View report page

37
THE CARAVAN SITES AND CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1960
This Act came into force on 29th August, 1960. Its
objects are to control the location of caravan sites and
to improve conditions on sites. It is an offence, punishable
by a fine of up to £100, for anyone to permit land
to be used as a caravan site without a site licence. The
Council have delegated to the Public Health Committee the
powers relating to site licences, but these can only be
issued if the planning authorities first give planning
permission. If that permission is given, a site licence
cannot be refused, but will impose conditions to secure
that sites are properly laid-out, equipped and maintained.
There are certain exemptions from these requirements such
as travelling showmen, agricultural and building site
workers and sites with occasional and limited use. It was
found that nine sites were in use in the Borough and
applications in respect of these are being considered by
the planning authorities.
It does not appear that the Act will be of much assistance
in dealing with our main problem, that of the
itinerant or gipsy type caravan dweller who encamps on
any available plot of land, road verges, etc. The habits
of these people are only too well known and are a constant
cause of complaint. Our only legal remedy is in establishing
a statutory nuisance under the Public Health Acts,
but the nomadic nature of these people makes the correct
service of notices and summonses a virtual impossibility.
Formal and informal action by the Public Health Inspectors
over past years, under powers contained in the Ealing
Corporation Act, 1905, has led to practically all available
privately owned land in the Greenford and Northolt areas
being fenced as a protection against the entrance of
these caravans. The Council employ a warden to keep
Council owned land free and the constant harassing of
these caravan dwellers by the warden and the Public Health
Inspectors, who work in close co-operation, has met with
a reasonable degree of success. Towards the end of the
year, however, there were signs that the problem was
likely to be intensified along road verges, unused service
roads, etc. owing, no doubt, to the still further restricted
availability of suitable land in West Middlesex.
RENT ACT, 1957
Part I Applications for Certificates of Disrepair
(1) Number of applications for certificates 24
(2) Number of decisions not to issue certificates