P-04-521 Regulating Caravan Sites – Correspondence from the Petitioner to the Clerking Team, 19.06.2014.

Further to the other documents sent, I now make the following notes for consideration by the Committee.

The bodies who deal with the caravan sites are required to give regard to the model standards in respect of the conditions of the license provided by the Minister.

The Fire and Rescue Service have accepted that the fire risk assessment overrides those conditions but failed to provide a copy of the document which might explain how the fire risk under the conditions of the license is no longer a fire risk under the risk assessment without any physical changes on the site layout.

The use of LPG cylinders does not comply with the regulations under their use in gas low and Gassafe should be consulted. The local authority with others  has decided that the conditions of the site license can be ignored which might be a breach of Health and Safety Legislation in respect  of caravans sited against the boundary which restricts avenues of escape for users of the vans. Access for dealing with fires is also restricted. The fire risk to adjoining properties is also compromised.

The rights of owners of property adjoining the site boundary are affected by the failure of the Authority to consult about the changes which is a conduction of the 1960 Act where the public at large could be affected and the three meter gap is also to ensure privacy for adjoining owners of property.

The Fire and Rescue Service should be ordered to produce their records and reports for incidents of caravan fires throughout Wales. There have been many reports in the press and news on these fires and loss of life.

I also question the right of Authorities to alter, ignore or omit sections of the model standards which are part of legislation approved by Parliament.

This document was originally handwritten, however due to publication purposes it is being presented as a typed document.