Agreement on Marston caravan site improvement  (Oxford Mail 24 March 1961)

 

IMPROVEMENTS will be made to .Bullingdon Rural District Council's caravan site at Marston following a meeting between Bullingdon coun­cillors and officials and members of Marston Parish Council, Mr. H. H. Gunstone told Oxford and District Trades Council last night.

 

The meeting took place on the site on Wednesday and “much to our utter amaze­ment," said Mr. Gunstone, the Bullingdon representatives were co-operative in every way.

 

“They were even at one with us in wanting to make this a' model caravan site," he declared. They had promised improvements in lighting, drainage and roads.

 

"They asked us to set up a site committee and then they will meet this committee to talk about the caravan tenants' difficulties."They had also promised that, in 12 months, they would review the rents. "We were surprised Bullingdon RDC met us, and we were grateful for the sake of the caravan tenants," said Mr. Gunstone. "We can't expect a widespread improvement in the whole district, but we have managed to do something about this site."

 

Mr. Gunstone did however criticise the RDC for not mak­ing provision for the occupants of 800 caravans in the district.

 

The City Council, County Council and Bullingdon RDC are the cause of all the trouble with unlicensed sites because they have made no provision for licensed sites. That is the only solution.

 

Private operators

“Do they want these people to live under hedges, or in caves? The authorities just don't want to recognise their responsibilities."

 

Mr. Gunstone came under fire from Mr. Harry Mears, who wanted to know why he criti­cised the local authorities but never the private site operators who were exploiting the cara­van dwellers.

 

Mr. Mears also asked who Mr Gunstone was representing when he brought reports about caravan sites before the Trades Council, particularly as t h e caravan sub-committee had not met for some time.

 

Mr. Gunstone said that on the particular occasion to which he had referred he was represent­ing the Parish Council, of which he was a member, and he had reported to the Trades Council because it had a sub-committee which was dealing with caravan problem.

 

He was against any exploita­tion, whoever was responsible. Mr. Arthur Dent agreed with Mr. Mears that the implication was that the local authorities were the people who were exploiting the caravan dwellers. The only answer to the caravan problem, he said was to build more houses.

 

 

Oxford Mail Friday March 24 1961 page 11