Cost of clearing up after travellers
Posted on Friday 11th January 2019
Newport City Council paid out more than £4,000 to follow the legal process to ensure the travellers moved off Black Ash Park in Lliswerry on October 25 last year.
Added to the deep cleansing of the site, the cost of repairing the field so football can be played there and ensuring the site is secure against future illegal encampments has resulted in a hefty bill.
The cost of this one visit was more £2,800 to clear waste, more than £300 to reinstate the goal posts and reseed parts of the damaged pitch and to carry out subsequent litter picks and paying staff working overtime.
The council is aware of the criticism relating to the length of time the illegal encampment was on site but must point out that it has to comply with legislation as well as follow the guidance from Welsh Government.
This means when the travellers move onto a sensitive site officers do carry out a series of checks, request the travellers to move and after assesments by health officials, then have to resort to costly legal action.
Councillor Roger Jeavons, Cabinet Member for Streetscene, whose staff carry out the cleansing operation, said: “We were appalled at the state the park was left in following this illegal encampment however we had to follow the legal procedures to remove the encampment and pay for the clear up.”