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Row over camp near Jowell's home Row erupts over Gypsy development
(about 2 hours later)
A council is to decide what to do about a Gypsy encampment in Warwickshire 200 yards from the country house of Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell. A council is considering what action to take over a development set up by Gypsies in Warwickshire.
About 100 English Romany Gypsies arrived at the site on Friday. About 100 English Romany Gypsies moved on to land they own on Friday and set up water and electricity supplies and laid down paving for caravans.
They set up water and electricity supplies before erecting fences and putting down paving for 32 caravans close to Shipston-on-Stour. Stratford-on-Avon District Council said the site at Darlingscott, near Shipston-on-Stour, was "unlawful".
Stratford-on-Avon Council, which calls itself the lead authority on the case, said it is examining all options. But Zack Follows, from the site, said the arrivals were all taxpayers and the Gypsy community had "nowhere to go".
The site is near the house of David Mills, the estranged husband of Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell.
We cannot keep on being pushed from pillar to post Zack FollowsWe cannot keep on being pushed from pillar to post Zack Follows
In a statement, it said: "Stratford-on-Avon District Council is the enforcement agency responsible for planning and environmental health issues. Stratford-on-Avon District Council said, as the enforcement agency responsible for planning and environmental health issues, it was "considering what appropriate action to take with regards to this unlawful development".
"Currently the council is... considering what appropriate action to take with regards to this unlawful development." Warwickshire County Council is backing the district council, and said the site was "designated as agricultural land" and would require planning approval for such development.
Tory councillor Chris Saint, from Warwickshire County Council, believes the Gypsies used the four-day public holiday to move onto the field, which they bought more than a year ago, to avoid opposition from the local authority. Tory county councillor Chris Saint, who represents the area, said on Monday: "We view it with alarm because I have no information about a planning application even being lodged, let alone granted, and I would be the first to know."
On Monday Mr Saint, who represents the area, said: "We view it with alarm because I have no information about a planning application even being lodged, let alone granted, and I would be the first to know."
Asked whether he thought the Gypsies targeted the bank holiday weekend as no-one would be working at the council's offices, Mr Saint said: "We don't know that for certain.Asked whether he thought the Gypsies targeted the bank holiday weekend as no-one would be working at the council's offices, Mr Saint said: "We don't know that for certain.
"But the speculation is that they have done this because there is a four-day window when officialdom is unlikely to get to them.""But the speculation is that they have done this because there is a four-day window when officialdom is unlikely to get to them."
'Legitimate businesses''Legitimate businesses'
Zack Follows, 31, a father of four who has moved on to the site, said 16 plots have been sold for about £20,000 each. Mr Follows, 31, said 16 plots had been sold for about £20,000 each.
Mr Follows said: "The council is supposed to be supplying sites for the Gypsy community but no sites are being provided and there is nowhere for the community to go. "The council is supposed to be supplying sites for the Gypsy community but no sites are being provided and there is nowhere for the community to go," he said.
"We have got piles of papers from how many times we have been refused sites."We have got piles of papers from how many times we have been refused sites.
"At the end of the day, we cannot keep on being pushed from pillar to post."At the end of the day, we cannot keep on being pushed from pillar to post.
"One hundred percent of the people here are taxpayers who have legitimate businesses." "One hundred per cent of the people here are taxpayers who have legitimate businesses."