Braintree: Council claims it did everything possible during Travellers' stay - Essex

From the Braintree and Witham Times

A council has insisted it did all it could during the seven weeks Travellers illegally stayed on a Braintree industrial estate.

The Travellers first arrived at the Broomhills Industrial Estate, off Rayne Road, in November, and after one failed eviction attempt and with another planned, finally left on January 4.

A small group of angry residents who live on a neighbouring housing estate insisted they would not pay this month’s council tax because of a perceived lack of action from authorities, including Braintree Council, to work together and have them removed sooner.

But the council, which emphasised the land is privately owned and not its responsibility, insisted it did everything it could.

A spokesman said: “The council was frequently in touch with the landowner, the police, the land agents and security company acting on behalf of the landowner to encourage and persuade them to take appropriate steps to prevent nuisance from being caused.

“Environment officers frequently visited the site to monitor conditions and advise about complaints from residents regarding noise from dogs and generators.

“The council continued to pursue the landowner to ensure that the site was secured and cleaned up, at no expense to the taxpayer.”

Sainsbury’s, which owns the site, has since had the area cleaned and cleared of rubbish, and had more than 200 two-tonne concrete bollards installed to prevent future occupation of the land.