Meeting at Solihull Council

I was in attendance at a meeting in Solihull council discussing potential traveller sites suitability in the borough. I also got the chance to air my views on this issue.

Further information can be found on the Solihull News website here

The speech that I gave to the council:

THank you.  Due to the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty the EU in its own right has become a signatory to the ECHR whose duristiction all public bodies including this council, are obliged by the convention and its jurisprudence. Hence this is a constituency matter for me and I have arrived from Strasbourg to give you my thoughts on this matter

There has been much focus on the Human Rights and Humanitarian needs of the travellers - work permitted by the Council even after the unlawful bank holiday development to accommodate need and no doubt further considerations later on when the site closes.  But where is the Councils consideration of the HR and needs of the settled community?  Simply contesting the planning case is not enough.  The Council can go further to inject a new sense of balance

I am pleased to see that the report has agreed with my long standing view and call that the Eaves Green Lane site is unsuitable

The Council can show its appreciation of the HR of the settled community by

(a) Asserting its position strongly in the case of Eaves Green Lane (EGL) by not allowing further planning applications at the unlawful and adjoining site - which will cause tension, stress and trauma to those villagers who have already sat for nearly 700 days in all weathers to achieve their planning and legal victories so far.  To continue further applications at this site and the site next door - where there are already provocative signs erected giving notice of future development attempts would be to fail the people of Meriden as well as the travellers

(b) Remove the School Rd Hockley Heath site from consideration - it is green belt and has many of the same characteristics of the EGL site which has been found to be wanting by everyone who has passed decision on it. You will hear eloquent arguments from others as to its unsuitability. By ruling this out immediately you can remove the burden of blight

(c) Reject 'wish list' research that may emerge - regarding your G&T needs assessment regarding alleged G&T need in the Borough.  We need to get to understand the REAL needs of real people - not the greed of developers who want to exploit our green belt.  Such research can be guilty of simply taking expression of aspiration as verifiable need - if this happens then the Authority quickly finds itself the victim of unrealistic targets which in turn fuel unauthorised developments by savvy developers who seek to exploit this alleged unmet need

(d) Commit to an evolutionary growth strategy aimed at facilitating family growth at tolerated sites - THIS is a humanitarian approach

(e) Use a greater level of imagination in the search for suitable sites - proactively TARGET sites for discussion - engage with communities - look at sites on our boundaries and borders and beyond which should be brownfield and not greenbelt.  The new Government has introduced a duty to co-operate in the Localism Act - use it.  Do NOT use the blunt instrument of 'call for sites' - which can often be used for the wrong reason i.e. to stimulate the sale of land rather be anything to do with addressing G&T need.  The process itself causes blight, uncertainty and stress - as does the prospect of a new development - of unknown size - at a - usually - unsuitable location in the community

Strike a blow for equality tonight.   These things serve EQUALLY the human rights of the settled and travelling community alike

Meriden RAID response

I am saddened, shocked and angered by the actions taken by Solihull Council last night in choosing to evict the Meriden RAID protestors.

For over 600 days residents have been united in their vigil to observe the traveller site to ensure no further inappropriate development continued on the Green Belt land. I have joined them around the fire and over time they’ve gone from my constituents to my friends.

The West Midlands is made up of a 5^th of Greenbelt land and it is only right that people protect this. Human rights and the circular of 2006, created by New Labour and John Prescott, has given rise to special rights for travellers to develop on Greenbelt land, something that means they are given rights above those of a normal citizen.

These special rights have brought misery to the lives of the residents in the area. The RAID group stated that they were going to continue their observations until Solihull council enforced the traveller site eviction and this is only right. If Solihull council fail to take control of the situation, we could be looking at Dale Farm mark two. It is now only a month until the issue goes back to high court, with the council seeking permission for the traveller site eviction. One can only hope that this will be the beginning of the end for the nightmare that has fallen on Meriden residents.

As the RAID group have said to the press,

“The council have voted to evict the residents on the 31^st March. These are the same residents who have alerted the council to the on-going breaches of an injunction and have provided evidence for the council to use in the public enquiries”.

Although the residents will have to remove the wood burner and shelter from the site, they will continue their constant observation. I will continue to stand alongside them. The fight for the rights of the people of Meriden continues.

PRESS RELEASE

OUTRAGE OF MEP AS SOLIHULL COUNCIL ATTEMPTS TO EVICT MERIDEN PROTESTORS

Issue Date: 2nd February 2012

An Independent West Midlands MEP has slammed Solihull Council’s decision to evict Meriden RAID protestors.

Nikki Sinclaire has worked closely alongside local Meriden residents who set up protest camp at the Eaves Lane site. The RAID group, who were set up as an opposition to the unwanted development of Green Belt land by the traveller’s site, have been joined by the local MEP on long and cold nights, and Nikki has vowed to continue to protest with them.

Following the news that Eric Pickles had dismissed the appeal for the travellers to stay on the land, both permanently and temporarily, the RAID group vowed to continue their protest until they saw the council take action to reclaim the land. In a twist of fate, it may now be the protestors that are evicted long before the travellers.

Nikki said of the latest developments,

“In the West Midlands, 20% of the area is classed as Greenbelt land. However, due to both the EU’s human rights culture and the UK government, travellers now have special rights. Everybody should have equal rights and have the right not to see the sanctity of their local environment ridden roughshod over as the result of this.

“This is Middle England standing up for itself, only to be slammed by Solihull Council. The people involved in the RAID protest camp have restored my faith in grass root politics and activism. When ordinary people speak, then politicians should listen.

“Over the time I have spent with this group, I have come to regard them as friends. I will continue the fight alongside them – they have not come this far for nothing”.

ENDS

New Gypsy sites infringe human rights

LOCAL EURO MEP Nikki Sinclaire has slammed Solihull Councils plans for more Gypsy sites as a waste of taxpayers money and an infringement of the human rights of the settled community.  She said that she supported Gypsy and Traveller housing needs but that the process used by Solihull Council was causing misery and housing blight and is a 'sledgehammer to crack a nut'

 

Nikki focused on suggested Solihull locations at Hockley Heath, Balsall Common and Eaves Green Lane) as being hugely inappropriate attempts to force development in the Green Belt using 'Europe inspired political correctness' over traveller provision and said 'If Europe wants to dictate to us about the rights of Travellers they should also remember the rights of the settled community under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights where 

 

1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

2. 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.

 

She added 'Solihull Council is a willing accomplis on the contravention of these rights and is using a 'sledge hammer to crack a nut'.  They should use a strategy of evolutionary growth at tolerated sites in the Borough and (b) put in place checks and safeguards to ensure that Gypsy and traveller NEED is distinguished from the activities of Gypsy and travellers developers who are simply using the cloak of human rights and ethnic minority status to try to force residential and commercial development in the greenbelt for profit - as has been seen at the Eaves Green Lane site in Meriden - which has so incensed local residents'

Protest Action Outside Solihull Council Offices at 1pm today

Protest Action Outside Solihull Council Offices at 1pm today

Despite the the strongest level of Refusal by the Secretary of State following the Appeal by Travellers over the illegal Gypsy Site at Eaves Green Lane in Meriden Solihull Council have taken NO ACTION to ENFORCE this decision and the resident Travellers are taking a line similar to that at Dale Farm to STAY PUT while Council Officials sit on their hands.
Residents are calling for our Council to take action and are making a formal protest outside Solihull Council Offices Today at 1.00pm Calling for "Action Now"
Any members or supporters Free to do so can support this legitimate protest action simply by turning up and calling for our Council to carry out its legal duties to take action under the planning enforcement powers it has following the extended Public Inquiry that has now dealt with all the outstanding issues and given the Travellers every opportunity to present their case within the law.
We are not calling for these Travellers who have been ensconced for 20 months already to be evicted immediately but that action is set in train for them to be moved off in a reasonable time frame early in the New Year.
Failure to act promptly will lead to costly and extended litigation and confrontation that will bring no credit to our local authority and the costs will be picked up by Solihull's long suffering Council Taxpayers.
Tuesday is also the Full Council Meeting held in public and Starting at 5.30pm in the Council Chamber at the Civic Suite.

For further details see the Meriden RAID site at

500 Days not out! Middle England stands up for itself



Nikki's Ad Van with her poster in support of the people of Meriden



Eurosceptic MEP pays tribute to Middle England Activists

West Midlands Independent MEP, Nikki Sinclaire, has paid tribute to the residents of Meriden, the ´centre of England´ for their tenacity and activism in standing up to unlawful development on the Green Belt by travellers.

Residents have been manning a 24/7 protest camp for 500 days (Tuesday 13th Sept) and are awaiting a decision on a public enquiry from Secretary of State, Eric Pickles MP, due later this month.

Nikki being interviewed by Mercia FM



Ms. Sinclaire has been very active in the Campaign with many visits to the Camp over the last year or so including many late nights. Ms. Sinclaire has slammed the EU and the ECHR and the resulting Human Rights culture that has caused such misery to law abiding citizens.

New Labour and John Prescott were keen to adopt this culture that gave rise the his Circular of 2006 that allowed travellers to develop on Green belt land giving them special rights over ordinary citizens.



Ms. Sinclaire said "This is middle England at last standing up for itself, woe betide any government that does not listen to these people - their actions over the past year have restored my faith in grass roots politics and activism, when ordinary people speak, politicians should listen"

She also went on to call for David Cameron not to play abut with words an follow through on the Conservative Party's manifesto commitment to repel the Human Rights Act saying "If every Tory MP voted for this I am sure the rest of the necessary votes could be gleaned from other parties" adding "our communities and society is paying a heavy price for the "EU Human Rights Culture".

Nikki will be present in Meriden for the 500 day activities

BBC Report on the Meriden public enquiry. Nikki speaks against special rights

BBC, Public enquiry then on Brussels

Today has been one of those typical untypical days that is the job of an MEP. It all started at 7.40am with a Radio interview on the BBC

Then it was off to to the Public enquiry in Meriden dealing with the issue of the inappropriate development on the greenbelt. Further media interviews with the BBC, ITV and several newspapers. By lunchtime I was in the office for a quick staff meeting and catch up on correspondence then the now usaual dash to the airport to catch the plane to Brussels for the mini plenary this week. As soon as I arrived in the office started dealing with a mountain of paperwork and reports and am writing this blog from my office at 23.54 then off to bed!  Early start tomorrow

Trains, Planes and change of schedule

One of the more frustrating elements of being an MEP is the travel and in particular the need for flexibility due to last minute changes of plan. Today is a good example. I left home at 7.15am to catch a train to London to support constituents from Barnacle, Coventry at the High Court in London in their attempt to obtain a permanent injunction against inappropriate development in their community by gypsies. I decided to not attend Brussels today to support them. Just as the train pulled away from Birmingham International I got a phone call informing me that the matter had been adjourned. I got off the train in Coventry and waited for the next train back to Birmingham.

I spent the morning in my office going through constituency matters including writing to Local Communities Minister, Eric Pickles demanding that he revoke John Prescott's circular 2006/01 that has allowed gypsies to destroy Green Belt land.

I then re-arranged my flight so I could get to Brussels for the plenary session.