Equal rights for Travellers in trailers

THE WELSH Government has outlined plans to make sure Gypsies and Travellers living in mobile homes get equal protection from eviction to that enjoyed by non-Travellers.

The Welsh Assembly's Finance Minister Jane Hutt, who is also responsible for equalities, has said "We want to change the law in Wales to make sure that Gypsies and travellers are protected from unfair eviction from their home.

"We plan to make councils fully explain to the court why they think a Gypsy or Traveller should be evicted from one of their sites. If the court disagrees, the family won't be evicted."

A public consultation on the new plans has been released and will remain open until the end of March this year.

Ms Hutt's comments emphasised the role of councils in making sure sites are properly maintained, and that Gypsy and Traveller people are afforded the right to a secure home life which is guaranteed to everyone by human rights legislation.

"By strengthening the rights of Gypsies and travellers we can make sure that Gypsies' and travellers' human rights are protected and that they are not unfairly evicted," added the minister.

"We are also making sure that councils are able to manage sites well, so that everyone who lives on these sites is treated fairly," she said.

The 1983 Mobile Homes Act was amended in 2011 to give full security of tenure to residents of local authority-run Gypsy and Traveller sites.

However, the amendments did not apply to Wales, where Travellers can still be evicted from council pitches at 28 days' notice and with no onus on councils to justify an eviction.