Traveller compensation reviewed

A council is reviewing its decision not to pay compensation for publishing private information about travellers.

Names, ages, medical needs and educational needs of traveller children living at Dale Farm were put online by Basildon District Council in 2006.

The council apologised but appealed twice against requests to pay £300 to each of the families concerned.

Now the decision on whether to pay out money will go to a full council meeting for a vote by all members.

Travellers had given the details to support their case at a planning committee hearing and say it should not have been published with the report.

The local Government Ombudsman subsequently agreed it was a breach of their human rights and the data protection act.