Travellers Must Not be Allowed to Pitch Up in Our Parks

From Mike Weatherley Conservative MP


Mike has called on Brighton & Hove City Council and Sussex Police to work together to halt the outbreak of unauthorised encampments across the city.

Travellers’ luxury caravans and cars recently moved onto Greenleas Park in Hangleton to the great distress of local residents. Right at the beginning of the Easter holidays, local children were unable to make use of the park, including its football pitches. Hangleton & Knoll Councillor Dawn Barnett was outraged by the surprise visit and was verbally abused and threatened when she asked the unwelcome law breakers to leave. Rather than assist this well-respected elected representative, the Police told her to leave.

Mike, along with a number of his council colleagues, will be hosting a public meeting on the proposals for a new traveller site on the South Downs in Patcham on Friday 13th April. The meeting will be held from 6-8pm at Patcham Community Centre, Ladies Mile Road, Brighton, BN1 8TA. Residents are being invited to turn up to voice their objections.

Commenting, Mike said: “It is absolutely unacceptable that travellers have been allowed to pitch up again in one of our city’s parks. While I am pleased that they have now moved on, they have left an awful mess that taxpayers will again have to pay to have cleared up. Brighton & Hove City Council must work quickly with Sussex Police to ensure that travellers cannot simply take over our public spaces.”

Commenting, Cllr Dawn Barnett said: “In these circumstances Council officials should have worked immediately with the Police to stop these caravans from entering our park. At the time there was space available at the transit site. If the Police and council had acted quickly then residents of Hangleton would not have been denied access to their local park.”