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Basildon set for council tax freeze

Basildon Council has announced it is planning to freeze council tax for 2012/13.

The move follows last year’s 0.25 per cent reduction, so local residents will continue to pay less than they did two years ago.

Tony Ball, leader of the council, said: “This freeze has been made possible by a combination of prudent financial management and a one off grant from the government. "However, we must acknowledge that the economy is still struggling and 2012/13 is likely to be even tougher than 2011.

“With this in mind, freezing council tax is an important move. At a time when so many households across the borough are struggling to make ends meet it is important that the council is also seen to tighten its belt. "And we will continue to work with the government to keep any future council tax increases as low as possible.”

“We will continue to keep getting the basics right and deliver the essential services that everyone expects such as collecting the bins, keeping the streets clean and a range of other essential activities. The council tax level and budget setting will be discussed by full council on March 1.

Comments(29)

Minceir says...
9:53am Fri 10 Feb 12

Of course they can't (yet) budget the Eviction into the council tax, but it is just a matter of time before the big fat chicken ( im not referring Mr Ball) of cost comes home to roost.

Most numbskulls will have forgot the eviction by the time they are hit with a massive raise in CC. Well at least you have been giving the time to budget for it. LOL.

EthanEdwards says...
10:49am Fri 10 Feb 12

Oooh Mincy is upset his antics haven't immediately cost the residents.
Never mind perhaps you can just continue your anti social bahaviour instead.

Travellers...their own worst enemy.

Wiserman says...
1:30pm Fri 10 Feb 12

At the risk of being branded a racist, Obviously the dimwits who find it amusing that council tax may rise to cover the cost of the lawful vagabond eviction are not ratepayers themselves, do not reside in this area, or are perhaps just plain stupid.

Wiserman says...
1:42pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Glad to see you are still around Ethan, what number are you on the hitlist. I am still waiting for that whirlwind. More like a poof of wind I reckon. Lol

EthanEdwards says...
2:16pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Hi Wiserman. I'm not bothered in the slightest about Travellers finding and doing me or my family harm. Not because the shotgun weilding bare knuckle dragging fighting chaps are now reformed peaceful souls. But because they haven't the slightest idea which 'Gorgejious' I am. Most amusing considering they stick out a mile and I mingle amongst them almost every day. Why I'm probably no more than half a mile from Mincy typing this very message....

Minceir says...
2:36pm Fri 10 Feb 12

EthanEdwards wrote:
Oooh Mincy is upset his antics haven't immediately cost the residents.
Never mind perhaps you can just continue your anti social bahaviour instead.

Travellers...their own worst enemy.
Have you any comment on the article rather than, in your usual way, slurs against an ethnic minority? At least this time you have avoided racial abuse, so you are evolving, into what who knows. The point is the CC will have to take a clout from the eviction. BTW many residents in Basildon ARE Travellers and will have to pay the hike as well. See how it works caveman?

Minceir says...
2:43pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
At the risk of being branded a racist, Obviously the dimwits who find it amusing that council tax may rise to cover the cost of the lawful vagabond eviction are not ratepayers themselves, do not reside in this area, or are perhaps just plain stupid.
Of course you are entitled to your assumptions/guesses /wishes. As mentioned in an earlier post, Travellers are residents and Tax payers too and will be effected by the hike.

But it does seem you agree that the CC will be raised to pay for DF. And all with the subdued "vagabond" epitetet and not the more risky one, Oh how the weak's 'principles' crumble with the first sign of danger. LOL

Btw has anyone from council or police EVER stated this was a "lawful eviction"

Minceir says...
2:46pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
Glad to see you are still around Ethan, what number are you on the hitlist. I am still waiting for that whirlwind. More like a poof of wind I reckon. Lol
Saying that you and the others have curtailed your blase of racial abuse over the last few days, almost making me redundant. Iv never felt so safe in logging onto the comments. The fact i use to have concern's logging on would suggest there is an issue to be taken up with those who caused me there concerns. All is in place and justice takes its own pace.

Minceir says...
2:53pm Fri 10 Feb 12

EthanEdwards wrote:
Hi Wiserman. I'm not bothered in the slightest about Travellers finding and doing me or my family harm. Not because the shotgun weilding bare knuckle dragging fighting chaps are now reformed peaceful souls. But because they haven't the slightest idea which 'Gorgejious' I am. Most amusing considering they stick out a mile and I mingle amongst them almost every day. Why I'm probably no more than half a mile from Mincy typing this very message....
Oh dear, the usual old stereotypical nonsense, i think the misnamed chappie, wiserman (wiser than who?) meant in regards to the police investigation that has been initiated.

Your gloating of how you racially abuse while hiding captures the character of you and must make most decent real men cringe at your boast of cowardliness.
You have used the foulest racial abuse on here, and im sure you will be reported in this and i dare say national papers if you are attested and convicted of said abuse.

BTW why do you tar your own family with the racist brush, there are none on here bar you posting racial abuse and committing that offense. Do you always try to pull your innocent family into your crimes?

Wiserman says...
2:54pm Fri 10 Feb 12

At the risk of being branded a racist, Obviously you have answered my query from my previous post I take it as 'plain stupid'

Wiserman says...
3:33pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Mincer, if you wish for this thread to continue, you should really try to refrain from calling people racists just because your views differ from theirs. The two previous threads were closed because of your vile rants. One was about travellers on a coach, I do not intend to repeat it on this thread it was too sick for words, needless to say I believe it is being investigated. As for your puerile remarks about my posts, if you take the trouble to read and digest, hard for you I know, you will find the only time I have used the word that offends you so much is when I have taken the time to point out to you that the word on its own is not racist. I have told you previously, the average commuter does more travelling than your 'travellers'.  I use, and have used the word 'vagabond' for two reasons 1. It hopefully keeps you on track of the subject in hand, because you have nothing to add to the debate it is easy for you to change the subject to a racial nature if the 'pikey' word is used, and 2. Vagabond is a far more apt word. Now just keep to the thread please, no lecturing on pavee culture or more your fascist censorship, thank you.

EthanEdwards says...
5:54pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Hello Mincy. Look I'm waving......

Minceir says...
6:04pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
At the risk of being branded a racist, Obviously you have answered my query from my previous post I take it as 'plain stupid'
Im sure you do and im sure the little pig in the straw house thought the wold huffing and puffing outside the door was also "plain stupid"

Btw its you initial posts that have branded you a racist not these quivering little posts excusing yourself before you issue into the content.

Minceir says...
6:08pm Fri 10 Feb 12

EthanEdwards wrote:
Hello Mincy. Look I'm waving......
Still no comment on the article or indeed my post, not much room to racially abuse without being too obvious is there.

Ill wave back when they cart you off in the police van by then you will be in most papers i dare say. "Man (right word?) convicted of racial abuse and inciting hate against Dale Farm Travellers" yes has a nice headline feel to it.

Remember to smile and wave to the camera's!

Minceir says...
6:09pm Fri 10 Feb 12

EthanEdwards wrote:
Hello Mincy. Look I'm waving......
By the way Ethan Edwards isn't that a comic character? Comic anorak?

Wiserman says...
6:18pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Mincer, noticed your subtle little message to the troll Mayray with your contact mail address on the '21,000 new homes for Basildon' thread at 1.43pm on Thursday Feb 9th, are you trolling in unison? do you live under the next bridge? That must rank as your shortest and most sensible post so far. Lol

Minceir says...
6:19pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
Mincer, if you wish for this thread to continue, you should really try to refrain from calling people racists just because your views differ from theirs. The two previous threads were closed because of your vile rants. One was about travellers on a coach, I do not intend to repeat it on this thread it was too sick for words, needless to say I believe it is being investigated. As for your puerile remarks about my posts, if you take the trouble to read and digest, hard for you I know, you will find the only time I have used the word that offends you so much is when I have taken the time to point out to you that the word on its own is not racist. I have told you previously, the average commuter does more travelling than your 'travellers'.  I use, and have used the word 'vagabond' for two reasons 1. It hopefully keeps you on track of the subject in hand, because you have nothing to add to the debate it is easy for you to change the subject to a racial nature if the 'pikey' word is used, and 2. Vagabond is a far more apt word. Now just keep to the thread please, no lecturing on pavee culture or more your fascist censorship, thank you.
Have you any proof at all that using the term racist to describe a 'person' using racist abuse has effected the closing of any post never mind the last two? Any proof? If so post it up or its clear you are fabricating.

"vile rants" you are indeed a hypocrite. I expressed and gave my opinion, in my experience, what those mentioned in the thread you mention would feel abut what was mentioned. past posts might show i was indeed correct or could be understood why i came to that conclusion. Please dont pretend to be concerned about something, Travellers young or old, now that its time to explain. The archive will be made available to the police and of course we have the screen snatch and copied and pasted posts identifying the posters and their REAL ville rants.

Rodent, sinking, fleeing, ship seems to come to mind.

Minceir says...
6:25pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
Mincer, if you wish for this thread to continue, you should really try to refrain from calling people racists just because your views differ from theirs. The two previous threads were closed because of your vile rants. One was about travellers on a coach, I do not intend to repeat it on this thread it was too sick for words, needless to say I believe it is being investigated. As for your puerile remarks about my posts, if you take the trouble to read and digest, hard for you I know, you will find the only time I have used the word that offends you so much is when I have taken the time to point out to you that the word on its own is not racist. I have told you previously, the average commuter does more travelling than your 'travellers'.  I use, and have used the word 'vagabond' for two reasons 1. It hopefully keeps you on track of the subject in hand, because you have nothing to add to the debate it is easy for you to change the subject to a racial nature if the 'pikey' word is used, and 2. Vagabond is a far more apt word. Now just keep to the thread please, no lecturing on pavee culture or more your fascist censorship, thank you.
Your suggestion that anyone demanding the right not to be racially abused in certain terms (that you say you feel isn't abuse) is fascism is truly telling and give's the measure of you clearly.

The slur vagabond is used because you are now concerned about using the other term which you used quite freely in other posts.

Is this the definition you refer to to use the term vagabond to describe Travellers?

"A vagabond is a drifter and an itinerant wanderer who roams wherever they please, following the whim of the moment. Vagabonds may lack residence, a job, and even citizenship.
Historically, Nazis regarded vagabonds as "individuals who are not socially accepted," and forced them to wear a black triangle badge on their jackets, following a sentence on the grounds of vagabondage, "work shyness" and homelessness."

or do you use another one?

Wiserman says...
6:29pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Blah blah, racist, blah blah, pavee, change the record. What was the name of your solicitor again? Oh I know Bullshitt and Hogwash, bring it on numpty, you promised me a whirlwind, sure you didn't mean a damp ****? Lol

Wiserman says...
6:41pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Mincer, I would have thought that even for a person of limited intelligence it is quite obvious that the caravans which were on Daul Farm and are now parked illegally on the legal part of Oak Road and parked in Oak Lane are itinerants, ie as they keep telling us, they have nowhere to go, what part do you not understand? As I said previously try to keep to the thread and not your usual racist name calling.

Minceir says...
6:45pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
Mincer, noticed your subtle little message to the troll Mayray with your contact mail address on the '21,000 new homes for Basildon' thread at 1.43pm on Thursday Feb 9th, are you trolling in unison? do you live under the next bridge? That must rank as your shortest and most sensible post so far. Lol
Subtle? It's an email address clearly! Where is the subtly there?


TROLL!
"In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion."

Doesn't this definition sum you and your brother posters up? You certainly fit it more than I or May ray.

The proof of this is you have yet to comment on this article on this comment section! Yet off topic have commented on all my posts. Your "bang to rights guv'nor"

So Believe me when i say we are not trolls, we are here to challenge racism and slurs against our respective communities.

BTW those who been called racist are those who use racist abuse as part of their post and not because of any difference in their stance on the article in question.
Bit disingenuous to try excuse and disguise racist abuse as acceptable opinion!
No racist abuse no accusation of racism, really simple isn't it? Is that fascism?

Wiserman says...
6:56pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Mincer, "disingenuous", along with 'craven coward' now where have I heard those terms before, let me think, erm I think it was the joker NightnDay (aka Stanley Unwin), I believe he got banned in the end as well. Although he did provide us with much belly belly laughy and he was always mirth loaded, much as your good self. Lol, any how I'm off out now, it's just too easy now, you pose no challenge, mind where you tread. X

Minceir says...
7:03pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
Blah blah, racist, blah blah, pavee, change the record. What was the name of your solicitor again? Oh I know Bullshitt and Hogwash, bring it on numpty, you promised me a whirlwind, sure you didn't mean a damp ****? Lol
Now now temper temper, forgiveness is often preceded by apology by those who are good of heart.

The police, who will be dealing with the matter initially often work in pairs but im sure none are surnamed Bull**** and Hogwash! Unless you know differently!

Could be a good title for a comedy police series though.

Please dont be too impatient, isn't it true waiting for something makes it all the more powerful when it arrives?

Minceir says...
7:20pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
Mincer, I would have thought that even for a person of limited intelligence it is quite obvious that the caravans which were on Daul Farm and are now parked illegally on the legal part of Oak Road and parked in Oak Lane are itinerants, ie as they keep telling us, they have nowhere to go, what part do you not understand? As I said previously try to keep to the thread and not your usual racist name calling.
Of course in referring to limited intelligence you are of course referring to yourself? I have all the intelligence i need to have abut DF.

The Caravans parked on the private road, which is owned by a Traveller, are not illegal, you now you just cant make these things up and then present them as fact or people will think you are either stupid or a rabid hater of the people in question or as is usually the case both together. Those who are parked in the lane are actually refugees from DF and were in situ 10 years and are therefore do not fit the definition of itinerants!

You have yet to remark on the article from which the thread come about yet you deem it correct to advise someone to do so who HAS remarked on the article. What part of that if any do you understand?

You really are dense.

BTW you still havent dealt with any of the replies iv given to your posts, are you finding it hard to? Im sure many looking on will see how a uneducated, unintelligent vagabond itinerant is running rings around you. Just what does that say about you?

Since you stopped using the racist slur "pikey" have you been termed a racist?

Case proven! Pay the fine.

Minceir says...
7:37pm Fri 10 Feb 12

Wiserman wrote:
Mincer, "disingenuous", along with 'craven coward' now where have I heard those terms before, let me think, erm I think it was the joker NightnDay (aka Stanley Unwin), I believe he got banned in the end as well. Although he did provide us with much belly belly laughy and he was always mirth loaded, much as your good self. Lol, any how I'm off out now, it's just too easy now, you pose no challenge, mind where you tread. X
"Bit disingenuous to try excuse and disguise racist abuse as acceptable opinion!"

Just a sample of the many statements and questions made in reply to your post and as yet none answered or replied to in any challenging fashion, they remain undefeated!

In the case of the example given you deal with the usage of a term by another poster on another thread rather than deal with the statement of opinion the term is in! easy to see why isnt it?

THEN you suggest, illogically, there is no challenge whilst wilfully ignoring all the challenges in every post.

Just who are you trying to kid or convince? lol. It must only be you, for a independent and fair judge of our 'tangle' would have to say you have been roundly thrashed, like a pig in a farmers vegetable garden. LOL.

Accept the thrashing, you learnt a lot.

MaxSteel says...
11:00am Sat 11 Feb 12

Why must a bunch of grown adults turn every story into an argument? Its like on youtube where the comments section of every video turns intn a racist argument

Minceir says...
10:11pm Sat 11 Feb 12

MaxSteel wrote:
Why must a bunch of grown adults turn every story into an argument? Its like on youtube where the comments section of every video turns intn a racist argument
Racial abuse has to be challenged, would you agree? If so then to not have such challenges we need not have racial abuse. But unfortunately there are posters on here who just cant post without it containing racial abuse, slurs or innuendo

EthanEdwards says...
8:29pm Sun 12 Feb 12

So Mincy you want to be able to censor everyone's posts. To make sure they are acceptable to you before they are published? Sorry we have Free speech in my country, so you will be VERY disappointed.

See I feel it my mission to find your law breaking and confront it at every opportunity. To point out your wrongdoing..it's a hobby!

You'll find your attitude (whatever username you choose) counts for very little in life.

Deal with it.

Seen this? Superb post.

Teddoodle1 says...
11:14am Sun 4 Sep 11

I realise that this might upset a few people, so some of you might want to pop out for the next five minutes.
A good article that was posted on twitter today

Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave and the grey cardigan of concern made an appearance in Essex this week. No doubt she feels strongly about the site clearance of land owned by Irish travellers at Dale Farm, and I applaud anyone who shows the courage of their convictions, but she’s not being entirely honest with us and has, as a consequence, annoyed me sufficiently to blog about it. Ms Redgrave insists that the travellers have not broken any law. She is wrong, and if this is the limit of her understanding of law she would be very well advised to stick to acting, because this is the real world and to transpose her distorted view onto it would set a very dangerous precedent.
The argument about Dale Farm has been rumbling on for a decade and is now so shrouded in melodramatic hogwash and human rights mumbo-jumbo that we need to get back to the core of the issue – planning law. Shorn of all the emotive issues being thrust into the headlines, let’s take a look at what has actually happened.
The site at Dale Farm has had a lawful traveller community on it, established with planning permission, for more than twenty years. In 2001 Irish travellers bought a further section of land and moved on to it. They began erecting permanent structures. When the local planning authority, Basildon Borough Council, became aware of the development of the land it served enforcement notices. This was ten years ago. The travellers brought legal action in an attempt to have these repealed, but this failed. In 2003 the First Secretary of State dismissed the appeals, but gave the travellers a period of two years in which to comply with the notices. In 2005, and since the notices had not been complied with, the Council decided that direct action was warranted. This decision was originally found by the High Court to have been unlawful, but this was overturned by the Court of Appeal. The travellers sought the permission of the Court to appeal to the House of Lords, but this was refused in June 2009.
A primary function of planning law is the protection of the wider community from the excesses of the individual.The right to own property is expressed in Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of HumanRights. Article 1 of Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms enshrines the right to peaceful enjoyment of one’s possessions. The much cited Article 8 of that Convention states that “Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.”
In exercise of UK planning law any local authority is required to be compliant with this. However, Article 8 is qualified as follows: “There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.” This boils down to a local authority and the Courts having to take a broad view of any development and consider the rights of allresidents.
There is a misconception held by some that if you own land you have the right to do with it what you will. Fine, we own our own house, we’ll build a four storey extension out the back and open a pig farm in the front garden. Wrong, on two counts. First is that we don’t have the money to do it and second because we would never get planning permission. Even if we did go ahead and do it the Council would either make us pull it all down or do it themselves and send us the bill. A primary function of planning law is the protection of the wider community from the excesses of the individual.
unless there are “very special circumstances”Nowh

ere in the UK is planning law more assiduously applied (and scrutinised) than in developments affecting the Green Belt. Within the Green Belt permission to carry out development is severely restricted and planning consent is only granted in a limited number of circumstances. These include:-
certain agricultural and forestry related building and uses.
outdoor sporting uses and essential ancillary facilities.
minor works to existing residential properties.
works of national interest or importance.
In the main the majority of proposals for development will only be granted planning permission if they can justify that there are “very special circumstances” why permission should be granted.
Clearly, the development at Dale Farm cannot meet any of the four criteria, but arguments were put forward that they should qualify under “very special circumstances”. These were considered in the proper manner by the Council and, more importantly, the competent Courts, and have all been dismissed.
they must be regarded as the authors of their own misfortune and we should not feel sorry for themThe crucial point to note is that the land in question has not suddenly been designated as Green Belt. It has been so since 1982. It may very well have been a scrap yard, but this, too, was established without planning permission and a planning Inspector had long ago ruled that it could not be used for that purpose again. The travellers admit that they bought the land at a very reasonable price. There’s a very good reason for this, i.e. that there are severe restrictions on what you can do with it. One phone call to the Council planning office was all it would have taken to find this out, unless, of course, they already knew. In this respect, therefore, they must be regarded as the authors of their own misfortune and we should not feel sorry for them.
Now, Vanessa, I hope you’re paying attention because this is the bit that shows that you were either ill-informed or, worse, deliberately telling porky-pies. At paragraph 7 of Basildon District Council v McCarthy & Ors EWCA Civ 13 (22 January 2009) it says:
“For the claimants, Mr Luba QC accepts that the claimants have reached the end of the road in their attempts to regularise their position by obtaining planning permission or temporary planning permission. That has been considered on a plot by plot basis. The extreme difficulty involved in obtaining planning permission for caravan and trailer sites in the Green Belt is acknowledged. Mr Luba accepts that the claimants are on the land unlawfully and that, even if the appeal is dismissed, they will still be on land unlawfully. He accepts that the most recent planning decisions of the Secretary of State reflect the planning situation. He accepts that the council could lawfully evict each and every one of the claimants provided they lawfully and appropriately direct themselves.”
They have had a decade in which to rectify the situation. They have had some eighteen months since the dismissal of their last serious legal challenge. (I discount the attempt this week to gain a High Court injunction. That was mere legal frippery.) The travellers themselves admit that they are breaking the law and we should not feel sorry for them on that score either.

Grattan Puxon
There has already been a great deal of emotive coverage of the plight of the travellers, and I suspect that this is just the first few drops of the deluge to come. Much of it is highly misleading. Their champion, Grattan Puxon, is rather good at grandstanding and a master of dissembling propaganda, even though his grasp of human rights law can be a bit shaky.
Pardon me while we dispel a few myths.
Firstly, this is not and never has been an eviction. It’s a site clearance. There’s a big difference. Eviction is defined as “action by a landlord that compels a tenant to leave the premises”. The travellers own the site, but, as discussed above, this does not give them the right to use it as they wish, to park caravans, to build, to cover it with concrete or tarmac or even to live there.
All the language so far used has been in terms of this having been done to the travellers, but this is far from the truth. Nobody forced them to buy Green Belt land, nobody forced them to flout planning law by moving onto it and erecting permanent structures. They did so by choice and any good lawyer could have explained the risks. And if you take that risk you really shouldn’t bleat about it when the chickens come home to roost.
One activist who has jumped on the bandwagon is reported as saying: “There is no way we are leaving them here to be attacked by the thugs who pass themselves off as bailiffs. Yes, we are preparing for battle and want here to be our fortress – What other option have these people been left with?” Well, they can leave peacefully. They have, after all, known for ten years that they shouldn’t be there. Police will be there to maintain order and if the bailiffs are allowed to do the job they are lawfully entitled to do there will be no need for any disorder. It is the travellers and their supporters who are talking the language of violence.
Just because you want to think the world’s against you doesn’t necessarily make it true.A great deal has been made of the fact that 80 to 90% of planning applications made by travellers are rejected as opposed to only 20% of those made by the settled population. It is claimed that this is “racist” against the travellers. I have neither the time nor the energy to challenge the percentages, but I would definitely challenge the conclusion. If it were the case then the decisions would have been unlawful and could easily have been overturned by the Courts. (Sir Andrew Collins in his judgement FOR the travellers found that there was no direct discrimination (Para 47, EWHC 987 (Admin)).
There are other possible explanations. It could be that the settled population may be more inclined to take legal advice or consult the local planning office before submitting an application. It could be that applications for development by the settled population are not on the same scale as Dale Farm. It could just as easily be that a high proportion of applications by travellers are destined to fail, like Dale Farm, because the use of the land is restricted. It could be all three, but when you’re waging a propaganda war it’s far easier to jump on the figures and claim prejudice. Clearly, applications from travellers DO succeed as is evidenced by the fact that part of Dale Farm is occupied lawfully. Just because you want to think the world’s against you doesn’t necessarily make it true.

Access road to Dale Farm
There can be no doubt that there is often opposition from the settled population to having travellers in their community. Some travellers can be very aggressive and intimidating. Some leave loads of rubbish behind them. I speak from personal experience and, like it or not, it’s a fact. (Some of the settled population display these traits as well, but police and local Councils seem more inclined to pursue enforcement action against those with a fixed address – a form of discrimination in itself!) The unlawfully resident travellers at Dale Farm would like you to believe that they are none of these things and that they have improved the site.

Fly tipping
They maintain that it’s not a tip. I beg to differ and the pictures speak for themselves. They are of the access road to the unlawful section of Dale Farm, but a pound to a pinch of **** says they didn’t bring Vanessa or the Bishops in that way.
When the settled population see scenes like this it is easier to understand a reluctance to suffer it in your own back yard. (By the way – I’m not making this up. Go to Google Earth or Google Maps for co-ordinates 51° 35’ 44.86” N 0° 28’ 26.68” E and look at street view.)
Then there is the tactic of making false comparisons. Candy Sheridan, who has been campaigning for Dale Farm since 2005, told me. “We hate the tiny threads of hope and the endless battles. All we want is an alternative site, but these people have nowhere to go. You wouldn’t see hundreds of people walking out of their housing estate with a few bin bags peacefully.” Well, no, you wouldn’t see it because the estate was built lawfully with planning permission. Has it never occurred to Candy, in the six years that she has been watching the campaign fail, that it might be a good idea to line up an alternative? Certainly, Grattan Puxon and Vanessa seem to think that there are, but they also insist that it’s the Council’s responsibility to provide them. Indeed, my understanding is that Basidlon Council has made numerous offers of alternatives to the travellers, but all have been rejected because they don’t match exactly what they’re demanding. Well, life’s tough and you don’t always get what you want!
There’s always God. (I’m afraid that this one REALLY gets up my nose.) The travellers always want to present themselves as good God fearing folk. It’s a shame for them that their actions speak louder than their words. Has the local priest never pointed them to Romans 13:1-7. “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”
In a famous passage about taxes, Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mark 12:13-17; the same passage appears, slightly modified, in Matthew 22:15-22 and Luke 20:20-26). This is interpreted by most people to mean that in secular matters follow the law of the land, but for spiritual matters follow the law of God. Nuff said about that.
the Council admit that if the travellers are moved they are unlikely to leave the borough let alone the countyMore sinister is the claim that the clearance of Dale Farm is “ethnic cleansing”. The official United Nations definition of ethnic cleansing is “rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove from a given area persons of another ethnic or religious group.” This is Essex, for crap’s sake – there’s nothing homogenous up there. In any case, the Council admit that if the travellers are moved they are unlikely to leave the borough let alone the county. It’s a ridiculous argument from start to finish. But it is part of the propaganda war that will see mothers, who have for years colluded in the unlawful occupation, pleading for the education and future of their children while putting those same children in the centre of the site clearance. (If you don’t believe me got to Youtube and search for Gypsy eviction. You will find numerous examples of kids being involved and it will not have been the bailiffs who put them in harm’s way).
And finally there’s the claim that the travellers are law-abiding. Pearl McCarthy, who lives at Dale Farm, has said “We’ll do everything by the law. We won’t do anything to break the law until they force us to break it.” (See video six minutes in.)

Well, first off, the claim is spurious. If they were law abiding they wouldn’t have built in the first place. Nobody will force you to break any more laws, Pearl. That will be your choice. But it’s a rather curious logic, isn’t it? Use the law when it’s to your advantage, but discard it when it provides a decision that you don’t like? It seems the travellers want the rights of every citizen to the protection of law without exercising the concomitant responsibility to obey it.
And this leads me to my final and most important point – if law be not enforced then it be no law at all.
the law must be enforced and the site must be clearedIn Fred Zinnemann’s stunning 1966 film A Man for All Seasons Vanessa’s brother Corin played William Roper, a young lawyer. He has the following exchange with Thomas More:
“William Roper: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!
Sir Thomas More: Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
William Roper: Yes, I’d cut down every law in England to do that!
Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned ’round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man’s laws, not God’s! And if you cut them down, and you’re just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?”
Yes, I’ve quoted that before, and with good cause, because law is what makes society work. In fact, in one form or another, it’s the only thing that does. Remove the law, or fail to enforce it, and you can kiss goodbye to everything that you hold dear.
For that reason alone the law must be enforced and the site must be cleared.

Minceir says...
8:11pm Mon 13 Feb 12

"you want to be able to censor everyone's posts. To make sure they are acceptable to you before they are published? Sorry we have Free speech in my country, so you will be VERY disappointed.

Can you show where that was advertised?
How could i possibly censor people's posts? what i do ask of them is they censor themselves by not posting racial abuse.

Freedom of speech doesn't supersede the right to a person to be free of racial abuse. Do you agree?

The rest of the post is the personal opinion of the poster and of course the law did find against the Travellers of DF, there is no denying that but miscarriages of justice are well known and in my personal opinion this is one of them. So the post takes no one any further or make then any the wiser. personal opinion is just that!

But again freedom of speech doesn't allow racial abuse does it.

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