Brentwood Borough Council is a
member of the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit (ECTU) Joint
Committee which follows a multi-agency project that was set up
consisting of various Essex District, Borough and Unitary Councils
together with Essex County Council, Primary Care Trusts, Essex
County Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police. It was established
to examine the outcomes for Gypsy and Traveller communities living
throughout Essex, current service provision and the costs that were
being incurred.
The
project confirmed that Traveller communities experienced worse
quality of life outcomes against many measures when compared with
the population of Essex as a whole and these outcomes also resulted
in high consequential costs to the public sector in terms of
engaging with the traveller community and dealing with authorised
plot provision and, on occasion, unauthorised encampments. It was
identified that a joined up approach could reduce costs.
The
Unit undertakes the following activities within the Gypsy/Traveller
Community:
·
Fire Safety
inspections/advice on sites
·
Improving
education access/outcomes
·
Improving
Health and social care access/outcomes
·
Management
of ECC local authority sites
·
Management
of Unauthorised encampments on partner land
The
ECTU will address the issue of unauthorised encampments within the
Operational Area and other public landowners at the discretion of
the ECTU if resources are available. The ECTU will seek to being
enforcement proceedings by virtue of the provisions of Section 77
of the Criminal Justice And Public Order Act 1994, however where
necessary seek enforcement through Part 55 of the Civil Procedure
Rules.
The
Committee consists of twelve members of the Partner Authorities and
Chief Constable. This includes Essex County Council that appoints
two members, one to discharge its health functions and one to
discharge its non-health functions.