Renewed call to review city policy on Travellers

A SECOND Labour councillor has called on their own council to review its policy on how it deals with unauthorised Traveller encampments on public fields across the city.

- CARL EVE

Keith Moore, Labour councillor for Honicknowle, took to social media on the topic just a couple of days after fellow Labour councillor for Peverell, Jeremy Goslin, posted a video highlighting the security measures being put in place around Mutley Park to prevent Travellers pitching up.

In his video, Cllr Goslin noted that Central Park’s security had suffered a lapse thanks to a bin lorry striking a gate post, causing the gate to be stuck open. As a result, just 40 minutes later, a parade of Travellers set up an unauthorised encampment on one of the park’s fields.

In his report, Cllr Goslin lamented the situation, warning: “We can’t keep going around in circles, with the disruption and expense that this incurs. We need a new plan. A plan which involves faster evictions, more deterrents, better defences to ensure that our green spaces around Plymouth are free for everyone to use and enjoy.”

He said that after talking with police at Central Park on the issue of how they deal with unauthorised encampments it was “clear the current approach isn’t working.”