The Big Debate focused on where and why the gypsy and travellers sites should go in Leicester and Leicestershire and was attended by local residents, gypsy and travellers, and local councilors. Listen to the BIG Debate in full or the highlights here...There are three permanent council run gypsy and travellers sites in Leicester and Leicestershire. This is a total of 43 pitches which hold 60 caravans and is the equivalent of 60 houses. | "The gypsy's sites have to be more supervised and the local councils need to find appropriate locations away from other residents." | | Gerry, Local Resident |
The Housing Act 2004 states that each Local Authority will have to assess the accommodation needs for gypsy and travellers alongside the settled community, then ensure that they meet their needs by providing land or sites. Both Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council have applied for funding from Central Government to have sites so there could be a site near you. Listen to the different community viewpoints and find out the facts about the gypsy and travelling community before you make your mind up…During our Big Debate over the rights of gypsies and travellers in Leicestershire, there were calls for them not to leave a clean up bill behind them. In response they replied that only a small minority are troublemakers and they have to live somewhere. So where to we go from here...The Leicestershire County Councilor, Kevin Feltham agreed that they do need to find more legal sites for gypsies and travellers to stay, but says it has to be a team effort. Gypsies & TravellersThere are three different types of travellers' the Romany Gypsies Irish Travellers and New Travellers each are different from each other. It is the Gypsies and Irish Travellers that are recognised as an ethnic group under Race Relations legislation. Romany Gypsies have been in England for over 600 years and Irish Travellers also have a long history of being nomadic in this country. New Travellers also form part of the travelling community. How much do you know about the gypsy and travelling community? Listen to the history here...The majority of gypsies and travellers in England live in caravans on local authority managed or private sites, with some living in caravans on unauthorised sites. Join the debate! Where should the gypsy and travellers sites go in Leicester and Leicestershire? | 
