Council plea for more powers to deal with Travellers as new camp sets up in Queen's Park in Chesterfield

Travellers have returned to Queen's Park in Chesterfield - less than 24 hours after another illegal encampment at the site was moved on.
Travellers were moved on from Queen's Park in Chesterfield yesterday, but caravans are back at the site todayTravellers were moved on from Queen's Park in Chesterfield yesterday, but caravans are back at the site today
Travellers were moved on from Queen's Park in Chesterfield yesterday, but caravans are back at the site today

It is understood this group is different from the Travellers who had been occupying the car park at Queen’s Park since Sunday.

Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “The first group of illegal Travellers left the Queen’s Park North car park on Wednesday after the council took legal action to remove them.

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“Frustratingly a separate group of illegal Travellers has now arrived on the site. We have immediately served a direction to leave notice on this group requiring them to move on. If they do not comply we will be seeking an eviction notice from the courts at the first opportunity.

Travellers were moved on from Queen's Park in Chesterfield yesterday, but caravans are back at the site todayTravellers were moved on from Queen's Park in Chesterfield yesterday, but caravans are back at the site today
Travellers were moved on from Queen's Park in Chesterfield yesterday, but caravans are back at the site today

“We share the public’s frustration at the cost and disruption this is causing. Councils up and down the country face similar problems and we would welcome the Government giving councils and the police the powers to immediately move on illegal Travellers. Until that happens we have to operate within the powers we have available.”

More than a dozen caravans arrived at Queen’s Park car park on Sunday.

The council served the group with a Direction to Leave notice and a spokesman for the authority confirmed the Travellers had left the site yesterday afternoon.

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Travellers have repeatedly set up camp at the car park in Queen’s Park and were moved on in March this year.