Lib Dem councillors call for action on Travellers in Warley

Warley's Liberal Democrat councillors have called on Brentwood Borough Council to use all the legal powers at its disposal to get the Travellers to leave the site at Five Acre Farm in Warley.

Your Liberal Democrat County and Borough councillors for Warley share residents anger and frustration over the traveller incursion on the Five Acre Farm site near Bird Lane. We welcome the fact that the Borough Council is now working to resolve the situation and acknowledge the undertaking given by the Leader of Council to see the process through. Whilst we are keen to actively work cross party on this issue, please be assured that as your elected representatives we will be monitoring the situation closely and holding the officers and the administration to account on your behalf.

We have seen a very similar Traveller incursion in Blackmore drag on for many years and we don't want the same thing happening in Warley. County Councillor David Kendall has agreed to go on a Borough Council Working Group that has been established to monitor developments on the site, co-ordinate activity between Essex County Council and Brentwood Borough Council and ensure communication channels with local residents.

We first heard about the traveller incursion when David was contacted by a resident on Friday night 1 November. He immediately contacted the borough council's emergency number and e-mailed key officers and councillors. Since then we have taken the following action:

1. David spoke to the acting Chief Executive and a member of the Council's enforcement team on Saturday 2 November and was told that officers would issue a 'Stop Notice' that afternoon.
2. We have asked when an 'Injunction' or 'Enforcement notice' will be issued by the Borough Council and have been told officers are seeking legal advice following the planning application that has been put in by the travellers for 6 static caravans and 6 tourer caravans.
3. David and Cllr Jay Laplain attended a residents meeting on Monday night 4 November in Bird Lane and offered support and advice to residents.
4. A residents meeting, that we called for, was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday night 5 November and was well attended by local residents and some councillors including David, Jay, Barry Aspinell and Mark Haigh.
5. We have contacted Essex County Council and asked for action to be taken regarding maintaining access to the public footpath, the illegal tipping of hardcore, no permits to be issued to utility companies seeking access to the site and clarification regarding access rights via the public highway.

We are in regular contact with a number of residents in Bird Lane and with The Warley Conservation Society. In the meantime all council related concerns can be directly reported via e-mail to enforcement@brentwood.gov.uk or by phone 01277 312500. If you want to speak to any of us please get in touch.

Please be assured that we will work with other councillors, officers and the local community to try and get this matter resolved.