BRADFORD Council has resolved to do more to tackle the "inconvenience and distress" caused by illegal gipsy and traveller camps, saying it will investigate the possibility of clawing back tax-payer's money used to move them on.
Councillor Debbie Davies (Con, Baildon) described the sites as a "blight on the landscape", adding: "It is time we realised that the patience of residents is wearing tissue-paper-thin on this issue."
Councillor Val Slater, executive member for housing, planning and transport, said the district had been plagued by problems over the summer, with one group of travellers having been asked to move to a legal site on 13 occasions.
"It's not right and it's not fair that council tax-payers should cover the cost," she said.
"We can't harass groups, but if there is evidence of criminal activity, we will act."
An illegal encampment working group has been set up with West Yorkshire Police, and Mark Burns-Williamson, the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, has been notified of the issue.
Under the terms of the motion put before full Council tonight, the authority is to "investigate options for the recovery of all costs incurred from the public purse" involved in moving travellers, and will consider contacting the relevant Government minister to lobby for a change in the law.
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