Council urged to lessen blow of Traveller camps

PLAYING FIELDS NEED PROTECTION, SAYS INDEPENDENT COUNCILLOR

- ALISON STEPHENSON

PRESSURE is being put on Plymouth City Council leaders to do more to mitigate the effects of unauthorised Traveller camps, after disruption was caused to communities last summer, it has been claimed.

Cllr Patrick Nicholson (Independent, Plympton St Mary) said not only had Travellers pitching up in playing fields and parks resulted in “a considerable inconvenience” to residents, but also additional costs to the local authority.

The council can issue a ‘notice to quit’ to try to move people on but, if this does not work, it has to apply for a possession order through the courts to appoint bailiffs to evict Travellers. This can take often take several days.

Cllr Nicholson said: “Within a week of being re-elected to the council in May last year, an unauthorised encampment turned up in Glen Road and from that point across the city there were numerous others.