LEAFLETS published by the Welsh secretary which were slammed as being 'racist' are not being subject to further police investigation, Gwent Police have confirmed.

Monmouth MP David Davies has welcomed this news, saying he makes "no apologies" for the material contained within his leaflets.

Mr Davies recently said that leaflets delivered to Monmouthshire households are "not a criticism of the Gypsy and Traveller community" despite an outcry.

The leaflets mention Monmouthshire County Council's plans to establish a number of Gypsy and Traveller sites in the region.

They contain the question 'would you like to see a traveller site next to your house?', which drew the ire of Travelling Ahead, an advocacy service and part of the charity TGP Cymru, who work with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people across Wales.

Gwent Police revealed they were considering “the content of Mr Davies' leaflet and its impact on the Gypsy and Traveller and settled communities in Monmouthshire".

Now, they have confirmed that there will be "no further action" taken.

Chief superintendent Carl Williams said: “We launched a review into the contents of a leaflet published and distributed in Monmouthshire regarding proposals for a development of a gypsy and traveller site.

“Officers have spoken to several people from the gypsy and traveller and settled communities before seeking advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on whether the leaflet’s contents constituted any offences.

“Any allegation of discrimination is taken extremely seriously and following this review, we will not be taking any further action.”

Mr Davies responded to the news, saying: "Criticising a lack of wide public consultation to an important issue and seeking views from my constituents is not a crime, and I'm pleased that Gwent Police agree. 

"I make no apologies for doing that."

Trudy Aspinwall, team manager at Travelling Ahead, said: "We have been contacted by many people deeply concerned about the leaflet. This includes people from the Gypsy and Traveller communities as well as the wider public."

However, Mr Davies claims his material is an "entirely valid" critique of the council's perceived lack of public consultation.

He said: “The location of authorised and unauthorised traveller sites is a legitimate matter for public debate and scrutiny. It is entirely valid to criticise a lack of wide public consultation by a council. 

"I have been contacted by many upset residents at the shortness of the consultation and the proposed locations for the sites."

Mr Davies also says that he has been contacted by members of the Gypsy and Traveller community themselves.

"I have also been told that many are also upset at the proposed locations for the sites," he said.

"This is not a criticism of the gypsy and traveller community.”

Monmouthshire County Council have recently begun consultations to identify land which could be suitable to develop for a Gypsy or Traveller site in the future.

The proposed sites have already drawn criticism - with Conservatives bemoaning the decision to hold public consultations over the summer period when "many families may be preoccupied with childcare or otherwise unable to fully participate and make their voices heard".

The leaflet, Travelling Ahead say, is designed to stir up objections "based on prejudice".

"You only have to look at the title of the leaflet ’Gypsy and Traveller site coming to your area soon!’," Ms Aspinwall said.

She said the question on the reverse of the leaflet "would you like to see a travellers site next to your house?", if changed to another group such as Jewish people, disabled people or Pakistani people, would have a "clear inference".

Ms Aspinwall said: "No-one would find this acceptable and it would be seen for what it is."