New Moves To Tackle Illegal Travellers' Camps In East Riding

New measures to tackle illegal travellers and gypsy camps in the East Riding will be discussed by councillors today.

The local authority is working closely with police to clamp down on the issue of unauthorised travellers' sites in the area.

They want to see tougher legislation brought in to prevent travellers from returning to illegal camps.

The council and police are working together to:

1. seek tougher Government legislation preventing gypsies and travellers returning to unauthorised sites, such as verges and playing fields, within six months (rather than the current three months) 2. improve information sharing between the two organisations so an even better response can be provided 3. enable the council to recover the costs, on behalf of tax-payers, of damage caused by unauthorised camps 4. strengthen the joint protocol between the police and the council to help them deal with unauthorised encampments.

Councillor Jackie Cracknell, portfolio holder for community involvement and performance at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said she believes the key to tackling the issues is to continue working in partnership with Humberside Police alongside tougher legislation.

She said:

“We really value the co-operation of the police and I believe that together, we can form an effective and productive partnership to help tackle these concerns and issues caused by unauthorised encampments.

“What we want to do is reduce the cost to the public purse – and the negative effect on local communities – that is caused when a minority of gypsies and travellers come into an area and trespass on public or private land, setting up unauthorised camps and causing a huge nuisance.

“Gypsies and travellers who move to unauthorised encampments know they cannot be quickly moved on and that the council has to go through a sometimes lengthy and costly legal procedure.

“In the meantime, the unauthorised camps can damage local life and businesses; create tensions and cost the council - and tax-payers - a fortune in clear-up costs.

“We need stronger powers from Government to stop problems caused when groups return to the same land after a short period of time and to be able to move them on properly, rather than just up the road or into the next parish to cause the same problem there.”

King George Playing Fields in Kirk Ella's one area that's previously been targetted by travellers.

These residents - who don't wish to be named - live nearby and say they have caused misery for people. They told Viking FM:

"They come onto the field, there's tons of rubbish and they go to the toilet on here. They treat it as though it is their territory but the filth and infection that they leave is horrific. The mess that they leave, it must cost taxpayers thousands of pounds to clear up. I know that they are people and they have got to live somewhere but there is a camp in Cottingham especially provided for them."

Another resident said:

"Their livestock; horses, cats and dogs roaming around the fields and the fields are covered in horse manure, it's just environmentally unacceptable. They also have washing hanging out and the noise at night with the generators going is unacceptable. Sports activities had to be cancelled and people just didn't go out."