A COUNCIL leader said he wants to see a decision made on the future of Gypsy camp provision in Darlington as quickly as possible to “remove the blight that people that people percieve to have come on their houses”.

Councillor Bill Dixon, leader of Darlington Borough Council, said the six potential Gyspy and traveller sites earmarked for Darlington are not appropriate, as consultation on initial plans comes to an end.

Coun Dixon made his comments after Darlington MP Jenny Chapman publicly aired her concerns about the potential sites, using her Twitter feed to say: “Having listened to residents I'm less convinced than ever by the consultation on traveller sites.”

She later added: “I think it's the wrong plan. We should make sure the sites we have are properly managed first.”

A final decision on the future of Gypsy and traveller provision in the town will be made in September, but Coun Dixon said he wanted to set minds at rest as soon as possible.

He said: “As a borough we seem to be very well provided, and rightly so, for travelling communities.

“My view is that the sites we’ve got are working extremely well and the new sites identified by officers are wholly unsatisfactory.

“Hopefully the council will take that view when they consider it at the meeting.

“We have to go through this process to produce a local plan so that people don’t build whereever they want but as soon as possible we need to remove the blight that people percieve has come on their houses.”

Speaking yesterday, Ms Chapman said: “I think that the sites identified are not appropriate. Darlington takes its responsibilities to the Gypsy and traveller communities seriously and it’s not right that we should be spending more time and money being forced to consult on additional sites.

“Our efforts could be better spent making sure that they are run in the best way possible.”

Coun Heather Scott, leader of the Conservative opposition, said: “This has caused a lot of upset and unnecessary concern for people. We have two very well run sites and I think we should look at making extra spaces at those sites.

“I’m pleased that Coun Dixon appears to be of the same mind.”

A council spokeswoman said the six sites had been put forward as a fact-finding exercise and that no proposals had been set in stone.

Initial consultation ends today at 5pm.