Call for ‘protection’ from Travellers after thousands visit village - Somerset

From the Weston Mercury

RESIDENTS of a North Somerset village have hit out at authorities, saying they fear they are ‘unprotected’ after thousands of Travellers camped there last year and could return.

After the Light Of Life festival last summer which saw more than 5,000 Travellers arrive in Hewish without warning, residents say they are frightened and ‘need to be protected’.

At this month’s Hewish and Puxton parish council meeting, Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens addressed residents’ concerns on the issue.

Landowner and businessman Derek Mead, who is also a North Somerset ward councillor, said: “Last summer we were invaded by thousands of Travellers and the rubbish they left behind was appalling.

“Through the summer, I have had two or three battles with the police, they won’t implement section 64 [sic]of the criminal justice act to stop them trespassing.

“They need to stop mucking around so we know where we are and the Travellers know they are committing a criminal offence.

“The Travellers think they are above the law all the time. At Puxton Park a bunch of Travellers came in and had breakfast and one of the kids urinated on the floor in the restaurant.”

But Ms Mountstevens defended the police’s actions and said: “Travellers have rights too and are more often likely to be victims not perpetrators. We keep everyone within the law. As for moving Travellers on, it is something people need to take up with the council, unless it is on private land.

“I don’t know about fly-tipping here but I know in Somerset they have cameras on specific sites.”

But one member of the public claimed the village is anxious it will happen again because a race track is being built nearby.

She said: “We can see it coming, we need to be protected - we need some clarity.

“We have already seen the consequences and the impact of an influx of people, we need to protect the future of the parish.”

The chair of the parish council Peter Jones agreed, and said: “The authorities didn’t know until after the event and we are here to pick up the pieces.”

Another resident said: “It was like a village under siege, land owners had to have security – it was very frightening.

“I had to walk along with grandchildren past the pub where the behaviour and profanity was vile.

“For North Somerset it is quite handy to put the Travellers in Hewish because it doesn’t affect Weston.”

Cllr Mead added: “The attitude of some of the officials in North Somerset is appalling, they just do what they want to do and listening to rate-payers is a secondary affair.”