04.10.18
High Court allows city council to imprison illegal campers on any of 60 ‘vulnerable’ sites
A council has been granted a High Court injunction allowing it to evict travellers setting up camp on protected green sites across the city.
The legal move means Wolverhampton City Council will be able to fine, arrest or even imprison anyone who is illegally occupying any of the 60 protected sites listed as part of the injunction.
The local authority will also have the ability to seize their assets.
According to Wolverhampton, this will save taxpayers’ money from being spent on expensive court proceedings and “excessive” clean-up operations.
It is also working alongside potential landowners to secure a transit site to enable travellers to have somewhere to stay when they are visiting the city.
The High Court injunction will be in place for three years, with a review hearing due in 12 months’ time in order to discuss the status of the transit site.
Today’s news comes a few months after a similar injunction was granted to a London borough council.
Cllr Steve Evans, Cabinet member for city environment at Wolverhampton council, said he was delighted with the news, which will help protect the city’s “most vulnerable spaces.”
“These encampments have caused a lot of disruption to our residents, especially over the past year. Now we have the injunction, the council will be able to speed up the frustrating delays we have experienced and remove anyone who pitches up on our protected sites more quickly,” he added.
“The injunction is something we have wanted in place for a very long time and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in making it happen.”