This week our community moved swiftly and successfully to tackle traveller chaos in Windsor, turning a crisis into a drama. What happened? Find out more.
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Summary learning points
- Councils have to consider and cater for the rights and welfare of travellers before evicting them
- The Police can invoke more immediate action under S61 of Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 but they need evidence
- Without your action, things will not get done so, residents can and should help by reporting all crime and anti-social behaviour;
- Immediately call the Police on 101 AND,
- Quickly call the Council on 01753 853517 AND
- Also contact their local Councillors
- #TeamWindsor (residents, Councillors, Council and Police) worked together well to get a result within three days
- Now, we need to consider and implement preventative and protective measures to enhance our town for the future
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The easy mood of last week’s glorious (for once) Bank Holiday Monday (28 August 2017) was rudely punctured by a group of travellers (the official terminology) descending en masse and setting up an unauthorised camp on the beautify, leafy green outside Whiteley in residential Windsor.
The first caravans arrived at around 2pm and were soon joined by 20 others plus trailers.
At first the atmosphere was peaceful and, bucolic, almost as if it was a caravan club meet up. However, things soon turned nasty once the campers returned from their many escapades around the area, including pushing a local man into the River Thames in front of his distressed wife and young children.
The mood darkened as more reports of further assaults and burglaries started to flood in
The mood darkened
Estate cars were soon seen churning up the grass, tailgates down with children sat on the back, making repeated sorties along the green at speed, joined by a quad-bike loaded with multiple children wearing no protective clothing.
Sensibilities were further offended with littering, late night noise, and children seen defecating publicly.
On-the-ground police, given their first contact and experience in such matters, advised neighbouring residents not to engage, and not to make eye contact.
The mood darkened as more reports of further assaults and burglaries started to flood in as the generators and music fired up late in the evening and, as the next 48 hours unfolded.
WWRA Councillor Wisdom Da Costa moved swiftly in, and on a daily basis
TeamWindsor, the wider community, springs into action
WWRA Chair, Kevin Chapman, along with other residents, were quick to contact the Council and, RBWM’s duty Emergency Officers, along with Thames Valley Police, quickly made an initial site visit to assess the situation.
Myself, WWRA Councillor Wisdom Da Costa moved swiftly in, and on a daily basis, to;
- Quickly co-ordinate with RBWM on-duty Emergency Planners and Sergeant Calver and Inspector Warbrick from Thames Valley Police and,
- Swiftly inform residents what was happening and, how they could help with the process.
However, unlike private land owners, RBWM as a statutory authority had to follow a well versed process that could only be initiated once qualified professionals were able to visit the site and assess the various needs of the travellers; these needs include Human Rights, Health, Safety and Child and Adult Safeguarding issues.
As it was a Bank Holiday Monday, these assessments were delayed by 24 hours.
Both processes require residents and the authorities to work as a team
What can the authorities do?
There are two primary pathways that can be pursued in parallel, to see which is effective first;
- One by the Police under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, if sufficient evidence is available and,
- One by the municipality, RBWM, which includes a range of laws including, inter alia, Part 55 of the Civil Procedure Rules, Section 171E of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, The Caravan and Control of Development Act 1960 etc…
The Council process can take around 7 to 10 days to reach the eviction conclusion, IF it is not bogged down by Human, Health, Safety or Safeguarding rights of the travellers; in which case, it can take weeks or months to ensure that the rights of travellers are not infringed.
The Police can act very quickly, within a few days, to issue and enforce a S61 order IF, they have sufficient evidence to show that prove an eviction would be proportional, necessary, and limit the effect on community.
NB Both processes require residents and the authorities to work as a team, co-ordinated by effective local Councillors and community leaders.
This is where YOU, residents and the community, started to take effective action.
Police, and the Council need information and evidence to take action
Residents can help achieve justice swiftly
Police, and the Council need information and evidence to take action, to be able to successfully approach the court to obtain an enforceable “eviction” order, or to create new solutions and policies for the future.
The more information and evidence they can amass, and you can provide, the quicker and easier it is to achieve a solution that benefits people and upholds the law.
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Who you gonna call?
Residents should collate evidence, photographic and otherwise, and;
- In an emergency call 999
- In other situations
- Call 101
- Give your name and address and the location of the incident
- Explain what has happened
- Ask for Police URN (Unique Reference Number) and keep this safe,
- AND Call RBWM’s Control Room on 01753 853517
- Call 101
- Email your local Councillor or Community Group i.e. cllr.dacosta@rbwm.gov.uk or office@wwra.org.uk
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Protect your future: here’s another cause for you take action on – click the links/headlines
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Your suffering spurred me on….The Travellers vacated the site before the S61 order deadline expired on Thursday
What happened next?
Your suffering (in many calls, text, emails and messages to me) spurred me (Cllr. Wisdom Da Costa) on to talking with the Police and Council on a daily basis to help achieve a swift solution and, to pass on information to you on what was happening and what to do.
Council Officers completed their regulatory assessments on Tuesday and, fortunately, stated that, “there are no factors that the council needs to take into consideration.” Consequently, RBWM started to prepare their report to ready for submission to the Courts. No court date was set at that time.
However, due to the actions of residents calling 101 to report crimes, Thames Valley Police assessed sufficient evidence of concern to issue a precipitous , and immediate, S61 order on Thursday morning, thereby trumping the Councils.
The Travellers vacated the site before the S61 order deadline expired on Thursday 1st September 2017, at high noon, thereby avoiding confrontation with the Police.
Well done residents and Thames Valley Police.
the site cleared and cleaned by early Thursday evening
The Clean Up
RBWM Officers quickly instructed our subcontractors to commence the clean up on Thursday afternoon.
A team comprising 4 staff and two trucks had the site cleared and cleaned by early Thursday evening.
Well done RBWM and ISS.
now, we need to consider and implement preventative and protective measures
What happens next?
You now know what to do if this, or other anti-social or criminal events take place again
- Call 101 to report incidents to the Police and, ask for a Police URN number
- Call 01753 853517 to report the incident to the Council
- Contact your Councillor or community representative cllr.dacosta@rbwm.gov.uk
- Vote for people who care about YOU
But now, we need to consider and implement preventative and protective measures to enhance our town and communities so;
- Myself, Cllr. Wisdom Da Costa, and the WWRA will be working with residents and the Council to put in place a process and physical barriers to prevent unauthorised camps being set up in the future.
- We also need to re-consider, perhaps working with neighbouring authorities, the location of a site for travellers in the future.
I will report back to you soon.
Accountably yours,
Wisdom
WWRA Councillor, Wisdom Da Costa, Clewer North
More information
- Guide to effective use of enforcement powers – Part 1: Unauthorised encampments Gypsy & Traveller Unit– PDF Download
- Dealing with illegal and unauthorised encampments – A summary of available powers – PDF Download
- Text of Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
Caveat
This post is part of Cllr Wisdom Da Costa’s regular series of Blogs to inform and empower local residents; as he promised in his election leaflet
The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of the West Windsor Residents Association (WWRA).