unlawful occupation1 February 2012

Update 2 Feb: Sandra Dennis reported this morning that the travellers had gone. So far, they have not been reported to have alighted on another site within Thames Ditton or Weston Green. More: praise where it is well-deserved. With more information coming in about the actions taken yesterday by Elmbridge and the police working together, it is clear that calm, decent and determined action by the authorities succeeded in nipping this situation in the bud before it could develop. Throughout the episode we have been kept well informed, therefore able to keep residents accurately informed, by both council and police, who are to be congratulated on their handling of the matter. Well done, everybody.

Update evening 1 Feb: EBC officers have been gathering evidence today and co-ordinating with other parts of the system including police, who need to be involved. A senior EBC officer is meeting with the police, on site, this evening when the occupants of the caravans are expected to be there (they were not there during the day).

First story: Three caravans unlawfully camped on Weston Green on the night of 31 January, damaging the turf nearby. They are owned by two occupants. They had earlier been moved on from a site in Ham. One of the occupants is believed to have work, and was previously moved on from a site in West Molesey. There are toilet facilities in the vans.

Alerted by Residents' Councillor Sandra Dennis, Elmbridge Borough Council moved swiftly to act and a member of the Countryside team visited the camp on the morning of 1 February, as did the local police. The gypsies reportedly said that they were there only temporarily, having lost their earlier site, and would be moving on as soon as they found a suitable site to base themselves. Countryside Officer Dave Page is reported to have replied that if they remained on Weston Green the following morning, an eviction process would begin. Such a process first requires a proper legal assessment to be made in order that a notice can be properly targeted.

We are following the situation closely. Unlike the group which occupied Colets grounds late last year, there is no indication of any particular concern that this group may be associated with criminal behaviour, and in that site they will be closely scrutinised. Residents may nevertheless wish to take this opportunity to review their outside domestic security.