Walsall MPs pledge to tackle travellers problem

MP for Walsall North Eddie Hughes says illegal encampments in the borough had become a 'major issue' and pledged to campaign for stricter laws to clamp down on them.

But he accused Labour controlled Walsall Council of not doing enough to make use of existing powers, which include the implementation of court orders brought in to enable the swift removal of illegally camped travellers.

In recent weeks there has been an explosion of illegal traveller camps across the borough, including in Bloxwich, Short Heath, Harden Road, Swannies Field, Aldridge Airport, and most recently at a council-owned car park in Wolverhampton Street, Willenhall.

The Conservative MP for Walsall North said he had discussed the issue with Communities Secretary Sajid Javid last week and revealed he would be raising it in an upcoming parliamentary debate.

Councillor Ian Shires, Walsall Council's cabinet member for communities, said the authority has exhausted all of its powers to deal with the problem after the latest encampment.

MP Hughes said: "I don't think we are doing enough and I don't think we are challenging enough to get all the legal opportunities that we can to deal with the matter.

"I know there are other areas where they have got borough wide bans in place. We need to see whether we can achieve an accentuation of the powers that we have at the moment.

"In order to drive that, perhaps there are other things we can do within the law as it exists at the moment.

"It's a twin-track approach. Can the council do more to use the powers they have? I'm sure they can and we need to test that as much as possible and push it to the limit.

"That's what the people of Walsall want us to do. If there aren't enough powers then I need to lobby down in Parliament to try and get the law changed."

Mr Hughes has previously criticised the council's policy on dealing with travellers, accusing bosses of adopting a policy whereby camps were moved around 'from one place to another'.

Last October the council obtained an injunction from the county court allowing increased powers to restrict the setting up of encampments and to crackdown on anti-social behaviour at 12 specific sites, including Delves Green Common.

Valerie Vaz said: “A number of MPs have raised the issue of unauthorised encampments in the House.

“MPs will get a chance to discuss this when Parliament returns from Conference Recess on 9 October where there will be a general debate on Gypsies and Travellers.”

“The Prime Minister said at PMQs that ‘a wide range of powers is available to local authorities and the police and we want to see them working together and with local landowners’.

"The Leader of the Council and Mr Shires have not yet indicated what extra powers are needed to deal with the unauthorised encampments.

“Having pressed the Council to use injunctions on certain green spaces used by the travelling community, I am pleased that this has had some success. I suggested in July that the Council look to set up a temporary transit site as Sandwell Council is doing in partnership with West Midlands Police.”

“Preventing unauthorised incursions is a national issue. The traveller community must respond positively to the discussion in Parliament.”

MP Wendy Norton, who represents Aldridge Brownhills area, said: "I have raised the issue in Parliament and have been told today that a date has been set for a debate on the issue, which will take place on October 12.

"I think the problem definitely needs addressing and we as MPs along with the council need to work together to tackle the issue."