Dozens of Burnham-On-Sea residents have this week attended a public meeting to voice their concerns to Police and local councils over groups of travellers setting up unauthorised camps on public spaces.
The meeting on Wednesday (February 21st) was arranged by Burnham and Highbridge Town Council and follows groups of travellers pitching up on the Cassis Close playing fields, in local car parks, on the seafront lawns and the Cookson Close playing fields last year.
Police Sergeant Jonathan Eamer from Avon and Somerset Police and Chris Hall, Executive Director for Community Services at Somerset Council, both fielded questions from residents during the 70-minute meeting at the BAY Centre led by Burnham’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
Sergeant Eamer said a “quicker initial response” by Police is being put in place out of hours and at weekends to serve initial notices faster against travellers sited on public land, however residents were dismayed to hear that court proceedings of 5-10 days remain.
Chris Hall said Somerset Council would be keeping the large concrete ‘lego’ blocks that were installed last autumn around the Cassis Close playing felds to try and halt visits by travellers. He added that plans to install a grass bund in their place had been put on hold due to the council’s financial issues.
Tory parliamentary candidate Ashley Fox, who was among those present, said he would like to see Police taking “more forceful action” in removing vehicles and placing a county-wide injunction on them.
One local resident told Police: “This problem has been going on for years and all I am hearing is that you are looking at it when you should be acting on it.” He added that it is wrong that traffic wardens turn a blind eye to travellers in local car parks when tax-paying residents receive fines for small over-stays.
Other residents spoke about the disruption on residents, local community groups and families when travellers had pitched up on the Cassis Close playing fields last summer (pictured above).
And another resident added that he would like to see vehicle height restriction barriers introduced at the front of the entrance into Cassis Close – similiar to those in place at the BASC Ground.
Mayor Cllr Lesley Millard, who hosted the event with Deputy Mayor Cllr Sharon Perry, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The meeting was a good opportunity for residents to find out the progress that Somerset Council and the Police have made since last October. The two Somerset Council Officers and the Police were able to show progress in shortening the response time when travellers arrive at a site.”
“It was evident from comments from some residents at the meeting that improvements are needed in the Police response to behaviour that is threatening, disruptive and, at times, unlawful.”
“The Town Council will now arrange a meeting with the Chief Constable Sarah Crew
and the Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford to discuss how we can work
together to provide secure policing for our residents. I am pleased to say that three of
the residents will be joining that discussion.”
