Travellers at King's Park - Dorset

From Bournemouth Borough Council

Bournemouth Council officers are taking action following the arrival of a group of Travellers on Council land at King’s Park.

Eight vehicles arrived at the site yesterday evening, Wednesday 12 September. Council officers are currently liaising with the Travellers.

Council officers have carried out a needs assessment with the Travellers and they have been informed that they must move otherwise an eviction order will be sought preventing future encampments on the site. As the Police are not using their Section 61 powers to move the Travellers on this occasion, the Council is taking action to seek a court hearing as soon as possible. In the meantime, Council officers are doing all they can to prevent any further illegal encampments on other Council owned sites.

Gary Josey, Service Director for Housing Landlord, Parks and Open Spaces, said: “Our council officers have taken swift action following this recent Traveller encampment. They will be doing all they can, taking the necessary legal action to move them on as soon as possible. In the meantime, our Council officers are visiting the site on a regular basis. Our officers will be carrying out litter picks and supplying the Travellers with refuse bags for their waste.”

“Where possible, our officers do all they can to secure vulnerable open spaces across the town taking a ‘lock-down’ approach. Unfortunately, on this occasion we did not receive any intelligence ahead of time that Travellers were in the area.”

see also The Daily Echo - Council takes action to evict Travellers from King's Park