PEOPLE in Westbury and Henleaze are being urged to give their views on how Bristol City Council council should work with people living in vehicles on the Downs and across the city.
The council wants to develop a new policy that will balance offering help and advice to vehicle dwellers to better meet their health and housing needs, alongside considering the needs of the local community. It will also look to refresh the way the council responds to people living in vehicles, providing a clearer process and explanation for when action will be taken.
As part of this process, the council has launched a consultation and wants to hear from everyone affected. People have until October 23 to respond.
The pressure group Protect the Downs is offering advice via its website and social media to residents who want to express their views.
The group stresses it is not against vehicle dwellers. It says it wants to keep pressure on the council to identify and support the genuinely vulnerable, while also protecting the Downs from growing environmental damage and anti-social behaviour, including long-term vehicle dwellings.
The council says its new policy, which will guide the council’s actions moving forward, is based on the principles of inclusion, support, fair and consistent enforcement, and providing safer alternative places for vehicle dwellers to live.
It aims to reduce the number of people living in vehicles on highways and council-owned land in Bristol without consent, by offering meanwhile site pitches to those who qualify, welfare advice, and help finding ways to move into fixed accommodation.
There has been an increase in the number of people living in vehicles across Bristol. The latest count revealed a slight drop to 614 from a peak of 680.
Councillor Barry Parsons, chair of the homes and housing delivery committee, said: “We are working hard to achieve the best possible outcomes for everyone involved despite several constraints, including limited resources, lack of suitable land for meanwhile sites and the competing needs of diverse groups within the city.
“I would like to assure people that this is a genuine consultation, and nothing has been finalised yet. Your feedback will help influence decisions, so please do take part in the survey.”
Alongside policy, council teams are working to identify more meanwhile sites and are looking at how these can be brought through the planning process quickly.
Meanwhile sites are on land due to be developed, and provide a valuable safe space for vehicle dwellers, with access to services, such as toilets and running water. There are currently five sites open, and two sites due to open shortly, which will bring the number of pitches up to 99. Another four sites are going through the planning process.
Officers are also continuing to explore opportunities for providing service sites – which would provide drinking water, waste disposal and laundry services – in the city.
To find out more and to give your views, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/vehicle-dwellerspolicy
You can request a paper copy, alternative format or translated version of the survey by contacting the Gypsy Roma Traveller team or by emailing vehicle.dwellers@bristol.gov.uk or by phoning 0117 9223921.
Feedback from the consultation will be used to inform the final policy, which will be taken to the committee in December.