Ealing Applies For Borough-wide Injunction Against Traveller Encampments

Policy switch made on the back of police advice

Picture: taken by local residents and published on Cllr Dabrowska's blog

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Having previously ruled out a borough-wide injunction against traveller encampments, Ealing Council has applied for one this Thursday (9 May).

An application has been made to the High Court on police advice for an injunction that prohibits illegal encampments across the borough.

If successful, local Police will have the power to quickly remove those who ignore the injunction. The injunction would forbid caravans, mobile homes, vans and lorries from coming onto public land for the purpose of occupying it or depositing waste.

It is understood that the police advised the change in policy due to the sharp increase in the number of encampments in the borough and the drain on their resources it was causing.

Ealing Common councillor Joanna Dabrowska had been urging that a borough-wide injunction be sought for some time. She started a petition in favour of an injunction last September which received over 1,500 signatures. Previously the Council had claimed that a borough-wide injunction was not a sustainable solution. They said that all incursions would have individual issues attached to them, giving the council a statutory duty to carry out welfare checks before issuing notices.

Councillor Joanna Camadoo, cabinet member for community safety and inclusion said, “Unauthorised encampments have been increasing in Ealing – over 40 have arrived since November 2018 - and some encampments have caused unacceptable levels of disruption for local people. On the advice of the Metropolitan Police, Ealing Council has applied for an injunction to forbid the entry of caravans, mobile homes, vans and lorries onto public space with the intention to occupy it.

“We have always responded to unauthorised encampments in partnership with the police. Whilst this approach had been swift and effective in the past, the situation has become more challenging with the rapid increase in people arriving to sites in the borough in the last six months, coinciding with the police needing to focus resources on tackling knife crime and serious violence across the west area BCU.”

Councillor Julian Bell, Leader of Ealing Council, said, “Most travellers are peaceful and law abiding. However, as in all communities, there are those who fail to respect their surroundings, or local residents, or who are intent on criminal behaviour. Indeed, we have had several instances of commercial fly-tipping, with tonnes of waste being dumped illegally.

“The council has allocated £200K to construct bunds, railings and ditches around the perimeter of Ealing Common, which should prevent unauthorised vehicles accessing the Common. As this is common land, we’re waiting for the Secretary of State for Local Government to approve our application to construct these defences. After the success of similar works on Norwood Green I am confident that the proposed works, in addition to the injunction the council has applied for, will dramatically reduce unauthorised encampments.”

Councillor Praveen Anand, Labour member for Ealing Common, said, “I am pleased that we are taking action as a council on the issue of illegal encampments. As a local councillor for Ealing Common, I have been supporting many local people who are concerned that they have been unable to use their local parks due to unauthorised encampments.”

Councillor Dabrowska said, “I am delighted that the Council has finally seen sense and finally applying for a borough-wide injunction.

"Why did it take a year-long campaign, a petition and a motion, plus over 200 unauthorised encampments and costs hitting £1m, for the Council to do the right thing by its residents?

"The rank hypocrisy of my Labour colleague claiming credit for something he publicly opposed is unbelievable. At Full Council, he explicitly and adamantly said that it is not the way forward. Residents know the truth.

"The next step is for the Council to provide more legal pitches to improve travellers’ access to welfare and education.”


May 9, 2019

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