Council To Evict Travellers From Park

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"...before their camp gets any bigger and before any long lasting damage is caused "

The council is taking urgent legal action to remove a group of travellers who have set up camp in King George's Park in Southfields.

The Council has told us that while they remain in the park they will be closely monitored by officers in the council's parks police service. The officers have the full range of powers available to a Metropolitan Police constable in the borough's parks, commons and open spaces.

The council will also be closely scrutinizing the activities of the travellers to make sure they do not breach any of the park's byelaws. If evidence is received that byelaws have been breached, the council can use additional powers to immediately remove the travellers. Breaches of the byelaws are also likely to result in prosecution.

The council's environment spokesman Cllr Malcolm Grimston said:
"Local people can rest assured that we are doing everything we can to remove this group from the park as quickly as possible. W e are seeking an urgent court hearing so that they can be moved on without any unnecessary delays.

" And officers in our parks police service will be keeping a very close eye on them to prevent any breach of the peace, make sure that they do not damage the park or breach any of the byelaws, and also to make sure that residents and other visitors can continue going to the park without feeling intimidated. We are determined to take the necessary steps to move these people on before their camp gets any bigger and before any long lasting damage is caused to the park."

November 25, 2008