Legal action is set to begin to move a line of travellers who pitched up on a section of Burnham-On-Sea seafront.
The vehicles arrived over the weekend on the South Esplanade, parking opposite Burnham Sailing Club, as pictured here.
Sedgemoor District Council confirmed on Monday that the parking spaces are the responsibility of Somerset County Council.
The authority is now set to undertake legal action to have the group of caravans and motorhomes removed.
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.
