Mick Grant

Last night I was able to update council on the gypsy/traveller consultation. We have had around 850 responses and I would like to thank everyone who took part. Sadly there were a number of comments we could not accept as they were racist - racism should not be tolerated in society in any form and those who sent in abusive comments or encouraged abusive comments should be ashamed.

We received one response from the Conservative group. Just one. That means the ward councillors from Barton and Brigg failed to put in personal objections. They have let the people of those towns down. They have done nothing.  It's a good job the MP Ian Cawsey has listened and sent in his thoughts on the matter by representing his constituents.

The basis of the Tory submission was not on the location and suitability of the seven identified sites. Instead they focused on the number of sites - something we were not even consulting on!  They have admitted to reading my blog, however, so that gives them no excuse for passing on the wrong information!

On Wednesday we have a Full Council Meeting where I understand there will be a question asked about Gypsy and Travellers Sites and the next step that we take after the consultation. We have had over 850 replies and it would of been more if we could include the racist and nasty comments that some people have put, but of course we can't.

I will post a report on my blog on thursday about the meeting and put right some of the mis-information being put out by the Tories of North Lincs. The people of Barton and Brigg have been let down badly by their local councillors with them not responding on a personal point to the local sites. The tory councillors of Barton and Brigg have put in a response on the numbers of pitches and this as been put forward by the tory group as a whole. As usual they have got it wrong and as I've said before, are not representing their constituents as well as they should.

This week I attended a meeting of The Alliance in St Helens. As part of the trip we visited Liverpool to look at the regeneration of the city.  A lot of money has been spent on a variety of new buildings, including the Echo Arena.

A lot of other issues were discussed at the meeting, including the distribution of Lottery funds to organisations before the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Friday is the last chance for people to give their views on proposed gypsy and traveller sites. This follows a study by Salford University that identified a need for 46 permanent and five temporary pitches by 2016 to accommodate Gypsies and Travellers.

By law, councils have a duty to assess accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers. It is part of the Government's plans to foster, build and maintain sustainable and inclusive communities. The council, together with Salford University wants to hear the views of all people - residents, businesses, and Gypsies and Travellers on whether they think the chosen sites are suitable and if not whether they can think of suitable alternative sites. But also, if anyone has any sites that may be suitable please get in touch.

It is not an option not to provide sites. By law we must do so. We need to look at the long-term future of the sites and this also means ensuring the necessary security measures are in place. It is important that we listen to what all people have to say, including the needs of Gypsies and Travellers. Only then can we make an informed decision that best suits the needs of everyone.

It seems to be a common theme now with a blog every other day correcting Tory mistakes, but here is yet another comment on the very same subject. I read in the local paper yesterday that Cllr Nigel Sherwood is claiming the consultation on gypsies and travellers is a done deal.  This is an absolute nonsense and I will be looking for him to apologise. Clearly he has been around the Tories too long - who could forget the total lack of consultation when it came to shutting the Baths Hall and their attempts to shut Riddings Pool!

I am happy to clarify that no decisions have been made - and as the cabinet member set to make the decision on the whereabouts of permanent gypsy and traveller sites I should know!  It's dispicable of the Tories to yet again play gutter politics and mislead the electorate. No decisions have been made and we invite people to continue to send in their comments before the consultation period ends.

I would like to apologise for again writing about gypsy and traveller sites, but yet again the Conservatives are spreading mis-information which must be corrected. 

During David Cameron's visit to Brigg he was asked questions about gypsy and traveller sites which were clearly reported in the newspaper. It is wrong for Andrew Percy to claim this did not happen as he did in his letter in the Telegraph on September 13.  Mr Cameron even agreed with the principles behind what we are attempting to do!  We are trying to undertake a sensible and thorough consultation exercise - something the Tories never did when they had control of the council - and listen to the thoughts of local residents. No decisions have been made and I would hope people take the time to make up their own minds and not be influenced by Tory drivel.

P North's letter on the same night was equally misleading. I've had gypsies and travellers living at the end of my road and tolerated them - would Liz Redfern allow the same?  The headline ‘Nimby attitude of councillors' is, as a result, very wrong and extremely misleading.

Yesterday the Tour of Britain came to North Lincolnshire and it was an excellent day. I managed to grab a few photos:

The mayor of North Lincolnshire, Cllr Jawaid Ishaq, attended the event with me and was happy to pose for photographs!

I was surprised to see comments attributed to a Tory 'spokesman' in today's Scunthorpe Telegraph on the issue of gypsy and traveller sites. Are the Tories too cowardly to put their name to this issue? It's spineless to hide behind anonymity - after all, we are elected to serve the people of North Lincolnshire. Not only that but the Tories have come out and criticised us for the number of sites identified for the whole of North and North East Lincolnshire. They state we should only have our fair share - but fail to state what they think that fair share should be. I would ask our Tory friends if they feel our fair share would be to have no sites all all, alienating a section of the community in the process.

On top of that the council is currently consulting on the suitability of sites across the region, not the number of sites. That consultation period ended some time ago. The Tories missed the boat and, as usual, are bringing up an issue that we consulted on previously. All they are doing is mischief making.

I was invited to attend a Tory-organised meeting, due to be held on Friday evening, with just 48hrs notice. I have a prior engagement and cannot attend. I see I have been criticised by the anonymous spokesman - yet I have already met with the three ward councillors in Barton to discuss this very issue and have accepted requests, and met with, local groups in the town. It seems all the Tories can do is clutch at straws and scare local residents!

I was delighted to read Lance Armstrong has announced he is to come out of retirement to try and win an eighth Tour De France in 2009. He has recovered from cancer and will be racing to raise awareness of cancer. I think he is an inspiration to all and as a keen cyclist look forward to watching him race again.

Unfortunately for Cllr Liz Redfern and David Cameron the Tories neglected to take up my request for a meeting with the Tory leader regarding gypsy and traveller sites in North Lincolnshire. Reading Cllr Redfern's letter in the Telegraph on September 6 she seemed a little flustered - I wonder why?

I was pleased, however, to read in the Telegraph that Mr Cameron is fully in support of this council's efforts to provide permanent gypsy and traveller sites in the region. It is an example I now hope Cllr Redfern and the Tories will adopt, rather than scaring local residents.  Without permanent sites gypsies and travellers will be able to stay wherever they want, making it difficult for the authorities to move them on.  Is this what the Tories want?

With permanent sites the occupants will pay rent and council tax and the sites will be manned by security.  Taxpayers will not foot the bill. We are, rightfully, consulting on locations but the principle seems to be a no-brainer to me.  The Tories would prefer to allow gypsies and travellers to roam free and base themselves wherever they want. I've had gypsies live near my property - I wonder if Cllr Redfern would welcome them with open arms near hers?

The controversy over David Cameron's visit to North Lincolnshire has continued! The Labour group office has spoken to a number of residents who asked for an invite to tonight's meeting but have not gained a ticket. Some are concerned the selection process for tickets was carried out behind closed doors and was not transparent.

One person asked the Tories if they could watch the ballot take place and they were told ‘no'.  What were they hiding?   Others have told us they fear the meeting will be full of Tory members with pre-determined questions.   People cannot understand why this isn't a proper public meeting. We have told people the event is nothing to do with Labour or this council but the secrecy is damaging to transparent local government.   Mr Cameron's visit has been shrouded in controversy ever since it was first announced he was coming. His visit has become a farce.  It has turned into a cross between the Nuremberg Rally and a Carry On film!

I am delighted to reveal the gypsy and traveller community living at Conesby have now left the site. They have moved out of North Lincolnshire and the site is now back in our control and is closed. As I have blogged previously the council served a notice to vacate the site on July 25 but they refused to move.  They failed to pay rent and were abusive to people including council officers and the police.

However, they have now gone and the site will be closed. I would like to thank everyone involved in the process and those who have commented on my blog.

I was surprised to hear David Cameron is in support of permanent gypsy and traveller sites - contrary to the thoughts of our local Tories!  Mr Cameron, the MP for Witney, in Oxfordshire, has backed a number of authorised gypsy and traveller camps and has welcomed Government funding to support them. Permanent camps have been set up in Sandford, East Challow, Wheatley and Standlake - all in Mr Cameron's constituency.  There are six sites across the whole Oxfordshire County Council area, with 80 plots catering for 300 travellers. There are also seven privately-owned gypsy and traveller camps. Oxfordshire County Council is led by a Conservative majority.

If they're good enough for their leader, David Cameron, why are they not good enough for the Sherwoods in Brigg? I would have loved the opportunity to discuss Mr Cameron's experience of permanent gypsy and traveller camps in his Oxfordshire constituency as he is clearly at odds with the local Tories.  He recently welcomed £300,000 of government money to upgrade the sites. The Brigg ward councillors and other Tories are happily scaring local residents but the experiences of Mr Cameron are clearly very positive.  I would ask them why their opinions differ so much?

It must be stressed that at this point in time we are just asking residents what they think of our proposals for the gypsy sites - no decisions have been made and we are taking onboard all comments we receive. We will not be railroading through any decisions.  We spent four years watching the Tories ignore local people and we are determined not to do the same.

Scunthorpe County Court has today granted North Lincolnshire Council a possession order to claim back its land at Conesby Quarry. This is a last resort, following attempts to move the gypsies off the site. The council will serve the notice tomorrow.  The council first served a notice to the gypsies to vacate the site on Friday 25 July 2008. They had four weeks to move, but refused.

The gypsies failed to pay rent and were abusive and threatening to people including council officers and the Police. The council received many complaints about the gypsies.  Today's order means that the gypsies now have just 48 hours to leave the site. If they fail to do so, the council can call in the bailiffs to evict.

We were left with no alternative but to gain a court order for possession of our land. It is such a shame that the vast majority of gypsies are law-abiding citizens, yet this family has caused nothing but misery. We can put up with so much, but there comes a time when enough is enough. It is not fair to those who have to put up with such bad behaviour. They have let down the gypsy community.

I welcome the new measures announced by the government today to suspend stamp duty for a year on houses costing less than £175,000, introduce free five-year loans of up to 30 per cent of a property's value for first time buyers and to bring forward spending to encourage more social housing to be built. 

The Stamp Duty holiday, which starts from tomorrow, raises the threshold at which the 1 per cent duty is paid from £125,000 to £175,000. The scheme applies only to buildings entirely for residential use. It is hoped the measures will kick-start the housing market and encourage people - and especially first time buyers - to get on the housing ladder.

I welcome any new initiative which will help local people and encourage first-time buyers to get a foothold on the housing market. There is no doubt that we need to help people and I am sure these new measures will make a big difference.

While recent blogs have been of a serious nature it's not all doom and gloom!  Last week I presented two prize winners with bikes. Local people were invited to fill in a questionnaire when visiting Normanby Hall and two winners were selected at random.  Here I am pictured presenting one of the bikes to a local youngster.