Council to fund Gypsy, Roma, Traveller liason role

Tracie Bangert, cabinet member for communities and well-being, said there was "an identified need" for such a role

A Sussex District Council is to take £50,000 from its reserves to fund a Gypsy, Roma, Traveller (GRT) liaison role.

The money was approved at a cabinet meeting of Chichester District Council on Tuesday.

Tracie Bangert, cabinet member for communities and well-being, said there was "an identified need" for such a role.

She said: “There are a number of outcomes which we would hope to achieve by having this role, including reducing tensions between the settled community and the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller community.”

A report to the cabinet said council officers regularly received complaints about the GRT community "causing anti-social behaviour and fear" within non-GRT population.

The council said it was also aware that the Gypsy, Roma, Travellers community was subject to discrimination, which goes largely under-reported.

As well as reducing tensions, the aim of the role will be to provide a link between all council services and the GRT population, engaging with them on key issues.

It will also be a point of contact for the police, the county council and the GRT community to raise issues and share information.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that the role will be looked at after two years to see whether it has achieved its aims.