A large group of travellers that were pitched up in Burnham-On-Sea’s seafront car park has left the area.
The group, pictured here, comprising of around 20 vehicles, arrived in The Esplanade car park next to B&M just after 7.30pm on Thursday, occupying spaces at the south end.
But after visits from Police and the district council, they were seen leaving the car park by residents on Saturday at 12.20pm.
Sedgemoor District Council, which owns the car park, had begun its usual legal process of getting the group moved on from the car park.
Sedgemoor spokeswoman Claire Faun told Burnham-On-Sea.com on Friday: “Sedgemoor’s legal team has visited the site to speak with the group; carry out the welfare checks required by law; and we have issued them with a ‘notice to go’ over the weekend.”
Council’s steps to get the travellers moved:
This is the process that the council follows once there is an unauthorised incursion on to Sedgemoor District Council owned land:
- 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 weekends 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.
