Liberal Democrats on the East of England Regional Assembly attempted to restore common sense to the controversial process for increasing the number of the gypsy and traveller pitches in the region at the January meeting of the Regional Assembly.

A Liberal Democrat amendment tabled at EERA’s meeting in Norwich would have allowed district councils in Hertfordshire and elsewhere to resist their new pitch allocations if they were able to prove through their local planning process that the provision could not be met. This would have been of particular use to district councils in the green belt or which were largely urbanised.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat groups on both the regional assembly and Hertfordshire County Council Chris White said: ‘This was a measured response to a process which had quite frankly lost the plot. I am delighted that a number of Conservative led authorities like Southend supported us. I remain stunned, however, that the Conservative representative of Hertfordshire County Council broke away from his own colleagues and led the charge to defeat the amendment.

‘I am sure communities in many parts of Hertfordshire – already under enough pressure from the destruction of the green belt – will be wanting an explanation from him and from the County Council.’

The amendment was defeated as a result of Labour and Conservative votes.

Chris added: ‘Hertfordshire needs around 115 pitches, according to independent research accepted by EERA. As a result of this vote Hertfordshire will now have to find space for 176 pitches – it is difficult to imagine how anyone could regard this as proper process.

‘Councils which object will now have to invest resources in fighting this in the Examination in Public or through the courts.’