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Travellers invade Coven Heath site
Monday 6th September 2010, 12:54PM BST.
Residents' countryside views were blocked after fencing was installed and hardcore laid before six caravans moved on to set up camp.
Travellers have set up an illegal camp on green belt land in South Staffordshire, devastating elderly home owners whose picturesque views disappeared overnight.
A convoy of bulldozers and lorries shattered the peace of the Coven Heath countryside in a carefully organised early morning operation, which took place while council offices were closed.
Angry neighbours described it as “like a military invasion”.
The convoy moved on to a field next to a luxury mobile home park in Coven Heath and within hours of the machinery moving on the field at 6.30am on Saturday, residents’ countryside views were blocked after fencing was installed and hardcore laid before six caravans moved on to set up camp.
Residents living on the mobile home park were woken when two mechanical diggers started removing the topsoil on the green belt site and piling it into an eight-foot high mound obscuring views of the canal.
A convoy of lorries dropped several tons of materials for foundation work before six caravans moved on to the field.
Patio tables, chairs and children’s swings have also been set up on the land off Ball Lane, which is called Hordern Lodge and is close to the junction of the M54 and A449.
Tearful pensioners, many of whom spent their life savings on five-star mobile homes on adjacent Hordern Park mobile home site today claimed the value of their properties had been slashed.
Sam Hibbs, 39, who lives in a nearby cottage and has owned the Hordern Park mobile home park since 2000, described the arrival of the travellers as “a nightmare”.
He said: “I’m devastated. It’s been like a military invasion.”
The travellers own the field adjacent to Hordern Park, but have no planning permission to set up camp on the field.
Traveller Elaine Lee, aged 60, co-owner of the field who also owns a legally authorised caravan park adjacent to the field, today insisted: “We are staying put.
“I have tried for 20 years to get planning permission for my children but the council wouldn’t let me. And now I am handing it all over to my children.”
Mrs Lee said the six caravans would house her five children, 19 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Police were called to the field at around 8.30am on Saturday and asked that the travellers halt work until it had been clarified if the group had planning permission.
But the work continued despite the police warning and within four hours the hardcore was laid and fences erected.
Today 12 residents travelled to South Staffordshire Council’s headquarters in Codsall, to discuss the way forward.
The council’s director of legal services David Patterson said: “It appears that this was an unauthorised move and we are monitoring the situation very carefully.”
By Victoria Nash
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Don’t you think using the word “invade” in your headline rather gives away your prejudice?
I’d be tempted to suggest that it’s even hateful language.
The residents of those horrible bungalows don’t own the view.
Likewise, if they are so concerned with their view, why do the like in such horrible, poky bungalows that are a blight on the landscape? Talk about hypocrisy!
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Actually they might as well own the view as the travellers do NOT have planning permission. So until they do, and from what the story says they have been denied permission they should be entitled to that view without obstruction.
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How dare you Park Home residents pay council tax and all other rates and homes are well maintained by their owners. Many are people who have downsized and elderly who just want to live a quiet peaceful life and have a community spirit. They do not own the view as you say but they do not destroy it either. As you are so concerned about this perhaps your garden is big enough to accommodate a few travelling families and they can ask you for their water and dig your garden up! And before you go off on another one I know not all travellers are bad it is the minority that spoil it for them all. If we have to abide by the planning laws why should they be exempt if it was legal and above board then why the early morning invasion.It was timed for the early morning as the element of surprise and the rush to complete proves that it needed to be completed as it was illegal and no planning granted.
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I’d be tempted to suggest that it’s hateful behaviour to drive bulldozers on to green belt land and start digging it up without planning permission.
And I would further suggest that the actual hypocrisy is expecting (indeed, demanding) the rights and consideration enjoyed by the wider society with no intention of contributing or considering any notion of collective responsibility.
But that is just a suggestion of course.
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Connor I would agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.
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Correct!!
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And who appointed you as the voice of reason and all that is politically correct?
These people pay their taxes, saved hard all their working days to chose to live in these easily maintainable mobile homes.
Unlike the travellers who are a law unto themselves, have no regard for other people and cause upset with their covert selfish actions.
You are talking utter tosh!
PS. I suggest you proof read and spell check prior to submitting further comment.
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From that infantile response Connor, I assume you are probably young and foolish. The fact remains that every square inch of this Country must be owned by some person/s or organisation. Even common land is usually owned by the council and there are restrictions as to use.
It therefore follows that any person who enters land not owned by them or having licence to enter is, by definition trespassing.
Travellers are notorious for the following:
entering land illegally, often by force
camping by cemeteries so they have access to a water tap and toilets (which council tax payers have provided) In addition, those travellers doing botched driveways jobs often steal marble chips from graves to use on the drives as decoration
leaving piles of refuse which the landowner has to pay to have cleared
I recall on one occasion, land adjacent to the Revenue in Walsall was entered by the use of bolt cutters. It cost £5000 in court fees to remove them and a further £3000 to clear the mess. In addition, Revenue workers were confornted with human excrement and toilet paper in the entrance to the foyer.
Would you like them to camp outside your window Connor? Perhaps you would like to volunteer your services to them. Go around to your nearest traveller site and invite them in for a cup of tea and ask them to stay as long as they like.
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The word invade is used because that is what has been perpetrated by these “people”, which by the tone of your message you are one of. I hope that the language used is hateful because after all it’s the way people think about you “travellers”. I would further say that the people that live in the bugalows do own the view. Are you trying to sound intelligent by your use of the word hypocrisy by the way? If you are then you should learn to spell pokey, there is an “e” in it.
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Definition of INVADE
1
: to enter for conquest or plunder
2
: to encroach upon : infringe
3
a : to spread over or into as if invading : permeate b : to affect injuriously and progressively
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These people think theyre above the law.Why dont councils and police stand up to these people ?
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the difference between the invading caravans and the poky bungalows is they are leagal.the people who own these poky homes have worked all their lives and paid tax.unlike some,these are old people who move to a place with veiw s,now they have a veiw of a youth club.and you wonder why people are so negative to this so called community..lets just hope they are built on a bog land and sink
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CONNOR DAVIES
I think the “invade” headline is spot on,How else would you put it when people go on to and try to claim land that is not theirs?
They have no right to be there and will be kicked off but only when the councils have gone through due process which takes months and the “travellers” know that.
They know excatly what to do and when like when they moved into on a Saturday morning at 06.30 when the council office is shut.
They should be forced from the land today then told to repair all the damage they have done.
I was going to suggest they get a house and a proper job and pay taxes but that aint gonna happen is it.
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These people are just trying to find somewhere to live. It’s only a caravan park next door (not proper homes) so the residents shouldn’t be so silly about it all.
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So they can come and live next to you if they like then Trevor? how would you react? I bet it wouldn’t be with a welcoming smile..
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Mr lloyd Barker OBE is out of touch with the minnows like you and I Woody.
He is full of his own self importance and you and I both know that if they moved into his back yard, he would not be so welcoming.
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Week in, week out we hear stories of travellers causing disruption all over the black country and south staffordshire. When are the laws on this behaviour going to change.
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Connor, I’d call moving onto land en-mass with no planning permission an invasion. Just hope the council stick to the rules every other resident is expected to keep to and kicks them out.
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I believe that no one would have as much of an issue with traveller families if they didn’t leave a trail of rubbish and destruction behind. The most recent site that has just been left near me was left with piles of rubbish, fences in tatters and they were a problem too with roaming dogs and noise to the nearby residences, If they lived and left the places tidy as they found them I think views would change.
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I most definitely WOULD have a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Comment number 1,
How can the word “invade” be hateful??
I would have thought the words Tax & National Insurance would be more hateful??
Also I would imagine that not many people would agree that the existing bungalows are a blight on the landscape!
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Connor, I agree that the language of this article is rather biased and that reporting facts should be the priority, i.e. that the travellers have set up in the immediate area and some residents maybe a little concerned that damage might be left and and the fact that they have paid to live in the area, whilst those moving in haven’t. By doing this they are not criticising the Travellers, just stating facts.
It seems to me the paper has took a one sided view, whilst you have done exactly the same on the opposite side. it seems to me that maybe a more balanced view in the middle may be of benifit, i.e. maybe that whilst some Travellers have been known to damage areas, this isn’t always the case. You and the paper should try looking at each sides views.
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And how many splinters have you currently got sitting on that fence Steve?
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Not many as tend to give an opinion on most things, however I do also judge cases individually once enough knowledge is obtained.
Granted you may be an expert in this case with access to an untold amount of detail.
However I personally am not and would therefore have to base my opinion on my previous experiences with travellers. This is why I am reluctant to tar all travellers with the same brush.
I have met some travellers who behave disgracefully who nobody would want living next door to them, however I have also met some who are polite and friendly and would be welcome to stay by me. To judge them all in the same way just indicates ignorance.
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I agree everyone is entitled to an opinion, but you tend to generalise rather then be specific, which is what is required with this actual set of travellers.
They covertly planned to take control of this parcel of land when they knew the authorities would be powerless, a) because it woud be outside of the normal council working hours, and b) by erecting poor fencing and laying substandard hardcore hence trying to engage a dubious loophole in the judicial system.
Therefore, in this specific case, this is not an acceptable act by travellers who are clearly breaking the law and sticking their two fingers up to those in authority.
Hence, the majority of comments posted are not ignorant but valid in relation to these specific travellers.
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Sympathies to those poor people whose lives have been turned upside down by this. Send in the police or the army, not the toothless council, with a few bulldozers of their own, and issue a “move it or lose it” ultimatum. I would have quite liked to set up home on parts of Cannock Chase in my time but what stopped me? A sense of law abiding decency, that’s what. If these people have no regard for the law then they should have no complaints about being dealt with outside the law.
Have a nice day.
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They know the authorities won’t (not can’t) do anything about it so they do what they like.
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The travelers are all the same. Respect is earned and in this case you have failed AGAIN.
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The reason travellers use unauthorised sites such as these is because of a lack of authorised sites in the UK generally – not all local authorities provide the authorised sites they are required to as a matter of law. The government have also failed to provide security of tenure on traveller sites, despite agreeing to do so as a result of a 2004 court ruling. That was 6 years ago and demonstrates the kind of ministerial commitment there has been/is towards Travellers. Traveller issues are not going to go away. My point is that accusations of acting lawfully can go both ways.
Perhaps you think we should evict them at gunpoint like the French Government have recently done in Marseille? Or perhaps we could open up these matters for discussion rather than the reactionary, knee jerk nonsense displayed in most of the posts above.
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They are over here for the Summer to prey on vunerable people to carry out shoddy workmanship for extortionate rates without paying income tax, NI, VAT etc then return to the Emerald Isle
Is this fair ????
Would prefer a quicker way of eviction, ie guns, take off any personal property to pay for the inevitable clean up
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There is also a lack of family housing available in this country, but I imagine you would not like a family who were waiting to be housed to squat in your house and use (and abuse) your property.
Traveller issues are not going to go away, but while a huge majority of this country are on their knees trying to keep their heads above water, and paying tax for other people to have access to land that they ARE NOT entitled to be on (and then often for a clean up afterwards), and facilities and benefits that they WILL NOT pay towards, ill feeling is bound to continue.
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Yes, they should be removed at gun point, and the sooner the damn better!! I never thought that I would back the french in anything but they got this one dead right. I could fix the pikey problem very quickly but PC nutters like you won’t let me. I bet this won’t get posted.
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I have no issue with Travellers travelling as they will (in legal areas, which this clearly is not).
What I do have issue with, is the fact that ANYONE should expect NHS care, places in State schools for their children or benefits without paying tax to fund it.
If someone could explain to me why that is ok, I would be grateful.
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They live on benefits and have the EU LAW behind them to ensure they are beyond the law
Why do we hear about these Bank Holiday invasions – cant the council ensure staff are on hand to react
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quite!
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Military Operations need planning, local knowledge, logistical support and loads of money.
Where the hell do these people get all this?
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14, the clue is in the name ‘travellers’. Why do they need anywhere permanent to live? After all, they do not pay Council Tax like the rest of us or abide by the same rules.
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I would like to see the council seizing the caravans and JCB’s etc to put the land back to its pastoral use.
You and I both know that if I was to put an extension on my house without planning permission and building regulation, if I didn’t remove it and comply then the council would demolish it and charge me or put a charge on the property.
I understand that this is one of the areas that Cameron is looking to fortify- well good luck to him how dare that traveller take the law into her own hands.
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The quickest way to deal with these people is to take away their goods and not allow them back until they clear up the damage and filth left behind. If a normal person drops a piece of litter, they are hit with a fine. If you are a traveller you can cause thousands of pounds of damage and move on. This is discrimination on the local population!
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its about time the local councils got tough with the travellers.they come along cause disruption and trouble,just what have they given to all law abiding citzens apart from aggro.
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Funny, and I always thought travellers were always on the move to avoid paying tax? How times have changed.
Hey Travellers, I know you’re posting here, so play everything by the book, pay your taxes and I don’t think people will be too bothered about how you chose to run your lives. ‘Invade’ places illegally and you get what you deserve.
Dave.
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The council comment amuses me …
“It appears that this was an unauthorised move and we are monitoring the situation very carefully.”
Top marks for observation there then!
If you monitor the situation very carefully, you will see they are still there in the morning and will be until you do something about it!
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How many peeps making comments here actually realise that the term “traveler” is just newspaper jargon designed to whip up exactly the sort of prejudice we see here regularly in the E & S.
Take a look at the photos and see what quality of vehicles and caravans these people have and ask how they got them. In the end you´ll find they have their jobs and their rights, just like the great British population are entitled to, except, as always, some think they´re more entitled than others, and apart from selling newspapers, therein, lies (are) the problem. Live & let live, great Britain.
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I think you view is a slanted as your name suggests.
They have no fixed abode, their relations live on “traveller sites” hence they are travellers or gypsies, if you prefer.
They can afford quality vehicles and caravans because they do not pay income tax, council tax or rates and in the majority of cases do not contribute to the system.
They may indeed have jobs, but these normally involve garden, fencing, drive work and scrap dealing. All of which are always cash in hand with no receipt or vat invoice.
So, NO, the majority of law abiding, tax paying citizens will not live and let live when acts such as this are undertaken. The travellers are really not doing themselves any favours and people are fed up with it.
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Having ‘No Fixed Abode’ basically means you don’t exist in the system. How can you? There is no address to send any documentation for anything. Driving licence? Work permits? Vehicle inspections? Council Tax, Income Tax? National Insurance?
Lets trash a place for free and let the council dispose of all the waste we leave, making the Tax Payers pay even more.
Let them have their fixed abode. Then when they’re settled start back-dating and calculating how much tax they owe the system, from all the back-hand cash jobs they took on to survive for all these years, moving around.
Then check all the vehicle and work licences etc etc. Watch how soon they run.
D.
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Does anyone have any evidence that any of the travellers on the Coven Heath site have failed to pay tax on any earnings? Does anyone have any evidence that they have committed any criminal offence? They own the land, so haven’t entered it illegally or caused criminal damage.
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no but you can bet there is no evidence they have paid any tax
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I own a house, but I cannot allow it to be used as a brothel, or build a 100ft turret on the roof, or use it to grow drugs, because that would be ILLEGAL. Just because you own something, it does not mean you can do whatever you want with it.
And no, I don’t suppose anyone posting here does have any evidence that the travellers are not paying tax on income (didn’t mention council tax in there did you?!!!), but, having spent years in accounts, I have never had a self-assessment submitted by a traveller. Maybe other companies are inundated though.
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Do you have proof they have? and do you have a copy of the planning permission to change the use of the field?
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I have no proof that they have paid any tax, but then I don’t have proof that you or anyone who has posted here has ever paid any tax in their life. It is slightly bewildering that when a group of people is in apparent breach of planning rules (NOT a criminal matter) that they get accused of tax fraud, shoddy workmanship and being benefit scroungers.
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Good grief, what planet are you living on? Do you honestly make your comments with a straight face? I don’t think that you do, I think it’s all tongue in cheek to upset people. The reason I think this is that you write quite well and anyone with a brain simply can’t be THAT naive. Good one:-)
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Is is not surprising when the group of people happen to be “travellers” and I use the term loosely.
If the cap fits? and I’m afraid that in the majority of cases it does.
You may try to see the good in all people, but not all people are good.
There will also always be a prejudice towards travellers which will never change. They in turn, do not help themselves with the actions in this case. Which has now been stopped by an injunction as they have broke the law.
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A reputation is earned, and over time these “Travellers” have earned the reputation for themselves. If the ONLY thing they did was breach planning laws then there would be no debate. But it isn’t, is it? These people choose NOT to integrate into society, but just dump themselves smack-bang-in-the-middle of the daily lives of law-abiding, tax-paying folks and couldn’t give a damn about the noise, the mess they make, the rubbish they leave behind or the expense of cleaning it up. And all of this while at the same time conning people out their hard-earned money (if they’re lucky), or burgling their homes (if they’re unlucky). I find it slighlty bewildering that someone is prepared to defend all this.
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22, Spot on, but you should know that common sense is no longer a requirement in this country, PC is all that matters now.
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There’s a problem here about the phrase “traveller” too.
Gypsies are an ethnic group and nothing more. The law protects them against prejudicial treatment as an ethnic group.
The term also covers other travellers, such as Irish travellers.
What is most annoying,probably to both sets, is that the term is used to describe both.
The french did not evict Irish travellers but Roma (Gypsies).
Many Irish traveller families that do this have homes in Ireland and do not travel all year, just when it suits them. If it’s live and let live then try walking through one of their camps or back home in the very nice streets where a rear guard is left to look after the place. Ethnic sterotypes of violent beligerant and agressive behaviour will be reinforced , but it is your problem you have the stereotypes.
Roma are also a majority settled people, it is not a lifestyle it is a distinct ethnic group.
Prejudice laws no more allow these people to do this (build illegal camps) than they would, for example, allow a black african to kill and boil a missionary just because that fits the racial stereotype and at some point in history someone might have done that (maybe in Uganda as an example).
A black guy who is a thief is a thief who happens to be black. traveller who just builds a campsite without permission is someone without planning permission who happens to be a traveller. This does not make a black guy a thief or a traveller an illegal builder. There is nothing in the article other than the facts. They even allowed the traveller who owns the field their side of the argument.
I’ve lived in the countryside and in many small villages the children can no longer love there. They can’t just dig up a field and build a house because ”
I have tried for 20 years to get planning permission for my children but the council wouldn’t let me”. So you hand it over to the kids and they just do what they want then ?
I could not do this even though I am an in an ethnic group too because the law is supposed to be applied regardless of my ethnic background. The same law must apply. If the council said no then it’s no. I’m sure there would soon be a big fuss from them if a dirty waste buring plant went up in the next field and vile smoke billowed across their site. Planning laws would be quoted then I’m sure.
All to often these camps scare local councils by crying prejudice when none exists. The councils are too scared to act because they would rather be seen to be ineffective than racist. So they pussy foot around.
If I build a house without planning permission then tell the council to get stuffed they will bulldoze it.
My fault for being in the wrong ethnic minority I guess. I am not English by the way. I am also an economic migrant, some might even say immigrant to England.
I believe in live and let live, it’s a two sided deal. It’s not let me live and screw you is it? If I use your facilities I pay, if I want to live in your land , I follow it’s laws. If I don’t like it, then I leave.
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There are many comments that have been posted that I agree with and just as many that I don’t.
However, there is a key part to this story that i believe we have so far missed.
Drawing your attention to the two individuals who have been quoted, I think the very sad part to this story is that both we and the media are being manipulated for personal gains. While this in itself is not unusal in this day and age, it does mean that we focus our bigotry on those who are quite possibly undeserving.
Let us look in more detail at the description given of Elaine Lee, ‘co-owner of the field who also owns a legally authorised caravan park adjacent to the field.’
She is quoted as saying she has been trying for 20 years to get planning permission. So we surely must ask the question what has caused her to endorse this action now?
Next we need to look at Sam Hibbs, who according to his description has ‘owned the Hordern park mobile home park since 2000.’
Does this not seem coincidental?
So, I conclude. I do not believe we should take the law into our own hands. But come on Express and Star, if you are going to cause this level of controversy and put people in the firing line of the animosity and hatred of a community, then surely you have a moral and social responsibility to investigate the full facts and not simply publish some shoddy half hearted excuse for a story. Look at the strength of feeling you have generated, when the fact you have been manipulated is glaringly obvious. This area has suffered enough in the not to distant past from intolerance and division, adding fuel to that fire is inexcusable, and I for one am exceptionally disappointed you have simply taken the role of mob leader!
I hope for better more balanced news in the future (and maybe the facts behind this story)!
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I think you are being deliberately mischievous.
If the owner of the land has been trying to get planning permission for 20 years and has been refused then there is a reason for this.
We must operate within the law or it becomes a farce.
I would quite like to turn the several acres attached to my property into an extension and double garage.
I have no hope in hell of doing this as I accpeted when I purchased the property the use of the land was not for residential or business use.
Clearly when this objectionable woman bought the land she was told the same, but because she has no regard for the law she has just done what she wants.
I believe the council should put a charge on the land until such time that she pays to return it to its former state.
Failing that, they should seize and sell or crush her cars, caravans and anything else of value she has.
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No. 29
It’s all very well saying “keep a balanced view”, I live about a mile from the affected area and I regularly use Ball Lane and the surrounding paths and fields for recreational purposes.
Believe me, if these people moved into your area and you saw the distruction they cause and their total disrespect for the local residents, you too would be on the warpath.
I have had first hand experience of these pikeys and believe me, you wouldn’t want them in your back yard.
And as for people suggesting that they pay taxes, look out for the flying pigs!
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geowulf. i do not usually reply to these type of debates but reading your comments i feel compelled to. i also frequently walk ball lane and the surrounding area but have never seen any of the destruction? you describe i cannot comment on the disrespect as i have not witnessed any. the whole issue is one of an apparrent breach of planning, the media are involved because they know a few key words like “Travellers invade” will stir interest and sell papers. with respect geowulf, i do not think you are being entirley fair,just because people through tradition or choice. choose to live in caravans with the freedom to move if they wish does NOT make them all the same. There are different classes of people in all walks of life,this is very true of the travelling community also. I do agree with you that there is a portion of travellers, pikeys, tinkers, call them what you may that do deserve our disapproval with there total disrespect of property and society,just as there are many “problem” famlies that live in houses. the point to be made is please dont tar everybody with the same brush,if plannings been contraviened the planners will sort it-eventually, least thats what we are paying them for?
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Yes again facts not right, this family yes all one family! Sam Hibbs Son in Law to
Mrs Elaine Lee! personal fueding.
Express and Star draughted in to help the pain along, and you do just that. So come on get the facts right before you go to print.
All this family have resided in Wolverhampton for 60years.
So i suggest you go back to the facts and reprint them!
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May I suggest you are one of the said family members who is trying to deflect the issue into some kind of family feud?
Nobody has any sympathy and wants the land returned back to it’s original condition immediately.
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Woody as your name suggests as in your head!
I WONDER WHO YOU ARE? you seem very bitter and need to get a life! It’s the likes of you who start war,s we can all do without.
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Sticks and stones Miss Marple, sticks and stones….grow up!
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This site has been illegally encroached for probably the last two years or more. The travellers know exactly how to play the system and the elderly residents do not. It has always been a game and will continue to be, unless the appropiate authorities submit eviction orders. However these continue to be contested, which allows the travellers to bide their time at the expense of the taxpayer.
I would suggest that the Irish government realise exactly how their travelling communities tick, and with a gentle bit of persuasion quite willingly allow them freedom of movement over the Irish sea. Unfortunately the renowned British generosity is often taken advantage of, and this example is no different
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Ps
Give an inch and some people will always take a mile or in this case over an acre
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Why have the illegal squaters parked their vans on greenbelt land when there is a purpose built site on the a449 for the so called travelling community, people dont want them near as property prices go down the council tax goes up when we have to pay for the clean up operation, the filth they leave behind is unreal, they pay no rates or tax’s they pay nothing to clean up the site after them and crime does increase radically when they are in the area. People move to the area for peace and quite not for confrontations and people knocking on doors asking if we want trees cutting or tarmac, the council needs to get their act together and go to court to evict these people from the area fast or i for 1 will not be paying my council tax until they do.
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I agree with 34, the Council needs to sort this out and start walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Otherwise we should stop paying our taxes and see how quickly the Council responds to that! I bet they will soon be knocking on our doors wanting OUR money!
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