Travellers clean-up bill (From Stroud News and Journal)

Travellers clean-up bill

EVICTING travellers and the subsequent clean up operation at a hilltop beauty spot has landed the taxpayer with a bill of over £40,000.

The travellers finally left the site at Coaley Peak, near Nympsfield, in January after a lengthy and expensive legal battle.

But Rose Westwood, chairman of Nympsfield Parish Council, said the authorities could have saved a lot of time and money by using a water cannon to clear the site.

Gloucestershire County Council spent an estimated £30,000 on officer time costs as well as £5,500 on legal costs and bailiffs and a further £7,000 on clear up costs and repairs.

Work is currently underway for re-landscaping work, which has been planned for some years, which is due to cost £11,000.

Cllr Westwood said the parish council had been horrified when it had seen the bill.

"We were absolutely appalled at the figure and very concerned because it's us taxpayers who are paying for it," she said. "And we were very surprised by the amount."

"The travellers claimed they weren't causing any trouble and their lifestyle wasn't costing anyone anything but it turns out this wasn't the case.

"It's money well spent to get rid of them but they should never been allowed to get in there in the first place.

"The police were told when the first one went in there but they didn't seem too bothered."

"We hope the same thing doesn't happen wherever they are now."

She said the county should try to reclaim the money from the travellers but accepted it was doubtful it would succeed.

Cllr Westwood was fairly confident the travellers would not return as the hard standing is being dug up by the county council and the toilet block has been demolished.

"It's a shame that the car park and toilets have gone," she said.

"It's a retrograde step but it's something that had to be done."

Asked if the county council could have dealt with the situation any differently once the travellers were camped on the site she said: "I don't know whether a water cannon is the best idea."