have to tune in, it’s priceless. They even sent people off to schools to showcase their “music” which turned out to be some appalling corruption of an old English nursery rhyme played on the bell on stick and toy cupboard drum… More seriously an audio clip of a traveller eviction taken from the short film made to influence the EERA process was played followed by the usual bleating about “all they wanted was to build a home on their own land”, no mention of all the breaches of the law leading up to that rare action of last resort.

Keep up the fight Kim.


mick, essex says...
9:21pm Mon 23 Jun 08

Basildon Council should have s f a to do with this.

Why should they bail out Essex CC who allowed it on to Dale Farm without any reference to the local council ?

Essex CC incompetence caused the problem - Basildon should serve notice on them to remove it pdq .

Under no circumstances should it be relocated in or anywhere near Crays Hill or in Basildon District.

If it goes to the school,that will then be used against the council in court as evidence of a need for the travellers to stay in the district.

Wise up Basildon Council and stop getting the wool pulled over your eyes.You know what you need to do to bring all this to a head.

Action speaks a lot louder than words.


Ethan, nr dole farm, next to their spa and beauty rooms says...
10:10pm Mon 23 Jun 08

Move it to the school , why that would mean the cherubs actually walking and attending the school. Surely they are entitled to chauffeur driven Limo's on 24 hour standby? Champers and Truffles at us taxpayers expense?
Enough to make you weep isn't it?

midnight warrior, Wickford says...
12:20am Tue 24 Jun 08

What a complete fiasco, we the taxpayers have a right to know who authorised this blunder i.e. who signed the cheque. Good on you Kim for all the points raised.

Ebony, says...
3:16am Tue 24 Jun 08

meldrew wrote:
Kim Gandy wrote: 1. If it is going to be moved to the school, then it should be made available to the rest of the community for IT lessons - as it has been paid for out of taxpayers\' money. 2. \"Staff involved in the blunder\" - this little exercise was pushed through by Cllr Mardner of Greenwich Council, according to sources I spoke to at Essex CC. He was the one behind it. But nobody could tell me who signed the cheque. I wonder why. 3. I also wonder why interfering American do gooder Dasinger really has returned to the US, especially as he was so hell bent and passionate on helping these people. Could it just be that their use of slaves on the site didn\'t sit comfortably with his human rights principles? There are a lot of things I wonder about the apparent reticence of the authorities to deal with this outrageous mass contravention of the law and the despicable and provocative way these people conduct themselves. I also wonder at the sanity of their supporters, both at the site, behind closed doors and on these forums. Because anybody who hasn\'t seen through their barefaced and audacious illegal conduct by now, has to be a brick short of a load. Or is it a slab short of a driveway.
Kim, Good to see more of your arguments for common sense here. 1. Totally agree that the building should be used by the people who paid for it. If it goes to the school the cost should be deducted from the Essex CC education budget for that school. 2. I am still awaiting even an acknowledgement from Lord H. after asking who authorised spending my money! 3. American do-gooders need to look at their own record on human rights first – Native Americans and the folks in Alabama might warrant some support from his ilk. Mind you Guantanamo Bay might have some nice cheap land where “the travelling people” could build and be undisturbed. 4. I am convinced that there must be some agenda behind the lack of action taken against these groups. I am digging for information within the true blue Castle Point Borough Council and believe me all those who scream we need to ditch socialism and the “loony left” would be very surprised to know what has been going on here. My latest “find” was Rokker Radio – a BBC sponsored 2 hour slot each Sunday Night 7:00 pm till 9:00 pm. especially for Roma folk. You have never heard so much blatant one-sided clap trap in all your days. Listeners are told how us settled folk (actually “Jake” the presenter called us a racist name starting with G…. which I took great pleasure in reporting to Ofcom) have historically abused the Roma and must be “educated” in their culture. You really have to tune in, it’s priceless. They even sent people off to schools to showcase their “music” which turned out to be some appalling corruption of an old English nursery rhyme played on the bell on stick and toy cupboard drum… More seriously an audio clip of a traveller eviction taken from the short film made to influence the EERA process was played followed by the usual bleating about “all they wanted was to build a home on their own land”, no mention of all the breaches of the law leading up to that rare action of last resort. Keep up the fight Kim.
Meldrew/Baldeagle or whatever you call yourself today

a white man in England claiming racism? do you know how ridiculous you sound? You are clutching at straws in jumping on the "race" bandwagon.
I hope everyone sees through it. Get a life and a cause of your own, if you must.

Don't demean the cause of black people who really are victims here.

Sally, Crays Hill says...
9:02am Tue 24 Jun 08

http://www.community
initiativesfund.co.u
k/default.aspx?p=114

This link will take you to the site where this grant was gained.
As you will see this funding should be given back. It goes against the rules regarding this scheme and should not have even been concidered.
ie:-
Grants will not be made for the purposes of:

- The promotion of religion

- The promotion of political ideals

- Work that has already taken place

- Activities which a statutory body is responsible for

- Animal welfare

- Fabric appeals for places of worship

- Fundraising events or activities

- Hospitals, hospices or medical centres

- Individuals, including students

- Revenue costs

Meldrew, benfleet says...
10:54am Tue 24 Jun 08

Ebony,

I smell a red herring here - another diversion to whip things up into a slanging match.
Like, I suspect, many of my fellow indigenous English I felt hurt and upset by the continued use of the racist language used by the bigoted presenter on Rokker Radio. You should realise that to us gentle cultured people the word G.... iplies someone who is disgusting, greedy and obese and is a foul and racist comment on our community.
My life is perfectly OK thanks but the fascist supporters of outlaws in our homeland are threatening our peaceful and law abiding culture.
As to "black people being victims here" if you read the comments properly you would have discovered I was referring to the treatment of black people in the USA and suggesting the American "students" might do better to look nearer to home.
As to the crack about poor old Baldeagle and me - Look he's just a good mate who happens to share the same views - just like you and your "pals" on here.
All written with tongue firmly in cheek, which you probably don't understand either...

Meldrew, benfleet says...
10:55am Tue 24 Jun 08

Ebony,

I smell a red herring here - another diversion to whip things up into a slanging match.
Like, I suspect, many of my fellow indigenous English I felt hurt and upset by the continued use of the racist language used by the bigoted presenter on Rokker Radio. You should realise that to us gentle cultured people the word G.... iplies someone who is disgusting, greedy and obese and is a foul and racist comment on our community.
My life is perfectly OK thanks but the fascist supporters of outlaws in our homeland are threatening our peaceful and law abiding culture.
As to "black people being victims here" if you read the comments properly you would have discovered I was referring to the treatment of black people in the USA and suggesting the American "students" might do better to look nearer to home.
As to the crack about poor old Baldeagle and me - Look he's just a good mate who happens to share the same views - just like you and your "pals" on here.
All written with tongue firmly in cheek, which you probably don't understand either...

Meldrew, benfleet says...
11:01am Tue 24 Jun 08

Sally,

Thanks for the info on the grant situation.
I will look at the link but it certainly looks like you are right - good hunting!

mick, essex says...
11:57am Tue 24 Jun 08

Well done Sally.It's even more reason for Basildon Council not to be conned into having anything to do with this other than pressing ECC to remove it .

Ebony, says...
12:45pm Tue 24 Jun 08

Meldrew wrote:
Ebony, I smell a red herring here - another diversion to whip things up into a slanging match. Like, I suspect, many of my fellow indigenous English I felt hurt and upset by the continued use of the racist language used by the bigoted presenter on Rokker Radio. You should realise that to us gentle cultured people the word G.... iplies someone who is disgusting, greedy and obese and is a foul and racist comment on our community. My life is perfectly OK thanks but the fascist supporters of outlaws in our homeland are threatening our peaceful and law abiding culture. As to \"black people being victims here\" if you read the comments properly you would have discovered I was referring to the treatment of black people in the USA and suggesting the American \"students\" might do better to look nearer to home. As to the crack about poor old Baldeagle and me - Look he\'s just a good mate who happens to share the same views - just like you and your \"pals\" on here. All written with tongue firmly in cheek, which you probably don\'t understand either...
gentle cultured people?
man you are seriously deluded.

That smell that follows you around is no red herring.
But you should know about red herrings I seen you throw them on other threads. People can tell its you. As I said get a life man.
The US is a great country.

Ebony, says...
12:58pm Tue 24 Jun 08

Meldrew - I don't doubt you speak with your tongue in your cheek - not the ones on your face though.

Poor old Ebony, says...
2:36pm Tue 24 Jun 08

The US is a great country

I can think of a few innocent people in Iraq who might disagree with that statement.

Old Ebony's balanced views come from the fact that he has a chip on both shoulders - init coz e's black ?

ebony, says...
3:23pm Tue 24 Jun 08

Meldrew
That you again? funny I tink your balanced views and outsized chip is for similar reasons of color Stupid to mention Iraq. Some brits killed there the other day? Britain's hands aren't clean either are they?
If we are so bad (yes I am Afro-American so what) why do you follow us slavishly? We do take care of our people whatever their race and we are proud of being a multicultural society. Coloured people can think for themselves you know, and we know a smoke screen when we see one.

Why don't you think before you comment. Take a good look in the mirror man. But I guess if you did that, you would have nothing more to say to anyone. You live in a glass house guy stop throwing stones at other people.

Claiming racism is a something that white english people should never do, since they invented it and spread it all over the world. Racism in America, is largely from Anglos.

Give up your bias Mel, but guess you cant, innit coz your white?

Grillopad, benfleet says...
4:37pm Tue 24 Jun 08

E.Boney

Sorry guy you really lost it now. did you see them slaves down at Dale Farm they was white man!

Grillos in the mist, Control and C HQ says...
5:04pm Tue 24 Jun 08

Grillopad wrote:
E.Boney Sorry guy you really lost it now. did you see them slaves down at Dale Farm they was white man!
I'm waiting for the joke about wearing clothes from primark.

I bet he f@rted in his pants with laughter while he was typing it.

Ebony, says...
5:20pm Tue 24 Jun 08

Grillos in the mist wrote:
Grillopad wrote: E.Boney Sorry guy you really lost it now. did you see them slaves down at Dale Farm they was white man!
I'm waiting for the joke about wearing clothes from primark. I bet he f@rted in his pants with laughter while he was typing it.
Mel, you're sad and lonely, in addition to being bald

meldrew, benfleet says...
6:06pm Tue 24 Jun 08

ebony - you did get something right - just noticed, "The US is a great country" -Shame you added a second syllable to the last word.
I am not bald and have a lovely head of viking hair under my checked cap. This is a blatant attack on the hirsutely challenged!

GRILLO HUNTER, Everywhere says...
12:36am Thu 26 Jun 08

Brown Y fronts, BHS, Research, = pongo

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