Action is underway by Sedgemoor District Council to remove a group of travellers from a Highbridge car park.
A small group of travellers have this week set up camp in the council-run Bank Street car park, occupying several spaces, as pictured here.
A Sedgemoor District Council spokeswoman told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We were notified of the travellers by a member of the public on Monday morning and have been out to visit them.”
“They have been asked to leave by 10am on Tuesday morning or the normal legal process will be taken.”
Council’s legal steps to move travellers:
This is the process that the district council follows once there is an unauthorised incursion on to Sedgemoor District Council owned land in Burnham and Highbridge area:
- The travellers are issued with a letter advising that they are occupying council land without consent and are usually required to vacate within 24 hours.
- If they do not vacate an application is made to the County Court for a Possession Order and the notice of hearing is then served on the travellers.
- Under court rules, travellers must be given two clear days of notice of the hearing, not including the day that the notice was served, the day of the hearing and not including week-ends or bank holidays; which is why it usually takes at least a week to move them on.
- If they do not vacate, the Council attends the court hearing and seeks an Order for Possession Forthwith. This is then usually served on the travellers the same day with the instruction that they vacate within 24 hours.
- If they still do not vacate, the Police and Bailiffs are called in to assist with the removal.
