Earlsdon Ward Councillor Allan Andrews has called on Coventry City Council to better protect public land from illegal traveller incursions.
In the last few weeks, there have been illegal encampments at various locations throughout the city, including at Hearsall Common, Earlsdon, Spencer Park, Earlsdon, and the War Memorial Park which falls inside Earlsdon Ward, leading to the Conservative Deputy Leader's call to do more.
A precedent was set in March when Harlow Council and Essex County Council secured a landmark ruling to ban illegal encampments across the entire town. Anyone found camping illegally on over 300 identified vulnerable sites can now be fined or imprisoned for contempt of court.
The Earlsdon Councillor has now said that ‘enough is enough’ and that a long-term solution needs to be found to help protect sites in his ward - and at other sites in the city.
Commenting, Allan said: “There is significant public concern about this issue and we need a long-term solution, rather than the current approach of being totally reactionary. I know that the Council and its Officers work swiftly to deal with illegal encampments, but the current approach is clearly not working. It costs money each time travellers arrive, not just in terms of the legal action but also in numerous clean up operation costs. I am urging the Council to learn lessons from places like Harlow Council and Essex County Council seek a High Court injunction for a blanket ban on illegal traveller encampments."
In the last few weeks, there have been illegal encampments at various locations throughout the city, including at Hearsall Common, Earlsdon, Spencer Park, Earlsdon, and the War Memorial Park which falls inside Earlsdon Ward, leading to the Conservative Deputy Leader's call to do more.
A precedent was set in March when Harlow Council and Essex County Council secured a landmark ruling to ban illegal encampments across the entire town. Anyone found camping illegally on over 300 identified vulnerable sites can now be fined or imprisoned for contempt of court.
The Earlsdon Councillor has now said that ‘enough is enough’ and that a long-term solution needs to be found to help protect sites in his ward - and at other sites in the city.
Commenting, Allan said: “There is significant public concern about this issue and we need a long-term solution, rather than the current approach of being totally reactionary. I know that the Council and its Officers work swiftly to deal with illegal encampments, but the current approach is clearly not working. It costs money each time travellers arrive, not just in terms of the legal action but also in numerous clean up operation costs. I am urging the Council to learn lessons from places like Harlow Council and Essex County Council seek a High Court injunction for a blanket ban on illegal traveller encampments."