Somerset Council is set to start legal proceedings to move a group of travellers from a Burnham-On-Sea seafront car park.
The group of six vehicles arrived on Tuesday evening (May 23rd) next to the B&M store in Burnham’s Pier Street car park.
A Somerset Council spokesman says: “Somerset Council and the Police are aware of the unauthorised entry and encampment on B&M car park in Burnham-On-Sea.”
“Somerset Council Property and Legal staff have attended the site to carry out the statutory legal checks. The group were given notice to vacate by the end of Thursday 25th May. If they do not vacate, legal proceedings will be started.”
“We have an agreed protocol with the Police, which we follow, setting out responsibilities and timescales.”
This is the process that the council takes, following an unauthorised encampment on Somerset Council-owned land, taking into account that it is reasonable and proportionate to commence eviction proceedings:
- In partnership with the Police, our legal team will be visiting the site to speak with the group and carry out the welfare checks required by law.
- 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’ 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 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 immediately.
- If they still do not vacate, the Police and Bailiffs are called in to assist with the removal.
