From the Diss Express
A group of Travellers camped by a Diss housing estate have been moved on.
Diss resident Geoff Naybur said two caravans had been camped about 50 yards away from his home on land in Viscount Close off Sawmills Road for more than three weeks. He complained to South Norfolk Council about a number of issues including rubbish being left in the street.
The Travellers were served notice to leave on April 22 after South Norfolk Council met with the landowner. They moved on in the afternoon of the same day.
South Norfolk Council has a statutory duty to ensure there are suitable stopping places for Travellers in south Norfolk.
Councillors are in the initial stages of preparing a Local Plan document to propose sites for future provision, which will be a mixture of private and housing association-managed land, and will go to consultation at the end of this year.
In addition to identifying suitable permanent sites, the district council is looking to put in place a council-managed temporary stopping place where Travellers can spend a set, limited amount of time.
Councillor Yvonne Bendle, cabinet member for housing and public health, said: “We recognise the need for Travellers in south Norfolk to have suitable stopping places, whether on a temporary or permanent basis. Our plans over the coming year will help meet this demand and, with proper provision, we can enforce against illegal encampments effectively.
“Our successful permanent sites at Roundwell and Brookes Green will be used as a model in setting up this future provision.”
Thursday, 2 May 2013
Burn villagers pledge to fight plans for Travellers’ site - Yorkshire
From the Press
CAMPAIGNERS against a new Travellers’ site near Selby held a public meeting to explain their views to the public.
Burn Against New Site (BANS) hosted the event in Selby Town Hall yesterday to inform people of their objection to the creation of 15 new pitches at Burn Airfield.
Local resident Kay Enion, who attended the meeting, feared the camp, which would effectively double the size of the 12-pitch site already on the airfield, could effectively become “a ghetto”.
She said: “When the first site was opened we had two shops, they’ve both closed. We’ve no school and nothing for people to do.
“The main problem is we have had such a good relationship with the present groups, and they don’t want them. We’re frightened they will move away and we will get a lot of itinerant groups in and out.”
Last week, Inspector Richard Abbott, of Selby Police, said the plans did not comply with Government outlines, which state larger sites should not be considered unless they are preferred by the local Gypsy or Traveller community.
He said: “There would be in total 27 Traveller pitches located in one small area of the airfield site. The proposed site, in reality, is an extension of the existing Traveller site. Both sites would be located immediately next to each other, albeit separated by an airfield access road.”
In a report from the police, it revealed that the current chair of the Gypsy Council had told police “tensions can arise on Traveller sites when additional pitches are added”, and said the plans would not comply with the National Planning Policy Framework.
Burn resident Paul Lush said: “All residents, including most of the existing Gypsy and Traveller site, don’t want this development to take place, because of the scale of the development.
“I stress that. We all know and work along with the existing Traveller site and a lot of them have moved to smaller sites because they don’t like being on bigger ones, they don’t find them pleasant places to live.”
BANS have objected to Burn being disregarded from the orginal SADPD, but suddenly being selected by the council as the location for a new site, which could cost up to £940,000. The council recently told The Press it was under a legal obligation to provide new pitches, and listened to representatives from the community.
see also: The Selby Times - Villagers Gypsy site plans fight
CAMPAIGNERS against a new Travellers’ site near Selby held a public meeting to explain their views to the public.
Burn Against New Site (BANS) hosted the event in Selby Town Hall yesterday to inform people of their objection to the creation of 15 new pitches at Burn Airfield.
Local resident Kay Enion, who attended the meeting, feared the camp, which would effectively double the size of the 12-pitch site already on the airfield, could effectively become “a ghetto”.
She said: “When the first site was opened we had two shops, they’ve both closed. We’ve no school and nothing for people to do.
“The main problem is we have had such a good relationship with the present groups, and they don’t want them. We’re frightened they will move away and we will get a lot of itinerant groups in and out.”
Last week, Inspector Richard Abbott, of Selby Police, said the plans did not comply with Government outlines, which state larger sites should not be considered unless they are preferred by the local Gypsy or Traveller community.
He said: “There would be in total 27 Traveller pitches located in one small area of the airfield site. The proposed site, in reality, is an extension of the existing Traveller site. Both sites would be located immediately next to each other, albeit separated by an airfield access road.”
In a report from the police, it revealed that the current chair of the Gypsy Council had told police “tensions can arise on Traveller sites when additional pitches are added”, and said the plans would not comply with the National Planning Policy Framework.
Burn resident Paul Lush said: “All residents, including most of the existing Gypsy and Traveller site, don’t want this development to take place, because of the scale of the development.
“I stress that. We all know and work along with the existing Traveller site and a lot of them have moved to smaller sites because they don’t like being on bigger ones, they don’t find them pleasant places to live.”
BANS have objected to Burn being disregarded from the orginal SADPD, but suddenly being selected by the council as the location for a new site, which could cost up to £940,000. The council recently told The Press it was under a legal obligation to provide new pitches, and listened to representatives from the community.
see also: The Selby Times - Villagers Gypsy site plans fight
Travellers leave Bury St Edmunds site - Suffolk
From the Bury Free Press
Travellers who had moved onto the old Padleys site on Mildenhall Road, after being forced to leave another site, are now understood to have left Bury St Edmunds altogether, police have said.
The Travellers moved onto the site over the weekend of April 20 and 21 after a legal notice was served on them at Kempson Way.
Police say there was no sign of forced entry to the Padleys site but it has been left ‘heavily littered’ and unsecured.
Travellers who had moved onto the old Padleys site on Mildenhall Road, after being forced to leave another site, are now understood to have left Bury St Edmunds altogether, police have said.
The Travellers moved onto the site over the weekend of April 20 and 21 after a legal notice was served on them at Kempson Way.
Police say there was no sign of forced entry to the Padleys site but it has been left ‘heavily littered’ and unsecured.
Loophole could let more Travellers onto Smithy Fen - Cambridgeshire
From Cambridge News
More Travellers could be allowed to move onto Smithy Fen because of a loophole which neighbours claim makes a “mockery” of the planning system.
A Government inspector who gave a family permission to live on six plots in Pine Lane in 2003, on account of their “specific need” to be in Cottenham, omitted to impose a condition requiring the land to be returned to agriculture once Travellers move on.
Since the appeal was allowed, the pitches have been empty for several years, and now the Boswells have applied to lift the condition limiting the occupancy to themselves - allowing the pitches to be sold and reoccupied.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee has been recommended to approve the latest request because the lack of a condition means the fencing and hardstanding remains, whether or not the pitches are occupied.
Cottenham Parish Council has opposed the application, warning it would open up Pine Lane as a “general Traveller site”.
Rosemary Jones, who lives on a farm at Smithy Fen, said the planning system was being made a “mockery” of and warned a worrying precedent could be set of ‘personal’ permissions being turned into general consents.
Two of the six pitches originally covered by the personal consent have already been given permanent permission at a separate appeal.
Cllr Simon Edwards, who represents the area, said: “I think there are compelling reasons to refuse this application because it was originally granted because of the specific personal circumstances.
“Unless there is a new occupier with overwhelming personal circumstances that will outweigh the harm, I fail to see how it can be justified.”
In a report to councillors, planning director Jo Mills argued the impact of the pitches was “minor” and well screened.
She said: “Removal of the personal condition as proposed would not, on balance, result in undue harm to the wider landscape or affect the important visual separation between the northern and southern areas of the Smithy Fen Travellers’ site area.
“Whatever the decision, the site would continue to comprise hard surfaces and fences, and could be resorted to by the named occupiers. It will therefore not contribute to any sense of openness.”
More Travellers could be allowed to move onto Smithy Fen because of a loophole which neighbours claim makes a “mockery” of the planning system.
A Government inspector who gave a family permission to live on six plots in Pine Lane in 2003, on account of their “specific need” to be in Cottenham, omitted to impose a condition requiring the land to be returned to agriculture once Travellers move on.
Since the appeal was allowed, the pitches have been empty for several years, and now the Boswells have applied to lift the condition limiting the occupancy to themselves - allowing the pitches to be sold and reoccupied.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee has been recommended to approve the latest request because the lack of a condition means the fencing and hardstanding remains, whether or not the pitches are occupied.
Cottenham Parish Council has opposed the application, warning it would open up Pine Lane as a “general Traveller site”.
Rosemary Jones, who lives on a farm at Smithy Fen, said the planning system was being made a “mockery” of and warned a worrying precedent could be set of ‘personal’ permissions being turned into general consents.
Two of the six pitches originally covered by the personal consent have already been given permanent permission at a separate appeal.
Cllr Simon Edwards, who represents the area, said: “I think there are compelling reasons to refuse this application because it was originally granted because of the specific personal circumstances.
“Unless there is a new occupier with overwhelming personal circumstances that will outweigh the harm, I fail to see how it can be justified.”
In a report to councillors, planning director Jo Mills argued the impact of the pitches was “minor” and well screened.
She said: “Removal of the personal condition as proposed would not, on balance, result in undue harm to the wider landscape or affect the important visual separation between the northern and southern areas of the Smithy Fen Travellers’ site area.
“Whatever the decision, the site would continue to comprise hard surfaces and fences, and could be resorted to by the named occupiers. It will therefore not contribute to any sense of openness.”
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
Barlow Drive Gypsy Traveller site work to begin this summer - Cheshire
From the Winsford Guardian
WORK on Winsford’s new Gypsy and Traveller site on Barlow Drive will begin in summer - with a price tag for the borough council of £2.7 million.
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) acknowledge that the figure is liable to rise, and want to access Traveller Pitch Funding from the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency to help pay for it.
In a report due to be discussed by councillors tonight, Charlie Seward, director of regeneration and culture reports that a lack of Traveller sites has resulted in developments in Green Belt land, which have subsequently been granted planning permission.
This ‘has led to tensions with neighbouring settled communities, who often feel that different planning rules are applied’ to Gypsy sites, he says.
But despite CWAC citing a need to create up to 55 Traveller pitches before 2016, the authority didn’t receive any grants on the two recent occasions funding was available – and now there’s no immediate HCA money left to apply for.
Swanlow and Dene clr Stephen Burns said he ‘had concerns’ about the original assessment.
“I appreciate officers have worked hard on this but I feel there should have been wider consultation with Travellers and communities which may have lessened the concerns of both groups and resolved any concerns regarding the green belt,” he added.
CWAC hope to enter a three-way agreement with the HCA and the Plus Dane social housing group, whom a council report states will provide £1.6 million towards the 18 pitches on Barlow Drive.
That would still leave the council with a minimum £1.1 million spend on the site, before taking into account any cost of ongoing management of the pitches.
CWAC has announced ‘discussions are underway’ with neighbouring authorities to set up a ‘sub regional service for Gypsies and Travellers’ across Cheshire and Warrington, which may include organising site management of Traveller pitches.
However, these talks could take up to 18 months to conclude, and CWAC is recommending that it takes on responsibility of management of Barlow Road in the meantime.
CWAC’s Gypsy site plans CWAC forecast a shortage of Gypsy and Traveller pitches six years ago.
The Cheshire Partnership Area Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation (GTAA), published in January 2007, cited a need for between 31-45 permanent pitches and 10 transit pitches.
To date, no new public provision towards this need has been made and there are no publicly provided Gypsy and Traveller sites in the borough.
27 pitches on eight green belt sites in the borough have been granted temporary planning permission, but because these are temporary permissions, they don’t count towards the 45 demanded by the GTAA
WORK on Winsford’s new Gypsy and Traveller site on Barlow Drive will begin in summer - with a price tag for the borough council of £2.7 million.
Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) acknowledge that the figure is liable to rise, and want to access Traveller Pitch Funding from the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency to help pay for it.
In a report due to be discussed by councillors tonight, Charlie Seward, director of regeneration and culture reports that a lack of Traveller sites has resulted in developments in Green Belt land, which have subsequently been granted planning permission.
This ‘has led to tensions with neighbouring settled communities, who often feel that different planning rules are applied’ to Gypsy sites, he says.
But despite CWAC citing a need to create up to 55 Traveller pitches before 2016, the authority didn’t receive any grants on the two recent occasions funding was available – and now there’s no immediate HCA money left to apply for.
Swanlow and Dene clr Stephen Burns said he ‘had concerns’ about the original assessment.
“I appreciate officers have worked hard on this but I feel there should have been wider consultation with Travellers and communities which may have lessened the concerns of both groups and resolved any concerns regarding the green belt,” he added.
CWAC hope to enter a three-way agreement with the HCA and the Plus Dane social housing group, whom a council report states will provide £1.6 million towards the 18 pitches on Barlow Drive.
That would still leave the council with a minimum £1.1 million spend on the site, before taking into account any cost of ongoing management of the pitches.
CWAC has announced ‘discussions are underway’ with neighbouring authorities to set up a ‘sub regional service for Gypsies and Travellers’ across Cheshire and Warrington, which may include organising site management of Traveller pitches.
However, these talks could take up to 18 months to conclude, and CWAC is recommending that it takes on responsibility of management of Barlow Road in the meantime.
CWAC’s Gypsy site plans CWAC forecast a shortage of Gypsy and Traveller pitches six years ago.
The Cheshire Partnership Area Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation (GTAA), published in January 2007, cited a need for between 31-45 permanent pitches and 10 transit pitches.
To date, no new public provision towards this need has been made and there are no publicly provided Gypsy and Traveller sites in the borough.
27 pitches on eight green belt sites in the borough have been granted temporary planning permission, but because these are temporary permissions, they don’t count towards the 45 demanded by the GTAA
Legal Action to Remove Dundee Travellers
From the Evening Telegraph
Legal action is under way to remove Travellers from their latest unauthorised Dundee camp — where rubbish is already piling up.
The group are occupying land in Dundee Technology Park next to the former General Accident call centre, where the land already has piles of waste from building materials among the dozen caravans.
Now Aviva Investors, the owner of the latest site, has begun proceedings to serve the Travellers with an order to leave.
A spokesman for the company said: “We are pursuing legal action to have them removed.”
The Travellers have been forced to leave three previous sites after having eviction notices served on them.
West End councillor Fraser Macpherson said: “The site agent is taking legal action and I’m pleased they are taking a pro-active stance.
“The time that it takes to remove them from each site is a fundamental issue and I have spoken to the council’s legal officers about the process and the speed at which it takes place.”
The caravans left their last camp at Riverside Business Park on Friday morning, after receiving an order to leave from owners Brakes on Thursday.
Council workers spent Friday and Monday cleaning up the site, which was covered in rubbish.
Waste left included an abandoned caravan, empty gas cylinders and building supplies.
Mr Macpherson said: “We have a situation where there is a site that is full of rubbish, immediately adjacent to the airport runway, so it needs to be cleared from a safety point of view. It’s important we recognise the need to make sure that areas of land are as secure as possible to make sure these unauthorised sites don’t happen again.
“Travellers could move on to unauthorised sites all over the city.”
The mess left at previous camps in Claverhouse, on Charles Bowman Avenue and Jack Martin Way, cost more than £10,000 of taxpayers’ money to clean up.
While the clean-up at Riverside will be carried out by the council’s environment department, Dundee City Council has confirmed the property’s owners will be paying them for the work carried out.
Dundee City Council operates an official site for Travellers at Balmuir Wood near Tealing, but nearly all of the 20 pitches are currently empty.
Legal action is under way to remove Travellers from their latest unauthorised Dundee camp — where rubbish is already piling up.
The group are occupying land in Dundee Technology Park next to the former General Accident call centre, where the land already has piles of waste from building materials among the dozen caravans.
Now Aviva Investors, the owner of the latest site, has begun proceedings to serve the Travellers with an order to leave.
A spokesman for the company said: “We are pursuing legal action to have them removed.”
The Travellers have been forced to leave three previous sites after having eviction notices served on them.
West End councillor Fraser Macpherson said: “The site agent is taking legal action and I’m pleased they are taking a pro-active stance.
“The time that it takes to remove them from each site is a fundamental issue and I have spoken to the council’s legal officers about the process and the speed at which it takes place.”
The caravans left their last camp at Riverside Business Park on Friday morning, after receiving an order to leave from owners Brakes on Thursday.
Council workers spent Friday and Monday cleaning up the site, which was covered in rubbish.
Waste left included an abandoned caravan, empty gas cylinders and building supplies.
Mr Macpherson said: “We have a situation where there is a site that is full of rubbish, immediately adjacent to the airport runway, so it needs to be cleared from a safety point of view. It’s important we recognise the need to make sure that areas of land are as secure as possible to make sure these unauthorised sites don’t happen again.
“Travellers could move on to unauthorised sites all over the city.”
The mess left at previous camps in Claverhouse, on Charles Bowman Avenue and Jack Martin Way, cost more than £10,000 of taxpayers’ money to clean up.
While the clean-up at Riverside will be carried out by the council’s environment department, Dundee City Council has confirmed the property’s owners will be paying them for the work carried out.
Dundee City Council operates an official site for Travellers at Balmuir Wood near Tealing, but nearly all of the 20 pitches are currently empty.
Croydon Council seeks High Court order in war against Travellers - London
From the Croydon Advertiser
COUNCIL lawyers are putting the finishing touches to plans to seek a court injunction banning Travellers from illegally camping anywhere in the borough.
The "get tough" stance is expected to be approved at Monday's meeting of the council cabinet and follows growing concern about damage and disruption caused by a specific group of Travellers.
Last year alone, the council had to deal with 83 illegal camps with council taxpayers footing a £128,000 bill to remove the camps and clear up afterwards.
The idea of an injunction on specific Travellers was first raised by council leader Mike Fisher last September when, referring to the mess they left, he branded them "a risk to public health".
This week Cllr Fisher said solicitors were looking at final details of an injunction application to try and ensure that any application made to the courts was watertight and would not be turned down.
He said any Travellers involved would have a right to object to any injunction application but the aim would be to impose a blanket ban on the groups stopping anywhere in the borough.
The ban is intended to apply to both council-owned land and sites in private ownership, with the owner's consent.
It is also hoped the terms of the injunction would enable extra names to be added to the banned list if it became necessary in the future.
Cllr Fisher said: "We want the initiative to kick off as soon as possible.
"We don't want to find ourselves in the situation we had last year when quite a large number of Travellers were coming into Croydon and we were playing a cat-and-mouse game with them.
"As soon as we moved them on they were coming back on to another piece of land."
An injunction would have an added benefit over existing eviction powers granted to local authorities because it could be granted for an indefinite period.
He added people whose lives had been disrupted by illegal camps were aggrieved by the mess Travellers left in their wake and angry that residents had to pick up the tab for the clean-up operation.
COUNCIL lawyers are putting the finishing touches to plans to seek a court injunction banning Travellers from illegally camping anywhere in the borough.
The "get tough" stance is expected to be approved at Monday's meeting of the council cabinet and follows growing concern about damage and disruption caused by a specific group of Travellers.
Last year alone, the council had to deal with 83 illegal camps with council taxpayers footing a £128,000 bill to remove the camps and clear up afterwards.
The idea of an injunction on specific Travellers was first raised by council leader Mike Fisher last September when, referring to the mess they left, he branded them "a risk to public health".
This week Cllr Fisher said solicitors were looking at final details of an injunction application to try and ensure that any application made to the courts was watertight and would not be turned down.
He said any Travellers involved would have a right to object to any injunction application but the aim would be to impose a blanket ban on the groups stopping anywhere in the borough.
The ban is intended to apply to both council-owned land and sites in private ownership, with the owner's consent.
It is also hoped the terms of the injunction would enable extra names to be added to the banned list if it became necessary in the future.
Cllr Fisher said: "We want the initiative to kick off as soon as possible.
"We don't want to find ourselves in the situation we had last year when quite a large number of Travellers were coming into Croydon and we were playing a cat-and-mouse game with them.
"As soon as we moved them on they were coming back on to another piece of land."
An injunction would have an added benefit over existing eviction powers granted to local authorities because it could be granted for an indefinite period.
He added people whose lives had been disrupted by illegal camps were aggrieved by the mess Travellers left in their wake and angry that residents had to pick up the tab for the clean-up operation.
Travellers' horse drive at Hull court - Yorkshire
From the Hull Daily Mail
HULL city council wants people to attend a court hearing tomorrow to voice their objections to a Travellers' horse drive.
Despite assurances from the organiser that the Hull Horse Drive would not be taking place due to concerns for public safety, Hull City Council says it has received intelligence that a small group were still planning to go ahead with the controversial event.
Humberside Police and Hull City Council expressed concerns about the horse drive after it attracted more than 300 people last year.
The drive was due to take place on Sunday along a route through north Hull and ending up at the Endyke pub in Endyke Lane.
Fears have been raised over the safety of those participating and spectating, along with the potential disruption to the community.
The decision was made by the organiser to cancel the horse drive after a meeting with police and council officials. He agreed to work with them in planning next year's event.
But a court order is being sought after reports the event could still go ahead.
The injunction was granted on April 26 and a further hearing will take place tomorrow at 10.30am at Hull County Court.
People who are affected by this order can attend court and make their concerns heard.
Jane Price, of Hull City Council, said: "As public safety is paramount to the council, along with avoiding disruption throughout the city, an injunction was applied for which forbids the Hull Horse Drive, or similarly described event, taking place between May 4 and 10, from obstructing any highway.
"If the court judges that the order should continue and people choose to go ahead with the Hull Horse Drive, or similar event, they may breach the order and be in contempt of court.
"Ultimately, this is punishable by a fine or imprisonment."
Hull City Council, with the support of Humberside Police, applied to Hull County Court for an injunction against a horse drive taking place in the city.
Copies of this order will be available for people to inspect at Guildhall reception, the Wilson Centre in Alfred Gelder Street and the Orchard Centre in Orchard Park Road, north Hull.
A copy of the order will also be affixed to lampposts in the areas of north Hull where the Hull Horse Drive was believed to be taking place.
Mrs Price previously told the Mail: "We received a number of safety concerns from residents and businesses regarding this year's Horse Drive event.
"The safety of the community is a main priority for us and, by working with Humberside Police and the organiser, we can offer support and advice to make sure it is done in a planned way to minimise disruption for next year's revised event."
Following a horse drive last September, police were forced to suddenly close several streets in west Hull after Travellers descended on Hawthorn Avenue to race dozens of horses and carts.
At the time, some residents living in the area said police had advised them to stay in their homes for their own safety.
Similar scenes were also witnessed in Endike Lane, north Hull, earlier last year when one trailer broke loose and narrowly missed three young children and an elderly woman standing on a pavement.
HULL city council wants people to attend a court hearing tomorrow to voice their objections to a Travellers' horse drive.
Despite assurances from the organiser that the Hull Horse Drive would not be taking place due to concerns for public safety, Hull City Council says it has received intelligence that a small group were still planning to go ahead with the controversial event.
Humberside Police and Hull City Council expressed concerns about the horse drive after it attracted more than 300 people last year.
The drive was due to take place on Sunday along a route through north Hull and ending up at the Endyke pub in Endyke Lane.
Fears have been raised over the safety of those participating and spectating, along with the potential disruption to the community.
The decision was made by the organiser to cancel the horse drive after a meeting with police and council officials. He agreed to work with them in planning next year's event.
But a court order is being sought after reports the event could still go ahead.
The injunction was granted on April 26 and a further hearing will take place tomorrow at 10.30am at Hull County Court.
People who are affected by this order can attend court and make their concerns heard.
Jane Price, of Hull City Council, said: "As public safety is paramount to the council, along with avoiding disruption throughout the city, an injunction was applied for which forbids the Hull Horse Drive, or similarly described event, taking place between May 4 and 10, from obstructing any highway.
"If the court judges that the order should continue and people choose to go ahead with the Hull Horse Drive, or similar event, they may breach the order and be in contempt of court.
"Ultimately, this is punishable by a fine or imprisonment."
Hull City Council, with the support of Humberside Police, applied to Hull County Court for an injunction against a horse drive taking place in the city.
Copies of this order will be available for people to inspect at Guildhall reception, the Wilson Centre in Alfred Gelder Street and the Orchard Centre in Orchard Park Road, north Hull.
A copy of the order will also be affixed to lampposts in the areas of north Hull where the Hull Horse Drive was believed to be taking place.
Mrs Price previously told the Mail: "We received a number of safety concerns from residents and businesses regarding this year's Horse Drive event.
"The safety of the community is a main priority for us and, by working with Humberside Police and the organiser, we can offer support and advice to make sure it is done in a planned way to minimise disruption for next year's revised event."
Following a horse drive last September, police were forced to suddenly close several streets in west Hull after Travellers descended on Hawthorn Avenue to race dozens of horses and carts.
At the time, some residents living in the area said police had advised them to stay in their homes for their own safety.
Similar scenes were also witnessed in Endike Lane, north Hull, earlier last year when one trailer broke loose and narrowly missed three young children and an elderly woman standing on a pavement.
Council consults lawyers on moving Hersham Travellers - Surrey
From the Elmbridge Guardian
A group of Travellers, who set up home in the car park of a Hersham recreation ground, have failed to leave the site, despite agreeing to leave by Saturday.
The Travellers, thought to be three families, arrived at Coronation Recreation Ground, Molesey Road, sometime between Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21.
The playground at the recreation ground was closed on Thursday last week, which is believed to be due to hygiene issues.
Councillor Mary Sheldon said on Tuesday she was aware that people had still been entering the playground, despite it officially being closed.
It is alleged that the Traveller families have 10 children between them and they have been using the playground.
A council spokeswoman said: “The Travellers have not vacated the site as they had given assurances that they would. As a result legal papers were submitted on Monday, April 29, to the courts and we are now awaiting a hearing date.”
A group of Travellers, who set up home in the car park of a Hersham recreation ground, have failed to leave the site, despite agreeing to leave by Saturday.
The Travellers, thought to be three families, arrived at Coronation Recreation Ground, Molesey Road, sometime between Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21.
The playground at the recreation ground was closed on Thursday last week, which is believed to be due to hygiene issues.
Councillor Mary Sheldon said on Tuesday she was aware that people had still been entering the playground, despite it officially being closed.
It is alleged that the Traveller families have 10 children between them and they have been using the playground.
A council spokeswoman said: “The Travellers have not vacated the site as they had given assurances that they would. As a result legal papers were submitted on Monday, April 29, to the courts and we are now awaiting a hearing date.”
No decision yet on whether more Travellers will be coming to Ash - Surrey
From Eagle Radio
A vote on whether to approve a new Traveller site in Ash has been postponed.
Guildford Borough Council met last night to vote on whether to grant a planning application for four new caravan pitches.
But a number of drainage and sewage maintenance issues were flagged up.
And councillors decided to send in an engineer to check out the land off the A323 Guildford Road.
There have been a number of objections from people and groups such as Network Rail and the Parish Council.
But the council has to provide more plots after it missed its targets.
A vote on whether to approve a new Traveller site in Ash has been postponed.
Guildford Borough Council met last night to vote on whether to grant a planning application for four new caravan pitches.
But a number of drainage and sewage maintenance issues were flagged up.
And councillors decided to send in an engineer to check out the land off the A323 Guildford Road.
There have been a number of objections from people and groups such as Network Rail and the Parish Council.
But the council has to provide more plots after it missed its targets.
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