The council<\/a> has obligations to provide appropriate transit sites it can direct encampments to when they happen in the city.<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/b>Birmingham ‘could face equal pay strikes’ as union says school workers being ‘short-changed’<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n They typically provide hard standing for holding caravans, a secure boundary and basic sanitary provision, while some also provide electricity.<\/p>\n But one of the council\u2019s two transit sites has suffered from repeated damage and vandalism while another has been home to \u201clong-term occupants\u201d.<\/p>\n In a report, the council said the issues at both sites had created “pressures elsewhere” in the city where unauthorised encampments occupied public spaces.<\/p>\n It said they often resulted in damage caused to gain access and repair and clean-up costs when a site was cleared.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the absence of operational transit sites, attempts to remove unauthorised encampments are delayed, resulting in further inconvenience to citizens in the affected areas,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n Birmingham City Council House -Credit:Copyright Unknown<\/p>\n It said the lack of transit sites and meaningful engagement with the travelling community had led to \u201cnegative perceptions of the city\u2019s attitudes towards travellers\u201d.<\/p>\n On how it will reset the relationship and meet its obligations, the report confirmed a “negotiated stopping” pilot programme would be introduced, which would involve unused pieces of land being used by those in the travelling community for \u201cshort term stays\u201d.<\/p>\n But a spokesperson for the authority confirmed last month the start date of the pilot had been pushed back from June.<\/p>\n \u201cCouncil officers are working to identify potential sites to be taken forward for consultation with local ward members, communities and businesses where the sites are being proposed,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n \u201cConsultation feedback will inform the final list of sites to be taken forward for a 12-month trial period.\u201d<\/p>\n They said the council was \u201ccommitted\u201d to undertaking the pilot and was continuing to identify potential sites, which will now be taken forward for consultation \u201clater in the year\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2018Health and well-being offer\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n![\"Birmingham](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/f0704b89a29f7c8747c4d699e7d0b22b.jpeg\"\/)
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