Monday - June 08, 2009

Council refused to fix potholed road over fears it would upset illegal travellers.

Ran across this today. Had to post!
How much more stupid can councils here get?  They’re afraid of the people who are breaking the law by having an ILLEGAL camp.
To make matters dumber, in this case, even the travellers are in favor.  No problem they say. So what’s with the council?
duh.
I will never come to grips and understand this place or the mindset. They’re worried about rioting?  Hey, have you jerks ever heard of the machine gun?
Ratta-tat-tat. Problem is solved. Move on. See? That’s not hard at all.  How about a blockbuster bomb?  You’d have em singing, BOOM ... Why did my camp go BOOM… Out of the gloom and BOOM ... No more problems.

Last updated at 12:31 PM on 08th June 2009
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Work to fix a badly potholed road was put off for fear of upsetting travellers at Europe’s biggest illegal camp.

Residents in Crays Hill, Essex, had complained that their once-peaceful road had become a crater-filled track since the 1,000-strong Dale Farm camp was formed.

But police and council workers had ruled out fixing it because they are worried about rioting by travellers who could think they are about to be evicted if workmen turn up.

The decision was branded ‘appalling’ by residents - and even the travellers on the site say work to fix the road urgently needs to be done.

Essex County Council wants to resurface the road but will only send workmen with a police escort.

Essex Police initially turned down requests to send officers, saying it may spark fears among travellers that they are about to be evicted.

Instead they said they would only help after launching a leaflet campaign and hold discussions with the camp’s residents about the planned work.

Earlier, MP John Baron had written to Basildon Police Chief Inspector Simon Dobson asking for a police escort for road workers. But he was told before any work was done experts would need to consider ‘traveller engagement’.

He said before any potholes were filled they would need to create a network of people to negotiate with the travellers, send a clear and consistent message and hold an open meeting so travellers could ask any questions about the works on Oak Lane.

Chief Inspector Dobson added that the issue ‘required a clear communication strategy to minimise the risk of any false perception by the local travellers that the works are a pre-cursor to any enforced eviction’.

Pam Cummins, a parish councillor, said: ‘Talk about tip-toeing around people. When they fixed the road outside my house they didn’t come and ask me first.’

David McPherson-Davis, another parish councillor, said: ‘The road is almost impassable for an ordinary vehicle. ‘Residents complain on a daily basis.’

About a thousands travellers are thought to live in the village of Crays Hill, making it Europe’s biggest illegal camp.

The camp has been a long-running source of friction for almost a decade with claims of anti-social behaviour, death threats and HGVs making deliveries of furniture to the site.

It is estimated to have cost Basildon Council more than £700,000 in legal costs to try and get the illegally camped families evicted.

The travellers have vowed to build a ‘tent city’ on land nearby if they are evicted.

PC Nigel Scott said leaflets are going to be given out at the local school which has predominately travellers children as pupils to explain the work is to be carried out.

He said: ‘If they think there is an eviction there will not just be people from Dale Farm but half the site in Cambridge and half the people from Wolverhampton turning up.

‘It could all turn very weary very quickly’.

Even the travellers think the process to fill in a few potholes is longwinded. 

Gratton Puxon, a spokesman for the families, said: ‘I think I speak for everyone when I say the police are not needed.

‘People at Dale Farm want the road fixed as much as residents. It should be done without the need for this rigmarole.’

PHOTOS AND SOURCE

Posted by peiper     on 06/08/2009 at 08:21 AM   
Filed Under: • Government • Travelers/Gypsies/Squatters •  
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