New travellers site proposed for Dudley

Leaders at Dudley Council have been looking at suitable sites to build one in the borough.

It comes after travellers set up camp on two playing fields last week, prompting a row between politicians over how to tackle the problem.

Councillor Les Jones, cabinet member for housing, said: "Myself and councillor Karen Shakespeare have been looking to see if their is a suitable site for a transient site.

"One could help us tackle illegal traveller camps. It has to be something that we look at in the future."

Transient sites see travellers pay a fee to stop there. The sites also bring in greater powers for council to tackle illegal camps.

Travellers pitched up on Milking Bank last week near to Milking Bank Primary School, before they moved on to Grange Park.

Around 40 caravans moved onto Milking Bank on Tuesday June 20, before moving onto Grange Park and then leaving the latter site by Monday morning.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin criticised Dudley Council and West Midlands Police over how long it took to move on the travellers.

He tweeted:" It is outrageous. Been there since Tuesday. I went today (on Saturday) and there are over 40 caravans. I've been urging the council and police to sort it out."

He asked councillor Jones why it had taken so long, adding it is a 'complete disgrace'.

Councillor Jones, responding on Twitter, tweeted: "So long? Bailiffs used to move from site one, action already in process for site two. Council staff threatened with knives, get real Ian."

He said a member of council staff, who was stood outside the entrance to the playing field in Milking Bank, was threatened with knives by travellers - but the incident wasn't reported to police.

In neighbouring Sandwell, plans are in the pipeline to build a transient site which would give Sandwell Council greater powers to tackle illegal camps.

The neighbouring local authority brought in new powers earlier this year that allowed them to move on travellers from council-owned land within 24 hours.

Cllr Jones said if Dudley Council did not follow the correct procedures to move on travellers from land, the local authority 'could be sued'.

"They could sue us if they didn't comply with the law which is one of the reasons why we can't be more aggressive," he said.

"Unfortunately, some travellers know the law better than we do. They know how to play it."

He added: "I am not lumping everyone together. I am not saying everyone is a bad person. There are some respectable people."