Pledges for faster response to travellers by councillors

Groups have become 'more extreme and determined

Travellers moving on to parks, meadows and open spaces in Torbay could find the authorities quicker off the mark in future.

Recent groups of travellers have spent long periods of time on Paignton Green and at Torbay Velopark, where several sports events had to be cancelled before the trucks, trailers and caravans could be moved on.

The bay is vulnerable to long-term traveller visits because it has no designated site on to which arrivals can be transferred. Instead, the council has to start an unwieldy legal process every time new groups arrive.

Now the council is planning to work faster when travellers turn up.

Cllr Nigel Penny (Lib Dem, Roundham with Hyde) told a full council meeting this week of an “unprecedented influx of illegal encampments” around the Paignton area. Some people, he said, had reported damage caused by people gaining access to Paignton Green and there had been ‘exchanges’ between members of the public and travellers.

“Visitors will have gained a poor impression of our bay at these prime locations,” he said, and asked if the council and police were prepared to use new legislation which could see travellers dispersed ‘within a matter of hours, not of days nor of weeks’.

Cllr Hayley Tranter (Con, Goodrington with Roselands) said protective measures had reduced incursions in places such as Paignton Green, but travellers were taking “more extreme and determined measures” to gain access to places like White Rock at Paignton.

Sites like the velopark and Clennon Valley present challenges because South West Water need round-the-clock unobstructed access.

“Following a recent joint workshop with police, there will be a review of key sites and renewed assessments of what preventative measures may be possible,” she said.

“We are working on providing a quicker response. The current situation is not good for residents. They are really unhappy with it.

“I have been a councillor for 11 weeks, and I have had many meetings and phone calls on this subject.

“We are working on getting quicker resolutions.”