Gypsies and travellers who move onto illegal sites can expect to be “tolerated for a short time” says a directive from East Cambridgeshire District Council.

Ely Standard: Police raid at Cottenham travellers site in 2013.Police raid at Cottenham travellers site in 2013. (Image: Archant)

The council, that has one of Britain’s highest resident traveller populations, says its approach – formulated in a new policy - is in line with Government guidance.

“In east Cambridgeshire each unauthorised encampment is assessed individually and decisions are based on facts and circumstances,” says the new policy. It adds that “enforcement is taken as soon as practicable.”

Housing options manager Angela Parmenter will present the report to the regulatory and support services committee on January 11.

She says a new policy is needed to take account of the 2010 Equality Act and the 2004 Housing Act. It is also needed in the light of the Christian event last summer that attracted 200 travellers. The event saw police respond to complaints of anti-social behaviour after hundreds of travellers flocked to private land in Grunty Fen, Witchford.

Ely Standard: Police shut down an illegal travellers site in Cottenham in 2013.Police shut down an illegal travellers site in Cottenham in 2013. (Image: Archant)

“The policy follows the controlled path officers took at the Witchford Christian event,” she says. “As members will know the co-ordination and action taken by officers at East Cambridgeshire District Council was widely applauded.”

Ms Parmenter says there has also been cases of individual caravans camped in fields or alongside roads and in both cases the council has a statutory duty of care. That means both for the welfare and needs of the travellers “alongside allaying any concerns from residents.”

She says the policy sets out how officers deal with unauthorised encampments and provides guidelines on the council’s position in relation to partner agencies and residents.

And, at the same time, she says “ensuring that the needs of the travelling community are met and that they have access to services.”

Faced with an unauthorised encampment, the council will:

• Balance the rights and needs of gypsies and travellers with the local community

• Visit and assess the site

• Respond to queries and concerns from the public

• Carry out welfare checks

• Advise travellers and gypsies and of the acceptable code of behaviour

• Arrange swift clear up when they leave

Ms Parmenter says if travellers use private land without consent, it remains the owner’s responsibility to seek a court order to remove them.

She also says that such issues as provision of portable toilets lies with the land owner.

Site visits will determine the speed needed to remove an unauthorised site – particularly if it is near a busy road, near to a school, place of specialist interest or where “inhabitation causes genuine concern.”

She says: “Decisions about the speed of eviction will need to be made after the welfare checks are conducted.”

The policy document concludes: “Most gypsy and travellers who are in transit are doing so for a reason and sometimes that may be an addition to their cultural lifestyle, like being a carer, work opportunities, health needs or domestic fear.

“Careful consideration should be given to these factors. Good practice suggests that negotiation with the gypsies and travellers is the most cost effective, welfare orientated and community effective way of dealing with unauthorised encampments.”