A RESIDENTS’ action group has vowed to fight “tooth and nail”

against a former Kidderminster school becoming a gypsy and traveller site.

Chairman of Broadwaters Residents Action Group (BRAG), Sarah Rook, said she was “horrified” that the former Sion Hill School site was one of seven potential plots whittled down from 15 by Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet.

She said: “We are going to fight it tooth and nail. We will be working closely with local councils and will hold campaign meetings, start a petition and lobby our MP.”

Mrs Rook said she was “shocked and appalled” at the treatment of residents during the council’s special overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Monday.

Hundreds of people packed into Stourport Civic Hall, only to be told they could not have their say and that cabinet would decide which sites would go forward for consultation.

The shortlist, agreed by cabinet on Tuesday night, includes green belt sites in Stourport Road in Bewdley, the former Sion Hill School site, and the Lea Castle Hospital site, Cookley.

Stourport was dealt the majority of sites, with three being “tolerated”

gypsy and traveller sites in Gables Yard, Saiwen, and land next to Nunn’s corner. ‘Tolerated sites’ are plots where residential caravans already exist, without them being official gypsy and traveller sites.

A farm labelled “redundant” in St John’s Road, Stourport was also shortlisted but the tenants, who have lived and worked there for 55 years, are disputing it is redundant.

Independent Community and Health Concern (ICHC) councillor Dixon Sheppard said: “Stourport has done its fair share. There are four Conservative [councillors] from Kidderminster and one fromBewdley and it’s another example, basically, of trying to stitch up Stourport.

“I know we have got to accommodate the gypsies and travellers but in the name of fairness why should they all basically be allocated to Stourport?” added Mr Sheppard.

Labour district councillor Adrian Sewell said he thought the Sion Hill site was “a done deal”. He added: “It’s been chosen because it’s a deprived area anyway with very special needs...I absolutely 100 per cent support the need to site the travellers in decent accommodation...but I was really upset on Tuesday night. I wanted all 15 sites to go to public consultation and I felt well and truly stitched up.

They’ve done it down electoral lines rather than what’s suitable.”

Council leader, Conservative councillor John Campion, said: “It is not the case that Stourport is being given a hard deal.

“There are already established gypsy and traveller communities there and when we consulted with them they expressed a wish to stay in their communities.

We want to ensure family networks are protected.”

When The Shuttle asked why all 15 sites did not go to public consultation, he replied: “It’s right that we use local resources efficiently.

It’s right that we strike out sites at this stage.

Why would I spend money and cause angst on something I don’t think is deliverable?”

He also hit back at claims that the selection of sites was politically motivated.

He said: “When you look at the sites that are left, five are in Conservative wards.

There’s no way that can be described as political.

“I find it absolutely ridiculous that anyone would make a suggestion that I employed anything other than rational reasons.”

Pictured from left Diane Graham, Kerrylea Tudor-Andrews, Bryan Tudor and Sarah Rook.