A COUNCILLOR has demanded action not words to tackle the gypsy problem in Kirklees.
Clr Shabir Pandor said a planned review of the council's policy on travellers was not the answer.
Council leader Kath Pinnock has asked Kirklees Council's Overview and Scrutiny Management Group to examine the policy.
And at a meeting members agreed to set up an ad hoc scrutiny panel.
But Clr Pandor - a Labour representative for Batley West - who has raised the issue after many problems with travellers on illegal sites across Kirklees, said action and not debate was needed.
He added: "I and the residents have faced a barrage of red tape, bureaucracy and a `can't do' attitude.
"My continued commitment is to the issues around travellers. At best the review is rhetoric and at worst a deliberate tactic to provide another whitewash of a conclusion.
"The overview and scrutiny panel's role is to advise the Cabinet. It will be up to the Cabinet to make the final decision on a robust, fair, equitable and transparent policy on travellers.
"I believe it can do this now and has the power to do that now. The Cabinet is ducking and diving and, as usual, sitting on the fence."
Clr Andrew Palfreeman, who chairs the scrutiny committee, said: "We will not be reopening the issue of travellers in Kirklees, nor the issue of setting up a travellers' site.
"We will review whether the policy on travellers is achieving what it set out to achieve.
"It will then be up to the Cabinet to decide what response, if any, they wish to make."
The membership of the ad hoc panel has yet to be decided, but will involve councillors from all parties.
The overview and scrutiny policy gives an important role to all councillors not in the Cabinet by enabling them to challenge its decision-making, hold it to account, monitor the quality of service, review policy and contribute to its development.
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