Travellers banned from six more sites in Walsall
Travellers are now banned from camping on six sites in Walsall – after the council succeeded in obtaining an injunction from the county court.
The sites are Bloxwich Active Living Centre and Leamore Park, George Rose Park, Brownhills Common and Hollands Park, Wyrley Common, Mallory Crescent and Rushall Playing Fields.
An order will be displayed at each site banning people from driving, camping, causing a nuisance or engaging in anti-social behaviour at these places.
Council bosses hope that it will make a significant reduction in the nuisance and anti-social behaviour suffered by people in the borough whenever unauthorised encampments have been set up on these sites.
The matter will be considered further by the court on September 12.
Councillor Garry Perry portfolio holder for community safety said: "I made a commitment at the July council meeting that we would look to secure enough evidence for the courts to support this order.
"This latest development is very encouraging and will come as welcome news to many."
To make the order more effective and further reduce the level of anti-social behaviour, the council invited the trustees of the Wyrley estate to join with it in its application.
The purpose of this was to include within the scope of the injunction land owned by the estate which is within Walsall.
To date the council has obtained injunctions which protect over 30 pieces of land within Walsall.
This latest move comes after council bosses said at the end of last year that travellers could not be banned from the town due to fears of violating human rights.
Walsall Council chiefs have resisted pushing for an outright ban over fears they could be challenged over discrimination. But they have taken extra measures to protect certain sites.