Campaign to remove Travellers from Halesowen site underway - West Midlands

From the Halesowen News

IRATE residents, councillors and campaigners have moved quickly after Travellers pitched up a site in Halesowen.

Caravans were first seen on a disused part of the Fairfield Park Industrial estate on Sunday and the police and Dudley Council are now monitoring the site to ensure no damage occurs.

The group moved onto the Langtree site on Cakemore Road on Sunday, prompting calls from neighbouring residents for action to move them.

Legal proceedings have already been started to move the Travellers from the site in a bid to prevent the problem escalating.

Conservative candidate for Halesowen North, Mike Wood, said: “When local residents contacted us to say that a group of Travellers had moved onto the industrial estate, we immediately made sure that everything possible was being done to keep the area secure and to move the group on.

“I am delighted by the fast and effective action that the council, the police and the site’s owners Langtree have taken since we raised the problem, and we are hopeful that the legal proceedings will mean that the group is moved on by the weekend.”

Halesowen North Conservative councillor Jeff Hill added: “Legally it is the responsibility of land owners to get the Travellers to move and Langtree are doing everything they can to get the group off their land as quickly as they can.

“I have asked Council officers to make sure that they check nearby council owned open spaces to ensure they are secure, and will not be the group's next destination. “ Two years ago a larger group of Travellers set up camp on the same site but were forced to move after action by the owners and Dudley Council.