Minutes:
The Chairman invited the Head of Paid Service to make a statement to Council. The Head of Paid Service made the following announcement:
“Thank you Chairman.
I would like to make a statement about the work of the council relating to the illegal occupation by travellers at Shorncliffe.
On 25 November a group of travellers illegally entered the sports ground car park off Aldridge Road. The size of the encampment was around 13 caravans and towing vehicles.
The site is owned by Taylor Wimpey and the car park and sports ground has been subject to several previous incursions. Some target hardening measures have taken place by the site owner including a strengthened height barrier. However, despite these measures, entry was gained.
In the following days, the council received a high number of call and emails from concerned local residents reporting serious incidents of anti-social behaviour including theft, violent threats against the community, children defecating on play equipment, fires being lit and loud noise, etc.
In response to the level of public concern, we first issued a legal notice to leave the land under Section 77 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. This was then backed up by obtaining a Section 78 order authorising the council to remove persons and vehicles unlawfully remaining on the land. The Section 78 order was obtained at the earliest available opportunity from the Magistrates Court on 3 December.
As soon as the order was approved the encampment was notified and eviction scheduled for later that week, which involved the council bringing in bailiffs and tow trucks. On 6 December the encampment moved away from the sports ground car park to a nearby commercial site but returned to Aldridge Road on 9 December initially setting up along the road and then moving back into the car park, removing the reinstalled height barrier in the process.
The encampment then proceeded to barricade the entrance with vehicles and concrete blocks and expressed a clear intention to remain at the car park and threatened that any further attempt at eviction would be met with a violent response.
The council was not prepared to allow the encampment to continue occupying the car park and, in conjunction with the police, returned to the site on 11 December to enforce the court order despite the very real risk of physical violence and potential injury to those involved in the eviction process.
An attempt was made to peacefully resolve the situation. When this did not make progress the bailiffs were authorised to remove the physical barriers to the site entrance. The encampment responded by driving vehicles across the entrance and locking young children into those vehicles and into their caravans. The police attempted to negotiate the safe removal of the children. This continued for some time until the local inspector, after discussion with his superiors, took the decision that to continue the eviction would put the children locked in the vehicles at significant risk of injury. The decision was therefore made to stand down and withdraw from site to reduce tensions. Whilst the council was extremely reluctant to leave the encampment in place it agreed with the police assessment that continuing the eviction posed a risk to the children. It is worth noting that throughout the day police, council staff and bailiffs were subject to repeated verbal abuse and threats, and I am grateful for the high-level of professionalism shown by colleagues in very difficult circumstances.
Over the following days discussions were held with senior police officers about how best to resolve the situation. It was agreed that the council would attempt to negotiate the removal of the encampment to an alternative site on a temporary time-limited basis. The police also increased the level of patrols and resources available in the Shorncliffe area during this time. Over this period the council continued to communicate with local residents who were naturally concerned about the situation.
After assessing a number of alternative sites the decision was taken to offer the encampment a conditional temporary and time-limited stay at the Lower Leas Car Park until 6 January. This was agreed with the encampment last Monday who then left the Shorncliffe car park, via a short term stay along Fort Road in Hythe, before moving into the Lower Leas Car Park yesterday. The police will be deploying additional resources and patrols to the area for the period.
The purpose of this statement is to explain to councillors the sequence of events and very difficult decisions that had to be taken. This has not been a simple issue to resolve and has required a level of compromise to reach a peaceful resolution.
The council has taken decisions considering the best interests of its residents and to minimise the impact on our community.
We are realistic, however, that this is only a temporary solution to the repeated incursions by this group of travellers and further discussions with our partners (i.e. the police and local landowners) along with further legal action will be needed to resolve this issue longer-term. This work is already underway and councillors will be kept updated as this work progresses.
Should any councillors wish to discuss this matter with me I would be happy to do so outside of the council meeting.
Thank you Chairman”.
The Chairman then reported on the following:
“First, let us take a moment to think about the deputy Chairman Cllr Philip Martin who is ill in hospital and quite poorly. I have been in touch with him on a daily basis to send our good wishes for a speedy recovery.
On Tuesday 26th November It was my privilege to present a cheque of £350 to the Rainbow Centre to help some of the most vulnerable in our society have somewhere warm and dry to stay and eat over the winter period.
On Thursday 28th I attended the Folkestone Town Mayor’s “Not the Xmas Dinner” at the East Kent College which was in aid of the Town Mayor’s charities. The meal was prepared and cooked by the students and as ever was excellent.
Sunday 1st December the Deputy Chairman and I were invited to accompany the Mayor of Bexley to view the London Lights. These were breathtaking and had an Angel theme. This again was in support of the Mayor’s charity”.