Costs of moving on West Midlands Travellers top £60k

From the Express and Star

Cash-strapped councils spent more than £60,000 moving on Travellers who set up camp in the West Midlands region last year.

The largest amount was spent by Sandwell Council, which paid £55,933 in 2011-12 for site security, legal fees and moving waste.

Walsall Council splashed out £6,600 on bollards and a special grass mound to stop potential incursions, while Wolverhampton City Council spent £1,075 in 2011-12 on legal fees to get the families moved on. Dudley Council spent £5,000 on clean-up fees after an eviction at a site in Bagley Street in 2010-11.

Travellers sites in Sandwell in recent months have included Black Patch Park in Smethwick. Five caravans, plus a handful of cars and vans, were spotted at the site in October. Meanwhile, caravans, trucks and vans also moved on to a concreted plot of land off Waterloo Road in August, prompting complaints fromresidents.

Sandwell Council cabinet member for safer neighbourhoods Councillor Ian Jones said: “We would rather not have to spend money on this. Residents want us to move on Travellers quickly. It is frustrating having to spend money on this.”

Councillor Zahid Ali, portfolio holder for public protection in the Walsall Council coalition, said no legal fees were recorded last financial year but added: “There was a cost of £6,000 for bollards in Holland Park in The Parade, Brownhills, to stop incursions.

“We also spent £600 for a grass mound to stop potential incursions at the Manor Farm open space which is in the Bentley Haye local nature reserve off Bentley Lane, Short Heath.”

Steve Barlow, Wolverhampton City Council’s environmental health manager, said: “If we receive complaints about Travellers arriving and setting up on public land, our policy is for officers to visit them and liaise with them.

“This has proved largely successful, with Travellers often leaving sites voluntarily.”

Stafford Borough Council spokeswoman Rachel Jenkins said it did not have to deal with any Travellers in the borough last financial year.