Crisis meeting planned over illegal camps

From the archive, first published Monday 11th Sep 2006.

A SURGE in the number of travellers setting up camp in Bolton is to be discussed at a special meeting of the council.

Town hall chiefs have been accused of doing nothing to solve the problem by Hulton councillor, Phil Ashcroft He has called for an informal meeting of Bolton Council to discuss the problem.

Cllr Ashcroft said: "For whatever reason, the travellers are not moved on.

"Maybe it is because it will infringe their human rights, but what about the human rights of the people who live in the areas affected."

Throughout the summer, Bolton has been inundated with travellers who have set up camp on open land. Last month, council tax payers were left with a £3,000 clean-up bill after 13 caravans left a playing field in Stapleton Avenue, Heaton.

Earlier that month, travellers settled on Hulton Lane playing fields in Deane, leaving a trail of rubbish and destruction behind them.

Cllr Ashcroft said other boroughs in Greater Manchester should play their part in tackling the problem of illegal traveller camp sites by providing a legal site for them, as Bolton has done. He also called on sites frequented by travellers to be made secure.

Cllr Robert Allan added: "Other authorities need to catch up with us and help alleviate this problem. I would like to an informal council meeting to be held to discuss this issue."

Residents who used the services of travellers came under fire for their part in attracting convoys of caravans to Bolton.

Cllr David Wilkinson said: "Travellers do not just come to see Bolton. Residents will provide them with work which generates the muck they leave behind."

A date for the meeting is now being arranged.

Earlier this year, the Bolton Evening News revealed that £65,000 had been spent in the past 10 years on legal fees to evict travellers from public land and to clear up waste and refuse from the sites.

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