Northumberland MP pledges to raise 'unacceptable' traveller encampments with Government after row
Hexham MP Joe Morris has pledged to raise the plight of residents amid a row over an unauthorised encampment over the summer.
Residents at Tyne Green in Hexham were left furious after a group of caravans set up camp on the football pitch outside their home for over a month.
Police and council officers have said their powers under the relevant legislation to deal with such an issue are insufficient after they came under heavy criticism for a lack of action. There are also fears that there could be a repeat of the incident next summer if no action is taken.
Mr Morris said: “The situation on Tyne Green is unacceptable, and my sympathies lie completely with residents who have been affected.
“I will be raising the distress of residents directly with Government. No one should feel unsafe or intimidated where they live.”
At a meeting of the Tynedale Community Partnership last week, representatives from the police and the county council faced the wrath of furious residents who had been calling for action throughout the summer. There were reports of fires being lit on the pitch, horses being grazed in the playpark and verbal abuse from campers.
Ken McDonald, Northumberland County Council’s Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Liaison Officer admitted powers were ‘probably’ not robust enough but that the council had used all the powers available. Northumbria Police’s Neighbourhood Inspector for West Tynedale, Kate Benson, added that the threshold for police involvement was very high.
A 10-point plan has been devised to take action to stop a re-occurrence of the issue next summer. Coun John Riddle, the county council’s cabinet member for environment admitted the council had “not been effective”.
Hexham Mayor Coun Derek Kennedy said the Government needed to introduce instant fines to deter campers from bothering residents.
He said: “It is very apparent that the current legislation is not up to the task. People can camp for long periods before the legal process takes place.
“There needs to be instant justice and fines made or certainly the threat of fines made immediately without the need to go to a judge. If the police or councils were given powers to give instant fines then we may have a system to prevent these people camping as they see fit and causing issues for peaceful residents.”