Basildon council targets second Travellers' site

From the Morning Star

Dale Farm's Travellers reeled in shock today after council officers threatened families with eviction again - and this time it's next door.

Basildon council officials served notices to more than 50 caravans in the Crays Hill settlement on Thursday, complaining of overcrowding and obstruction.

But a commmunity leader told the Star yesterday that forcing out more Travellers would only make the problem worse.

The crisis stems from the council's controversial forced eviction of 83 Traveller families from their homes in Essex last October.

Since then, many have moved in with relatives on the uncontested section next door, while others have parked on Oak Lane, the road leading onto the property.

Residents have described living in "refugee conditions," but rejected council housing, saying it threatened to break up their community and destroy their culture.

A high court bid to demand "culturally appropriate" caravan pitches as a human right failed earlier this week.

Families are now at risk of losing their homes as the latest notices carry the threat of another eviction operation unless they respond or comply within 21 days.

Community spokesman Grattan Puxon told the Star: "It's shocking, how we're still under pressure - it's immense pressure."

The latest decision would nearly double the number of Dale Farm exiles, he said. "It's just becoming a much bigger problem."

Mr Puxon added it was clear the council would send in the bailiffs if it had money "in hand" from last year's eviction.

The community is hoping to see international solidarity events and protests as part of next month's Roma Nation Day on April 8.

A Basildon council spokesman said only a third of pitches on the site had breached regulations, but the council would ensure compliance with the law.

Meanwhile Tory council leader Tony Ball dismissed the families as "dangerous and disruptive.

"I find it frustrating that having cleared the illegal Dale Farm site last year, what appears to be a small minority of the original residents are persisting with this dangerous and disruptive civil disobedience.

"The Travellers should not be where they are, they are breaking the law and I hope they will now see sense and move away," he said.