Gypsy and Traveller Group Moves On To Effingham Common

Published on: 22 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 23 Aug, 2017

Some of the Traveller vehicles at Effingham Common

By Chris Dick

A group of Gypsies and Travellers moved on to an area of Effingham Common, this morning (August 22, 2017) at around 10.30am, according to a local resident who reported the incident to The Guildford Dragon NEWS.

An unconfirmed report stated that the Travellers had broken the lock of a gateway onto the common and that a local resident had attempted to block the entrance with her car.

The gateway which, according to an unconfirmed report, had its lock broken to allow the Travellers access to the site.

According to the report, the resident was then threatened so moved her car which allowed the rest of the group access.

She is said to have then alerted Surrey Police but by the time they were in attendance, along with GBC officials, at the scene, off Effingham Common Road, near Effingham Junction railway station, around a dozen caravans and sundry vehicles were in position on the common.

The group of Gypsies and Travellers were observed moving onto the site at 10.30am this morning (August 22).

One of the Travellers, who did not wish to be named, said that she came from Gloucester and that the group had no connection with any of the established Gypsy and Traveller communities in Effingham.

Another, who was identified as the camp’s leader, said he was a Roma Gypsy. He explained that some of the group had come from Mitcham and that none of them had any idea where they would go to once they had been moved on.

He said that they knew where they could pitch the next site but had not decided on which one, of the options identified, they would use, adding that they had no real place they called home and enjoyed moving around: “It’s a bit of a holiday and a bit of work.”

While cooking over his open fire, he remarked that it was the first time in ages that he had been able to do this. He seemed intrigued that Effingham’s history had connections with Gypsies going back to the Second World War and asked when was the last time that there had been any caravans on the common.

There was a multitude of small dogs on the well spaced out site and many puppies being played with by the Gypsy and Traveller children. But a casual treatment of litter was already in evidence with empty crisp packets lying around.

The group leader said: “This is a beautiful place and it is such a shame that the council won’t provide any means for us to tidy our litter. We cannot use the local recycling centres because we have to be registered and, because we are of no-fixed-abode, we can’t register. The problem is that there are just not enough sites”

Parish Cllr James Nicholls

Parish Cllr James Nicholls was present at the site trying to ensure provision of fresh water.

Local residents are concerned that rubbish might build up, as it has at other similar incursions in Guildford Borough and elsewhere.

In a letter to the Guildford Dragon early this month Hilda Brazil, Joint Chair of the Surrey Gypsy Traveller Forum, talked about the lack of transit sites and how councils do not provide rubbish bins or collection services for illegal sites.

Hilda Brazil

She said: “It is a pity that Surrey County Council does not provide temporary transit bays like Sussex where Gypsies and Travellers can be directed to stay for short periods of time before moving on. If they did then they could also pay a fee for removing rubbish.

“The problem of rubbish is a serious one as the cost of cleaning up after they have moved on from illegal encampments can be significant. It is a mystery to me why local authorities don’t simply provide refuse bins as soon as the illegal pitch has been set up.”

On some sites Guildford Borough Council has had earth banks or “bunds” constructed to prevent such incursions. The most recent, at Peasmarsh, was completed just a fortnight ago.

Late this afternoon a spokesperson for GBC said: “We are aware of the traveller encampment on Effingham Common, and are in the process of doing all we can, as quickly as possible.

“We will follow the process as detailed on our website.

“Those wishing to report rubbish, or ask a question about encampments, should contact [GBC] Customer Services on 01483 505050 or email: customerservices@guildford.gov.uk.

“If residents do have any concerns regarding anti-social behaviour or criminal activity they should contact Surrey Police on their non-emergency number 101 or, in an emergency only, 999.”