Travellers mess in Shotton is the worst I've ever seen, says councillor - Flintshire

From the Leader

A CRACKDOWN on illegal encampments has been promised after a street was trashed by Travellers.

The site was left looking like a rubbish dump following the latest eviction at Evans Way in Rowleys Park, Shotton.

The mess at the site favoured by Travellers has led to plans to expand a council-owned site becoming a top priority.

Politicians believe once authorised pitches are available they will be able to enforce immediate evictions across the county. David Evans, one of the Shotton representatives on Flintshire Council, said caravans had been turning up in Evans Way every two or three months for as many years.

“It’s a Traveller hot spot,” he said.

“They were there for about a month but they got an eviction notice on Tuesday.

“The mess they’ve left this time is the worst I’ve ever seen.

“It’s like an explosion. It’s strewn across the whole area.

“I want it cleared up but I want this to be prevented from happening again.

“It backs onto a pensioners’ complex in Ketland Close and residents were complaining about various unsightly things being dumped at the bottom of their gardens and the noise of generators going through the night.”

Disguarded debris included a bath, children’s toys and an ironing board.

Flintshire Council is exploring an extension to the Riverside site it owns at Queensferry. It has 20 pitches and is managed by the Gypsy community in partnership with the authority.

But Connah’s Quay Cllr Bernie Attridge, cabinet member for environment, says the latest littering shows something needs to be done fast. He wants to double the site to 40 pitches with under-used council land next to the caravan park.

“I am making it a high priority to push forward with plans to expand Riverside in Queensferry,” said Cllr Attridge.

“Once that is up and running when Travellers and Gypsies pull up in Evans Way or Dock Road in Connah’s Quay or by the recycling centre in Greenfield, the police can go there and take them straight to the transit site.

“I firmly believe it will stop illegal encampments across Flintshire.

“It’s a North Wales issue – in Flintshire and Wrexham we have got over 90 per cent of all Gypsies and Travellers in North Wales.

“It’s about time other authorities like Denbighshire and Conwy looked to find transit and permanent sites within their areas.

“In Flintshire and Wrexham we take our obligations as councils very seriously to supply sites.”

l ACCORDING to the January 2012 caravan count, Flintshire accommodates 66 caravans representing 58 per cent of all of the caravans available in North Wales.

Wrexham Council provides 37 caravans, accounting for 33 per cent.

The remaining authorities in North Wales have only 10 recorded caravans between them, only nine per cent of the North Wales total and none of which are on authorised sites.

There are currently five authorised sites for Gypsies and Travellers in Flintshire.

There is one local authority-owned site, Riverside, at Queensferry, which has 20 pitches and is currently managed by the Gypsy community in partnership with the council.