Bill Forrester
Bill has been Head of the Gypsy and Traveller Unit for Kent County Council since 1989, now within the Enterprise and Environment Directorate . The Unit manages 10 council sites in Kent and responds to unauthorised encampments on County Council land in Kent. Previously, he was Gypsy Liaison Officer for Essex 1980-9 and worked for Liberty (then NCCL) and the Minority Rights Group in the 1970’s.
Between 2003 and 2005, Bill was on secondment to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister during their wide-ranging and law-changing policy review on Gypsy and Traveller issues.
Bill is a Vice-Chair (and past Chair) of ACERT, chairs the National Association of Gypsy and Traveller Officers (NAGTO) and is a director of the London Gypsy and Traveller Unit (LGTU).
Bill also has a keen interest in environmental matters, and leads for his directorate on measures to reduce carbon footprint.