Letter: The Law on Travellers Needs a Complete Rethink

Published on: 29 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 29 Aug, 2017

From Sir Paul Beresford MP

Conservative Member of Parliament for Mole Valley

In the last few weeks there have been a number of traveller groups squatting on public and open land in Surrey. Some pose as Gypsies but most, if not all, are not true Romany Gypsies. In my experience most are Travellers with distinct Irish accents.

The cost of the required legal action to remove them is upon parish councils, district councils, farmers and landowners. This can be considerable. The Travellers often use a specialist legal firm for their defence.

Intimidation or implied intimidation on those who object to these incursions is well known.

Their behaviour contrasts with the peaceful communities on genuine and legitimate sites

It is most difficult for planning authorities where the so called Travellers “squat” on land they own and flagrantly abuse the planning decisions. Mole Valley constituency has two notorious cases. The belief that the law doesn’t apply to them and their resulting actions by some Travellers has to be stopped.

In the vast majority of cases the so called “settled” community respect planning decisions. If not, then enforcement action is normally swift. The so called Travellers frequently use their legal advisers to stall and stay action, sometimes for years.

I have conferred with a number of my parliamentary colleagues and we feel the law needs a complete rethink. Perhaps some of the errant behaviour could be made criminal so our already over worked police could act directly.

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