Memorandum by Sue Peak (Traveller Representative,
Member of the Showmans Guild) (TF 16)
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING PLANNING GUIDANCE
ON THE PROVISION OF QUARTERS FOR TRAVELLING SHOWPEOPLE
My name is Sue Peak. I am a Showman's wife with
two children and 13 years ago we purchased a piece of land to
use as an Amusements Depot to maintain our home and rides and
to enable our children to attend local schools for their full
time education.
We experienced many difficulties with obtaining
planning permission and subsequently, through the process, were
given eviction orders when our planning permission was turned
down. All around us, people were building properties, having been
given planning permission. We felt there was a great deal of prejudice
against Showpeople. We visited the local Council offices many
times but our pleas "fell on deaf ears" until one sympathetic
Councillor listened to us and gave us hope.
It was a long hard fight which ended eventually
when The Department of the Environment overturned the local Councils
decision and granted us planning permission for life.
The situation isn't getting any better with
local authorities and there is still a great need for Showmans
Amusements Depots. Showman are still experiencing difficulties
in obtaining planning permission. It is time that the Councils
took more responsibility for Showmans needs so that other Showman
and their families can experience the contentment I have had in
the last few years, being settled and our children going to permanent
schools and finishing their education.
Let me explain. Have you ever wondered about
the people who live and work on the Fairground?
Who are they? The people manning the side stalls
or the lady making the candy floss?
Where do they come from?
The life of the Travelling Showmen is quite
fascinating but to understand, you must know a little of their
history. Showpeoplethat's what they are called . . . are
from a Cultural community and many can trace their family back
seven or eight generations.
The business is family based. That means the
whole familymum, dad and the children live and work alongside
each other and even grandparents still have an important role
to play in the daily life and running of the Fair. It is understood,
from an early age, just what is expected of each one of us and
that we all have a role to play with the Fairground.
The Fairground is like a huge extended family.
We are not related to each other but should a problem arise there
is always someone to turn to.
Because the family works side by side, everyone
knows what their role will be on the Fair. The children are actually
learning their Life Skills. It may be helping mum in the wagon
or trailer with the cooking or cleaning or working outside with
their dad or brother or sister building up the stalls or paintingall
of this work is preparing them for their future.
The young children are encouraged from an early
age to play with each other and stay together.
There will be many occasions like Weddings or parties
where the young adults will have the opportunity to meet other
young people from other parts of the country and hopefully forge
friendships that will last them all their lives.
We hope that in the future our children will
marry into other Fairground families and continue the Fairground
tradition.
From November to Easter most Showmen will return
to their winter base or yard as we call them. Then their children
can return to their winter base schools and the young people can
find jobs locally and any repairs and refurbishments can be done
on the equipment. It is essential that Showpeople have a base
to which they can return and it is also essential that they can
keep their equipment and vehicles with them. The equipment can
be very attractive to youngsters and this can be very dangerous
which is why it is better kept with the Showpeople.
The older Showpeople do not retire at 65 years
old but many continue in the business until they feel the need
to stay put. Indeed, some Showmen and their wives in their 80's
and over are still active with their families.
The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain or the
"Guild" as we call it was formed over 100 years ago
and was originally called the Van Dwellers Association. It is
our Tradesman's Guild or union for the Fairground community and
business. It has many rules and regulations which is the bedrock
of our life. The Guild is there to protect the interests of its
members who attend Fairs all over the country. The Guild book
states that all members are equal. The Showmen's Guild is represented
at both National and Regional level. The Guild has nearly 5,000
members but Showpeople number about 20,000 as the member is generally
only one member of the family, usually the head of the family
ie husband or father.
Men and women play a major role within the Fairground
community and it is quite common to see a huge ride behind a lorry
driven by a young woman. Indeed welding and painting and building
up the big rides traditionally done by men is now seen as a job
for male and female alike which shows that Showmen are always
ready to adapt and change to new challenges and environments.
Returning to the question of the effectiveness
of existing planning guidance, I don't believe their is any effectiveness
as the local councils don't take any notice of the planning guidance
and we are no further forward now than we were 15 years ago.
We are experiencing the same sorts of problems
now with my son who has just obtained an Amusement Depot in Surrey.
My son is a Travelling Showman and is due to get married in November
2000. He is 22 years old and he has already experienced two planning
enquiries on the property he has bought. This has resulted in
causing him great cost but it has meant an even greater cost to
Guildford Borough Council.
This shouldn't have to be like this. The Government
should put through legislation which would, in turn, force local
council authorities to give fair hearings to Showmans applications
for planning permission. They should insist that local authorities
abide by existing planning guidance and penalise those that don't.
I am an active member of my local community.
I became a Parish Councillor in 1994 and I ran for District Council
in 1996 and 1997. I am also a volunteer for the South East Surrey
Care Association and also joint Chair of the Surrey Traveller
Community Relations Forum.
I believe that my experience on these committees
together with my experience of obtaining planning permission for
Showmans Depots would be a great advantage to this Environment
Sub-committee.
We urgently need a solution to our problems.
Sue Peak
February 2000
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