Tories say residents ‘live in fear’ as council dithers on travellers

A WEST Yorkshire council has been urged to “act immediately” and end delays over removing illegal traveller encampments, amid claims residents are living “in fear”.

Conservatives say they have seen no evidence that Labourrun Kirklees Council has applied to the courts for eviction notices to tackle travellers parked on council-owned land in Grange Moor and Skelmanthorpe.

However the council says public health issues are paramount and that any risk of potentially spreading the coronavirus is managed.

Michael Watson, who represents the Conservatives in Denby Dale, has called on the council to abandon court action in favour of using bailiffs to recover its land.

Senior Labour councillor Graham Turner said the council was pursuing legal means but was also “looking into alternatives to the usual legal process, which might be able to help us do this quicker”. But he cautioned: “Even if those powers are available to the council, to use them would be in breach of Government instructions.”

Coun Richard Smith, whose Kirkburton ward includes Grange Moor, said the Kirklees administration should take action immediately.

Coun Smith said it was “simply unacceptable to falsely claim that Government advice is preventing the council from taking action”.

He said: “I have read the advice and it does not suggest anywhere that evictions should not take place. It does not say the council should allow travellers to pitch up wherever they like on council land.

“I am worried that by delaying a firm response to this issue, the residents of Grange Moor, who I represent will be left to live in fear over the weekend.

Senior Labour councillor Graham Turner.

“It is quite clear that to wait until next week for further action also risks sending the travellers a message that they can have an easy time by pitching up on council land in Kirklees.”

However Coun Turner said it may take “slightly longer” to achieve repossession through the courts during the pandemic.

In the meantime they had to support “all communities” to stop the spread of coronavirus.

This could mean temporary water, sanitation and waste disposal facilities being provided on site.

He said: “The process we will follow is to firstly carry out a further welfare check, and then to ask the travellers to vacate the land if safe to do so.

“A trespasser possession claim will be issued in the county court for non-compliance and any possession order made will be enforced when safe to do so.

“Whilst the travellers remain on site we will be carrying out regular welfare checks, and we may have to put some temporary sanitation measures on site to comply with Government guidance.”

Any possession order made will be enforced when safe to do so.