COUNCIL chiefs are to begin looking for ten suitable sites for Gypsies and Travellers to set up pitches in Wirral.

The local authority’s ruling cabinet approved the move on Thursday after a Merseyside-wide assessment found there was a need for “six permanent and four transit pitches” in the borough by 2018.

Families from the Gypsy and Travelling community will be able to stay on the pitches for up to 12 weeks at a time.

There are currently no designated traveller sites in Wirral, but the report found that a further two permanent pitches will be needed by 2032.

Kevin Adderley, strategic director for regeneration and environment, told cabinet members Wirral was obliged to include the encampments in its local masterplan, with failure to do so voiding any such plan.

He said that while previous surveys had found no requirement for traveller sites in Wirral, the Gypsy and Traveller Accomodation Assessment for Merseyside and West Lancashire – carried out last year – found there is now a need for 10 to be set up.

Council leader Cllr Phil Davies said the authority had “no choice” but to proceed with looking for suitable sites, adding: “This is a government instruction – we have to consider providing sites for Gypsy and Travelling people. Not doing this could void our local plan.”

Cabinet heard that there had been 45 “unauthorised encampments” set up in Wirral between January 2011 and June 2013, indicating a lack of transit accommodation.

The review pointed out that this was due to repeated encampments by one travelling family group, “which has been taken into account when determining the need for transit provision in the borough”.

Each transit pitch could accommodate up to two caravans.

The findings – reached following interviews with Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople, shows that Wirral has the second lowest requirement for permanent traveller sites, along with St Helen.

The study does not identify a need in Wirral for any Travelling Showpeople yards.

Cllr Phil Davies said: “This is something we have got to do and we are going to get a further report back to cabinet when appropriate sites have been identified to make the final decision.”