RESIDENTS of Dorset have met the proposed plans to install authorised traveller camps all over the county with mixed emotions.

It comes after the plans were published this week by a joint working group acting on behalf of all of Dorset’s eight borough, district and unitary councils.

By 2013 the county needs to have found 585-609 residential and transient pitches in Dorset. A total of 80-84 is required in West Dorset and 29-30 in Weymouth and Portland.

There are an estimated 2,400 to 3,000 travellers in the county a year and there are currently 11 unauthorised sites in Dorset.

The 12 proposed sites in Dorset have already been revealed but the sites in Weymouth and Portland will not be revealed until around October 10 – a week before the borough council meets to discuss the locations.

After that there will be a lengthy consultation period where members of the public, homeowners and the travellers themselves will get a chance to voice their opinions. Earlier this August friction between residents and the travellers came to ahead when they allegedly threatened to wreck the skate-park on Radipole Park Drive after they set up camp there.

Mum Daphne Grout-Smith, part of the Friends of Radipole Park and Gardens, group, said she was horrified to find the sheer mess left when travellers camped at the gardens this summer.

She said: “My honest opinion is really, why do the travellers deserve all of this?

“The permanent camps might be one thing but the transient camps are quite another and I know for one thing most of them freely admit they are here on holiday.”

“Although I understand that something needs to be done I think by setting up these sites it will just encourage more of them to come here to Dorset.”

Mrs Grout-Smith, of Roman Road, Weymouth, said that the disrespect shown to the local community was the worst part of having travellers camp on the unauthorised area.

She added: “After they’d gone the council did a fantastic job cleaning up which must have cost a fortune.

“And really if these people are not contributing towards society then why should they get all this help?”

Another mum Michelle Fenton, of Dorchester Road, who was also annoyed about the travellers pitching at Radipole Park Drive said: “I think the consultation period is a good thing and I will get involved.

“I would be interested in seeing the pros and cons of each site.

“Ultimately if this will give police greater powers to move the travellers on and stop them from rolling up anywhere it has to be a good thing.”

Portlander Neville Walbridge said he was disgusted at the mess left in the playing fields opposite the Royal Manor School by travellers this summer.

He said: “You only need to watch the TV to see that even when travellers are given authorised sites such as Dale Farm they don’t keep it clean and keep on wanting more and more land.

“I wouldn’t have a problem if once they were given a site they kept it clean and respected the locals. I just hope with this consultation the people of Dorset won’t be dumped on again.”

For more information on the sites and consultations visit www.dorsetforyou.com /travellerpitches n miriam.phillips@dorsetecho.co.uk