Essex Countywide Traveller Unit Joint Committee
About
Brentwood Borough Council is a member of the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit (ECTU) Joint Committee which follows a multi-agency project that was set up consisting of various Essex District, Borough and Unitary Councils together with Essex County Council, Primary Care Trusts, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police. It was established to examine the outcomes for Gypsy and Traveller communities living throughout Essex, current service provision and the costs that were being incurred. The project confirmed that Traveller communities experienced worse quality of life outcomes against many measures when compared with the population of Essex as a whole and these outcomes also resulted in high consequential costs to the public sector in terms of engaging with the traveller community and dealing with authorised plot provision and, on occasion, unauthorised encampments. It was identified that a joined up approach could reduce costs. The Unit undertakes the following activities within the Gypsy/Traveller Community:
· Fire Safety inspections/advice on sites
· Improving education access/outcomes
· Improving Health and social care access/outcomes
· Management of ECC local authority sites
· Management of Unauthorised encampments on partner land The ECTU will address the issue of unauthorised encampments within the Operational Area and other public landowners at the discretion of the ECTU if resources are available. The ECTU will seek to being enforcement proceedings by virtue of the provisions of Section 77 of the Criminal Justice And Public Order Act 1994, however where necessary seek enforcement through Part 55 of the Civil Procedure Rules. The Committee consists of twelve members of the Partner Authorities and Chief Constable. This includes Essex County Council that appoints two members, one to discharge its health functions and one to discharge its non-health functions.