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Contingency Planning in Firle: CRE Safe Communities Initiative case study

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Safe Communities Initiative: case studies

Contingency Planning in Firle


The Safe Communities Initiative (SCI) team's aim was to work with agencies to plan for the local effect of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision on whether there should be prosecutions for incitement to racial hatred, following the burning of an effigy of a Gypsy caravan at the 2003 Firle Bonfire Society celebrations.

In particular, their objectives were to:

  • think about the potential effect of the CPS decision on community relations;
  • help local agencies put in place contingency arrangements to manage community tensions; and
  • educate public authorities about their duty to promote good race relations under the Race Relations Act (1976).

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Background

In the summer of 2003, a Gypsy family moved on to a field in Firle which belonged to a local farmer. Allegations of fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour were made against the site residents by the other local residents. This resulted in raised community tensions.

East Sussex has a long tradition of large scale Bonfire Night celebrations, starting in October with smaller local celebrations and culminating in an event in Lewes on 5 November. The Firle Bonfire Society has a tradition of parading effigies of 'things which have troubled the community' over the previous 12 months through the town, before burning them on the bonfire. Previous effigies included Tony Blair, George W Bush and Osama Bin Laden.

On 25 October 2003, the Firle Bonfire Society chose to burn an effigy of a Gypsy caravan. The effigy included a painting of a Gypsy family inside the caravan and the number plate "P1KEY", an offensive term used to describe Irish Travellers. The content and tone of the event resulted in a number of complaints to Sussex Police and extensive coverage in the local and national press.

The local MP backed the Firle Bonfire Society and said that residents were upset after "itinerant criminals" caused damage to land and property and that a degree of anger was understandable. The Firle Bonfire Society Chairman published a statement saying that their intentions had been misunderstood and that they had primarily intended to criticise local authorities. Subsequently, they issued an unreserved apology to anyone who had been caused distress by what had happened but said that the incident was "emphatically not a racist comment".

The Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, commented that the incident was a clear example of incitement to racial hatred and Sussex Police, recognising the concerns across communities in East Sussex, committed to a full, open and thorough investigation to uncover all the facts. 12 members of Firle Bonfire Society were arrested and released on bail to await the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service on whether there was enough evidence to pursue a prosecution.

Lewes District Council responded quickly to the incident by setting up a cross-party member working group to report to the Council Cabinet on Gypsy and Traveller matters. Local authority officers and Gypsies and Travellers were invited to attend and give presentations as needed. East Sussex County Council also appointed a temporary Traveller Liaison Officer to look into the subject.

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Who was involved?

The contingency planning meeting was organised by SCI and attended by:

  • Commission for Racial Equality (Gypsy and Traveller policy unit)
  • East Sussex County Council
  • Lewes District Council
  • Sussex Police
  • Friends and Families of Travellers
  • The Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition
  • Travellers' Chaplaincy
  • Sompriti, a voluntary organisation working with ethnic minority people in Sussex

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What happened?

SCI became involved in Firle in March 2004 following concerns about the potential effect of the CPS decision on community tensions - whether or not the CPS decided that a prosecution should proceed. They contacted East Sussex County Council, Firle District Council, Sussex Police and Gypsy and Traveller organisations. SCI was concerned that local public authorities understood planning for and managing community tensions as part of their duty to promote good race relations under the Race Relations Act.

The SCI team set up and chaired a meeting in Lewes Town Hall. The meeting provided an opportunity for discussing current tensions and work needed on Gypsy and Traveller matters but it focused primarily on planning, whatever the outcome of the CPS decision. They agreed a number of general principles and specific actions. In particular, Sussex Police and the local authorities agreed to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service in communicating their decision and providing reassurance to Gypsies and Travellers in the area.

On 7 July 2004, the Director of Public Prosecutions advised Sussex Police that there should be no prosecutions for incitement to racial hatred or public order offences. He released a statement saying that he "understood the disquiet and repugnance of those who were offended". The reviewing lawyer commented that "the general picture which emerged from the evidence was of a fairly disorganised group of individuals playing different parts in the event". They agreed that there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and there should be no prosecutions.

13. Senior officers from the Crown Prosecution Service, East Sussex County Council and Sussex Police visited Gypsies and Travellers in the area and explained the CPS decision, following further consultation with SCI. The Gypsy and Traveller communities were extremely disappointed with the decision not to pursue the prosecution but some were reassured by the CPS statement and local agency action.

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Achievements

The meeting led to the re-establishment of the Sussex Traveller Forum which brings together local agencies and Gypsies and Travellers in Sussex on a regular basis to discuss problems that have arisen. All Gypsies and Travellers in Sussex are formally invited to attend and it provides an opportunity for two-way communication between Gypsies and Travellers and local agencies. The forum meets every three months and rotates between the local authorities in the county.

East Sussex County Council appointed a permanent Traveller Liaison Officer to take a strategic lead on Gypsy and Traveller matters across the county. The appointment led to a programme of work in the county including:

  • A public exhibition - 'Moving Forward' - showing Gypsy and Traveller craft, art work and poetry, which was displayed in public buildings across the county.
  • Work with local schools, including a play for children by the Bigfoot Drama Group educating them about what it is like being a Gypsy.
  • A Gypsy Site Refurbishment Application to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, a Housing Needs Assessment and an East Sussex Gypsy and Traveller Strategy (in development at the time of writing), all produced with full consultation with local agencies, members of settled communities and members of Gypsy and Traveller communities.

East Sussex County Council, Sussex Police and Lewes District Council came together to plan for community tensions around Bonfire celebrations in 2004 and will continue to work together to plan for Bonfire celebrations in subsequent years.

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Learning points

  • Take a partnership approach to managing community tensions. Work with local authorities, police and other agencies and consider setting up a cross-political party working group of local politicians.
  • Think carefully about the 'flashpoints' for community tensions. Address the long term causes, such as site provision, and plan, the short term, to managing foreseeable community tensions.
  • Local agencies should communicate openly with their local communities, giving them a voice and being honest with them in return. Make sure that the dialogue includes all the different communities in a local area, including both site residents and other local residents, and be aware of the diversity within those communities - for example, many Gypsies and Travellers now live in settled accommodation.
  • Preparing media strategies around controversial national or local announcements can be an important part of the duty on public authorities to promote good race relations. Give reassurance to the communities affected.
  • Encourage people to report hate crime. Put in place steps to make sure that their confidence in the Criminal Justice System is maintained if the Crown Prosecution Service takes a decision not to proceed with a prosecution.

Working in partnership

East Sussex County Council and Lewes District Council were involved in responding to the Bonfire Night incident. They were improving their work engaging with Gypsies and Travellers.

Sussex Police investigated the incident and were aware that they needed to improve their engagement with Gypsy and Traveller communities

Gypsy and Traveller Organisations offered advice about working with Gypsy and Traveller communities

Engaging in dialogue

SCI chaired a meeting to bring together local agencies to discuss the Bonfire Night incident and the needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities.

Attendees discussed ways they could work together towards common goals and share information on potential flashpoints for community tensions.

Employing an 'honest broker'

SCI acted as an honest broker in setting up the meeting.

SCI had credibility with the local agencies involved because - as part of the CRE - they were seen to be a good source of advice on the duty to promote race equality. They also had a reputation as experts on community conflict.

Finding practical solutions

As well as facilitating information sharing between local agencies, the meeting focused on identifying practical actions.

It was agreed that senior officers from each organisation would visit Gypsy and Traveller communities to explain the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to bring a prosecution following the Bonfire Night incident.

It was also agreed that the Sussex Traveller Forum would be resurrected to lead longer-term work.

Taking a long-term approach

SCI involvement focused on arranging the meeting and helping local stakeholders identify appropriate next steps which they could take without SCI.

Following the meeting, SCI was available to offer advice to the local agencies and to attend meetings of the Sussex Traveller Forum to share information.

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More information about this case study

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Jigsaw made up of faces of people from different racial groups