A Scottish Government minister has claimed some councillors were not as “enlightened” as they could be about the human rights of gypsy travellers and must be educated.
Alex Neil was reflecting on the approach local authorities take to deal with unauthorised camps and said the community was one of the “most disenfranchised and discriminated against” in Scotland.
The social justice and communities secretary told Holyrood’s equal opportunities committee the government would be publishing guidance on official campsite planning and the minimum standards councils were expected to maintain at existing sites in April and May.
Mr Neil said local authorities could be denied grant funding for other projects like new council housing if they failed to comply.
Tensions between gypsy travellers and the settled community have been fraught in areas across the north and north-east for many years – a point acknowledged by Mr Neil.
Local authorities operate a few official campsites but every year they have to take action to move families on from illegal camps set up on public land.
Last year the government rejected plans from Aberdeen City Council’s ruling administration for a by-law to combat unauthorised sites.
Asked if he thought councils lacked understanding of the responsibilities they had towards gypsy travellers, Mr Neil said: “Sometimes, I will be quite honest, the attitude of local councillors is not always as enlightened perhaps as it should be.
“We have some educational work to do in some areas because they are human beings that have human rights like the rest of us.”
Mr Neil said the government could take action if councils failed to properly maintain official campsites.
“There is a possibility at the end of the day of sanctioning the local authority – we could say they do not get grant funding for various things if they do not raise the standard,” he added.
“Why would be throw good money after bad?
“So very often it is the cash that speaks the loudest when you are dealing with local authorities.”
Mr Neil said a marketing campaign would be launched in the autumn to improve awareness and understanding of the gypsy traveller community.