Unauthorised camping

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The council owns parcels of land in exactly the same way as any other private landowner and in its capacity as local Highway Authority has responsibility for use of the highways. The Council has a legal duty to... "assert and protect the rights of the public to the use and enjoyment of any highway for which they are the highway authority". (s.130, Highways Act 1980).

Overview

We endeavour to achieve two primary objectives when responding to reports of unauthorised camping, in accordance with an adopted Policy Statement:

• To balance the rights and needs of resident communities with those of Gypsies and Travellers.
• To manage unauthorised encampments in an efficient and effective way, ensuring that the Council's response is fair and proportionate and takes account of the level of nuisance, fear and intimidation for local residents and the rights and responsibilities of Gypsies and Travellers
• View the Policy Statement

Incident reporting

Any reports of unauthorised camping incidents occurring upon land owned by us, or on the public highway, should be directed to the Highways Enforcement Officers, telephone: 01225 713356.

It should be noted that "The council will not normally take action in respect of encampments on private land" as stated in its adopted Policy Statement.

Inter-departmental protocol

Officers representing the various departments of the council regularly exchange information about Gypsy and Traveller issues in accordance with an Inter-Departmental Protocol.

Some of this information is subject to regulation by the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. The Protocol should be read in the context of an attached Disclosure Statement.

• View the Inter-Departmental Protocol

Last updated: 26 September 2011