TRAVELLERS can now be arrested immediately if they set up unauthorised camps on council land, after Rugby Borough Council secured new legal powers.
Following a string of illegal encampments in the borough during the summer, the council successfully applied for an injunction order at Nuneaton County Court on Friday August 31, which came into force this week.
The injunction means anyone who sets up an unauthorised camp on council land can be immediately arrested for contempt of court – with sentences ranging from a fine to imprisonment.
The council has dealt with more than a dozen camps in 2018, with Whitehall Recreation Ground, Brownsover’s Criss Cross Park and Whinfield Recreation Ground all being targeted.
On each occasion, the council has been forced to follow the legal process to move the camp off the land – first serving a notice on the camp of the council’s intention to evict before securing a court date in order to apply to magistrates for an eviction order.
The council also has a legal duty to check the health, welfare and education of children at an encampment, while also complying fully with the Human Rights Act.
But the council now has tougher legal powers, after Deputy District Judge Stephen Wrigley agreed that the frequency of the encampments and the level of disruption and anti-social behaviour caused by them warranted the injunction.
Rugby Borough Council environment and public realm spokeswoman Coun Lisa Parker said: “We have been acutely aware of the disruption caused by illegal encampments in many parts of the borough over the summer, and I’d personally like to thank our residents who have shown patience and understanding in often testing circumstances.
“It’s no easy task to secure an injunction such as this and many councils have failed to convince judges of the need to be granted these powers.
“It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of the council’s legal officers and environmental protection team that we were able to put forward such a strong case in court.”
To report an illegal encampment in the borough, visit www.rugby.gov.uk/illegalencampment or call (01788) 533533.
