Bradford Council urged to change policy after Baildon travellers moved on (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Bradford Council urged to change policy after Baildon travellers moved on
9:10am Friday 3rd September 2010 in
Taxpayers will have to foot the bill for a “disgraceful mess” left by travellers as the authorities continue to chase groups around the district.
Legal action has been taken to evict more than a dozen families who set up camp at Thompson Lane, Baildon.
It is only a few days since they were moved there from a site in Coach Road – about 500 metres away. Bradford Council now faces the job of clearing up mess including broken paving stones, gas canisters, tarmac and tree cuttings at the site near Glenaire Primary School.
The cleaning bill is expected to run into thousands of pounds. Bradford Council’s Green group leader, Councillor Martin Love, told the Telegraph & Argus he wanted to see more action taken against travellers for littering and fly tipping.
“It is an absolutely disgraceful mess down there,” he said.
“There is a huge amount of rubbish – a lot of it in deep undergrowth and in hedges.
“The Council fines people for dropping litter but this is not litter, it is industrial waste.
“If companies dropped industrial waste, they would be given even larger fines.
“There needs to be a clarification in Council policy and some way of getting recompense to council tax payers when they leave this mess.”
Coun Love said a resident had told him it was the first time in 50 years travellers had set up an illegal camp in Thompson Lane.
The travellers are believed to be the same families who were moved on from Coach Road and High Bank Lane, near Northcliffe Golf Club, he said.
They had used a digger to remove concrete blocks laid to prevent illegal camps.
Coun Love said he believed they had now moved to Redbeck playing fields at Shipley Primary School. The Council is expected to move them on by Tuesday.
“The travellers do not do themselves any favours,” said Coun Love. “They complain about getting a bad press but when they leave things in a state, you only have sympathy with the residents.”
Comments(16)
Brent_Meister
says...
10:42am Fri 3 Sep 10
.
Makes me sick.
albion
says...
10:42am Fri 3 Sep 10
We already provide two sites for travellers (which is more than some authorities do) so there should be zero tolerance for any illegal camping.
Maybe we should take a leaf out of the French attitude to such things instead of being abused for becoming known as a soft touch.
NOTSOCOMMENSENSE
says...
12:14pm Fri 3 Sep 10
frejan
says...
12:57pm Fri 3 Sep 10
Corporal
says...
1:23pm Fri 3 Sep 10
They should clamp their vans first until they pay to stay there and if that doesnt work arrest on site
That'll stop them soo enough
wibsey lad
says...
3:36pm Fri 3 Sep 10
we are reaping our rewards for that mistake
bredandbuttered
says...
4:21pm Fri 3 Sep 10
This lot sound like criminals.
Up with the partridge
says...
4:39pm Fri 3 Sep 10
These people push goodwill to the limits and should be dealt with severely.
yangy8
says...
6:18pm Fri 3 Sep 10
surely if they used a digger to move something thats a criminal offence which can be acted on immediately.
if we don't have tax on our car they can be crushed so why not apply this to the caravans if they are illegally set up?
allannicho
says...
6:36pm Fri 3 Sep 10
The Council are (as we say in Yorkshire)
" A bit slack"
steveinbradford
says...
7:05pm Fri 3 Sep 10
Danny Jacobs
says...
2:53am Sun 5 Sep 10
wibsey lad wrote:Bradford Council are Enforcement Kings! They will lock you up law abiding taxpayers if you do not pay the Council Tax!
bradford council are to blame for this....years ago leeds council had a strict eviction policy whilst we welcomed "the travelling people" we are reaping our rewards for that mistake
Could this mess left behind be classed as Fly Tipping, as the Council Enforcement Team says;
Fly tipping is a serious problem that affects the district and is a very serious offence. The enforcement officers work closely with the community and the Police and use a variety of tactics to catch those responsible including surveillance, covert CCTV and stop and searching vehicles carrying waste. When fly tippers are prosecuted, they can face fines of up to £50,000 and one year in prison.
Does this apply to Our Guests!!
albion
says...
11:16am Sun 5 Sep 10
Danny Jacobs wrote:Surely those examples are for the courts to decide.
wibsey lad wrote:Bradford Council are Enforcement Kings! They will lock you up law abiding taxpayers if you do not pay the Council Tax!
bradford council are to blame for this....years ago leeds council had a strict eviction policy whilst we welcomed "the travelling people" we are reaping our rewards for that mistake
Could this mess left behind be classed as Fly Tipping, as the Council Enforcement Team says;
Fly tipping is a serious problem that affects the district and is a very serious offence. The enforcement officers work closely with the community and the Police and use a variety of tactics to catch those responsible including surveillance, covert CCTV and stop and searching vehicles carrying waste. When fly tippers are prosecuted, they can face fines of up to £50,000 and one year in prison.
Does this apply to Our Guests!!
More severe penalties and better enforcement would help.
Up with the partridge
says...
12:42pm Sun 5 Sep 10
phemm694
says...
5:05pm Mon 6 Sep 10
IT IS COMPLETELY UNFAIR WHAT THEY DO TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T WANT THEM!!!!!!!!
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SRS74 says...
10:25am Fri 3 Sep 10
But at least the sales of rugs and dogs will also have increased.
These people should not be allowed to foul our lands. More has to be done, rather than the usual Council response of obtaining a legal notice requiring them to move on within a number of days. It only moves it further up the road.