Council could be given new powers to evict travellers

Along with reviewing the eviction powers, civil servants will look at why councils aren’t setting up new authorised camps.

Kirklees Council is proposing a new permanent site at Birstall, close to Showcase cinema and the retail park, but that has been objected to by a number of the large firms operating in the area.

The Minister for Housing, Dominic Raab, said he is investigating what can be done to improve the situation for everyone.

Launching a consultation over ‘unauthorised caravan sites,’ he said: “Recent debates in Parliament have addressed the topic of unauthorised traveller encampments, and MPs have voiced their constituents’ concerns regarding the impact on both settled and nomadic populations.

“I was deeply troubled by these concerns, particularly by the widespread perception that the rule of law does not apply to those who choose a nomadic lifestyle, and the sense that available enforcement powers do not protect settled communities adequately.

“Unauthorised encampments can cause settled communities significant distress, and they perpetuate a negative image of the travelling community, the vast majority of whom are law-abiding citizens.

“Unauthorised encampments also have a detrimental effect on the life chances of those who live within such encampments, and their children, who may not benefit from the same opportunities as everyone else.”