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Part II imposes a duty upon the council of a county, county
borough or London borough to exercise their powers under Section
24 of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, 1960, so
far as may be necessary to provide adequate accommodation for
gipsies residing in or resorting to their area. The councils of county
or London boroughs are not required to provide accommodation
for more than 15 caravans at a time and exemption from the duty
may be granted on the grounds that they have no suitable land
available. In addition, county boroughs only may be granted
exemption if the Minister is satisfied that the number of gipsies
resorting to their areas in the five years ended 1st May, 1968, was
not such as to warrant the provision of accommodation for them.
Part III amends the definition of "caravan" under Part I of the
Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act, 1960.
Joint Circular 49/68 and 42/68 dated 23rd August, 1968, states
that Part II is not being brought into immediate operation because
the Ministers are reluctant in present circumstances to impose a
fresh statutory burden on local authorities, but they have given an
assurance that it will be implemented as soon as conditions permit.
Meanwhile the Ministers emphasise that the need for providing
sites remains at least as urgent as when Circular 26/66 was issued.
This Council has made and received confirmation of a compulsory
purchase order in respect of land for the establishment of a
municipal caravan site.
The Rag Flock and Other Filling Materials (Variation) Order,
1968.
This Order came into operation on 1st April, 1968, and increased
the fees payable in respect of registration and licensing of premises
under the Rag Flock and Other Filling Materials Act, 1951, from
£1 to £2.
The Miscellaneous Fees (Variation) Order, 1968.
This Order, operative from 1st April, 1968, in some cases
prescribes specific increases in the fees payable for certain registrations,
permits and licences including that for a Riding Establishment
licence which is raised to £10 from the original 10s. Od.
In the remaining cases local authorities had discretion to charge
fees within prescribed maxima. The new maximum levels prescribed
were adopted by the Council and these include a fee of £2 for both
Pet Shops and Animal Boarding Establishment licences.