Have You Tried Not Making Them Welcome?

A group of caravans and associated vehicles have parked up on grassland off Ryall Road in Canford Heath. Police were reportedly seen at the site shortly after the travellers' arrival on the afternoon of October 1.

A BCP Council spokeswoman said: “We are aware that an encampment has formed at Ryall Road in Poole.

“Our staff will be attending the site today to carry out the statutory welfare and educational needs assessments.”

I really don't think that's what the residents want, do you? 

H/T: Ian J via email 

A Rose Weed By Any Other Name....

Gypsy and Roma traveller pupils are to be referred to as 'mobile children' under new government guidance. New pupil absence advice issued by the Department for Education uses the term to refer to students 'of no fixed abode' who miss school while their parents are 'travelling during the course of their trade or business'.

Wouldn't this now put them on the same level as children of force's families who get moved around with their squadrons? 

The law allows children to be away from the classroom while their parents are travelling for occupational reasons. Such as absence is commonly marked with a 'T' by teachers in what is called the 'T code'.

So will it now be an 'M' code? Is that the only change? Seems pretty pointless...and not just to me. 

Minister of State for Skills Baroness Smith of Malvern said that the change had been made to clarify that a child's 'mobility' rather than ethnicity qualifies them for authorised absence. But the purpose of the move has been questioned by advocacy groups.

The Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and other Travellers (ACERT) said it was unclear what purpose the altered wording served given that the corresponding legislation remains the same.

Sounds like change for change's sake. Just more makework for the public sector. 

 

No, Please, Do Tell Us How You Suffer From 'Racism' Again...

...and how that's not a perfectly normal reaction from law abiding people when you act like this:

One man, who lives nearby, said shaken locals fear for their safety.

He said: 'They (the responding officers) had to wait for the riot police as back up before opening the gates on a public road. How do you think we local residents feel?

'The gates were locked another couple of times after the police opened them.

'The travellers have simply ignored the order. How can they be allowed to just do that? Law abiding citizens are being left to put up with this and suffer.

'We know police have the power to move them on but they're too scared. It is disgusting that this is allowed to continue.'

Yes, it's disgusting that West Mercia Police do absolutely nothing when travellers turn up and cause havoc, but they do have a long and undistinguished history of letting them get away with it, so it should hardly be surprising, should it?

They've now moved on, leaving their usual mess behind them. Would it be too much to hope they've moved somewhere close to the Chief Con or his relatives?