Published: Friday 29th July 2016 | 2.10pm
Cannock Chase Council together with Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire County Council have put a protocol in place to ensure the eviction of any unauthorised traveller and gypsy encampments in the District as soon as legally possible.
The protocol was agreed at Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet meeting on 21st July 2016 and its aim is to locally negotiate an agreed end to any unauthorised encampment, on Council land, that avoids the formal eviction process.
The review of Council procedures has taken place following an unauthorised encampment on Council land in March this year.
Not only does the protocol look at managing the removal of unauthorised encampments it also sets out the roles and responsibilities of relevant partners.
Councillor George Adamson, Leader of the Council said “The Council have had ten unauthorised encampments on Council land over the last five years and in light of the latest incident, I am pleased that a full review of the procedures has been undertaken and that a protocol is now in place.
A recent report from Staffordshire County Council advised that the cost of removing traveller encampments costs an average of £2,500 per encampment. This protocol will ensure the swift eviction of travellers and gypsy encampments in the future.”
In relation to non-Council owned land the Council will maintain a register of all illegal encampments. On notification of an illegal encampment the Council will attempt to notify the landowner and of the need for them to take all reasonable steps to remove illegal encampments from their land. The Council will not however intervene or pursue eviction for private landowners.