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Liberal Democrat District Councillor for Buckland and Milber Learn more
by admin on 20 November, 2018
I raised the issue of “Travellers” at yesterdays OnS Committee meeting at Teignbridge Council.
Many travellers are perfectly acceptable and reasonable well behaved people; sadly not all are, and these cause problems for many. Teignbridge owned sites are “visited” not infrequently. I think it has been 4 times this year.
Problems caused include trespass; damage to property; littering and fly-tipping, and also not infrequently noise and an increase in crime.
The council is left with a cost to these visits, though when I say “the council” I really mean you and me, the Council Taxpayer. Clearing up costs; repairs to broken fencing or locked gates all cost money. I want to see these costs passed onto our visitors but it seems next to impossible to achieve this, as the offending person needs to be identified and that simply isn’t straightforward.
Part of the problem is that few local authorities have transit sites for travellers to be evicted to. It’s all very well evicting them, and Teignbridge is really quite good at that, but they need to be evicted not just from but to somewhere, and there isn’t anywhere. Consequently, the problem is never satisfactorily resolved, nor will it be till these transit sites are provided. I will defend anyones right to live a lifestyle different from mine, but I don’t want or expect to pay for it. IMO the law must be strengthened and the police should play a much more proactive role in recovering the costs of visits. That said, I appreciate it’s easy to say, but in the current situation rather more difficult to put into practice. A report will now be prepared and a further debate held.
Making yourself popular again Gordon. Travelers, this is a good one. Yes there needs to be sites they can use but they should pay some sort of rent for staying there and council tax for the period they stay. I think that those farmers who are willing to give a little space, that is suitably fitted out with water, electricity and sewage systems, should be allowed cater for travelers. They would be able to keep a much closer eye on them and what they are doing. However, there has to be ways of evicting those who do not keep to the rules quickly, without all the wasted time of going through courts. I do not see how any of this is unreasonable.
David.
Thanks for comments David. The council is obliged to act legally and this they do. They actually act about as quickly as it’s possible to act within the law, as the process takes approx. 5 working days. The police don’t really engage unless a breach of the peace is threatened. Eviction from somewhere is easy enough, but eviction to is a different matter. Local authorities around the country are largely ignoring the law and not providing Transit camps, for travellers to be evicted to. IMO these don’t need to be luxurious in the least but do need to have the basics….a portaloo and running water/tap. A piece of redundant road would suffice. It is little point one local authority providing transit camps in isolation, as that authority would then become inundated with travellers. All authorities should be obliged to fulfil the law and provide places, so one authority doesn’t bear the full burden. This all needs central government to get a grip and solve the problem, as a problem it certainly is. Council owned property must be defended one way or another, and in an ideal world, those who break the law and cost us council tax payers money should be made to pay.