My Council fully endorses the main points raised by South Cambridgeshire District Council:

—  There needs to be a clear national policy on traveller sites. The Government cannot expect individual councils to cope on their own when faced by a huge influx of travellers in a single locality.

—  Planning guidance needs to address issues relating to the private ownership of sites by travellers, not just the public provision of sites for travellers.

—  Whilst councils should have a statutory duty to provide sites for travellers and be prepared to listen to travellers' proposals for sites, travellers should not be given permission for their own sites unless they consult the council first.

—  The size of sites matters and should be a material consideration for planning applications and appeals. Large sites have an adverse impact on the local environment and infrastructure (eg, severe pressure on schools and GP surgeries).

—  The human rights/needs of local households and the indigenous travelling community should not be overlooked. They can feel threatened, frustrated and helpless by unplanned settlements being endorsed via planning appeals.

  In addition, my Council considers that:

—  There should be a proper definition of a "large site" and that a ceiling should be placed on the number of caravans in any one site. The lower this ceiling is, the less unacceptable a site might be to others.

—  Planning applications for travellers and non-travellers should be treated in exactly the same way.

—  A maximum ratio between the numbers of houses and caravans within a parish should be established and be a material consideration.

—  Whatever guidelines are decided, the number of existing caravans and existing travellers permanently housed in any community must be a material consideration when considering a planning application to accommodate more.

Colin Brown

Parish Clerk