travellers defy court order

Council officials are back at magistrates court today in a further bid to evict travellers from their unauthorised encampments in Nantwich.

A number of travelling families set up camp on Barony Park and nearby Volunteer Fields a week ago.

And despite Cheshire East Council’s Section 77 court order to have them removed last Thursday, they have remained on site.

Now sources say travellers did not comply with last week’s court order due to illness.

Enforcement officers from the council are due to serve a second order on the families later today or tomorrow, if it is granted by magistrates.

It comes amid growing reports on social media of anti-social behaviour and a rise in police call-outs to incidents in the town and on Barony Park.

Over the past 12 months, council officers, town councillors, police and residents’ groups have met to discuss the ongoing problem of traveller encampments in Nantwich.

A Cheshire East Council spokesperson said: “The council is in the process of pursuing legal action to remove travellers from Barony Park and Volunteer Field.

“It is correct that meetings have taken place with local community groups, residents, police and councillors last year and a number of ideas came out of these meetings, exploring how best to prevent unauthorised access.

“The council did explore these options and shared the findings with community leaders last year at the Civic Hall.

“It was found that due to the open aspect of Barony Park on all sides, these options were both financially unviable and, more importantly, would severely impact on the usual public access and amenity functions of the park.

“The council will continue to engage with local residents and community groups and will act swiftly to deal with unauthorised encampments, while continuing to pursue alternative solutions.”

Nantwich Police stated on Twitter: “With regards to the unauthorised encampments on Barony Park and Volunteer fields, @CheshireEast council have a court hearing this afternoon to progress the matter.”

Cheshire Police can use powers under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to arrest travellers and impound vehicles of those who do not leave land when ordered to do so.

But a spokesman said this would only be used if the travellers were camped on private land, not on public council-owned land such as Barony Park.

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5 Comments

  1. Jack Benton says:

    Interestingly travellers (maybe this lot) arrived at Newcastle, seems the police there soon shifted them
    Does the Staffordshire police force operate differently to Cheshire East maybe?

  2. Jane Morris says:

    So it has to be private land not council land to issue a section 61 eh,?
    Well why don’t the council sell the perimeter edges to private owners, that way they would have to trespass over private land to get to council land.

    If trees or native hedges were planted every few feet around the park, then that would be a cost effective way of fencing the land off, or digging a ditch around would also be cheap as chips and effective.

    By the council just doing nothing is sending out quite a lame message to these tedious people.
    Going to court is not the only answer, they are laughing at you!!

  3. Jo Redfern says:

    There must be at least one offence I am sure to find, by not treating them like the rest of the population you just play into their hands, they are like spoilt selfish brats without peers to guide them.

    The whole area is a disgrace, these fields are ours, we pay taxes for them, I want my open space back!!!

    It’s time the courts got tougher, we are all let down

  4. Lawrence Edwards says:

    Cut the councils biscuit budget. Plant some more trees, mound some earth and bang about 4-6 opening barriers. Im pretty sure local residents and community groups would help. I know I would!

  5. Richard Scott says:

    A year of meetings and you have achieved nothing re the problems with travellers. Are you not ashamed of the lack of progress. The Police say their hands are tied and it is with the Council. What are you all so frightened off when it comes to travellers, and why will you not look after the interests of the local residents and tax payers. We can’t use the park now and we pay towards its upkeep. I bet the Police have not even bothered to check the MOT, Insurance and license of these people. The place is littered with dog waste, human waste, sanitary products and rubbish.

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