Here yesterday, gone today

Well, it makes a change from "Here today, gone tomorrow". But we need to go back to the day before yesterday for the start of the story. That was the day I read my emails after getting back from a week away. (France, and yes, thank you - very nice.) Along with 2000+ spam messages were 82 that warranted at least checking out. Several of these were about an influx of travellers who had arrived on Withdean Park, where I walk the dog every morning, late on Thursday evening last week. That was on Sunday morning. After lunch, I went to the kennels to fetch Fern and on the way home we stopped at Happy Valley, another Brighton park which just happens to be on the route home, to give her a run. I noticed several travellers' caravans parked on the far side of the park and, while I was getting out of the car, one of their vehicles was driven out of the park. It was an 18-month old BMW no less! Anyway, back to Withdean.

Yesterday, I went as usual to the park, making sure Fern stayed well away from the travellers and their mess. When I fired up the computet later, one of the emails I read contained an attachment. This had been sent to a local councillor by a member of Brighton & Hove Council Traveller Liaison Team and he, the councillor, had sent it on. Part of the attachment read:

The current Traveller situation is as follows:

Happy Valley

A group of English Gypsies, with 5 trailers, vacated land at East Brighton Park, and moved onto land at Happy Valley in the evening of Thursday 26 May. A joint visit, with the police, was made on Friday 27 May, and health and welfare checks were carried out. The presence of this encampment is not having a significant impact on the settled community, and therefore, no immediate action is required today.

Withdean Park

A group of Irish Travellers and English Gypsies, with 14 trailers, vacated land at East Brighton Park, and moved onto land at Withdean Park in the evening of Thursday 26 May. A joint visit, with the police, was made on Friday 27 May, and health and welfare checks were carried out. The presence of this encampment is not having a significant impact on the settled community, and therefore, no immediate action is required today.

The councillor's response to the autocratic bureaucrat was:

This encampment IS having a major impact on the settled community and I have had numerous complaints regarding this issue. On the opposite side of the A23 there are a number of blocks of flats occupied by hundreds of residents, all of whom live in my ward (Withdean) that directly overlook this encampment. Withdean Park is actually in Patcham Ward and I had spoken to Geoffrey Theobald who has also had numerous residents contacting him complaining about this group of travellers.

This group must be removed from this site immediately as this is a highly sensitive area and is extremely well used by large numbers of residents from across the city, especially at weekends such as this bank holiday.

Well, something happened as the travellers\gypsies were gone this morning. I wish I could say they have gone without trace but, of course, they have left behind the remnants of fires on the grass with litter and rubbish blowing everywhere. They have probably fouled the woods as well. But this morning, also, there was a council van on site to start the clear-up.

I have nothing against people wanting to live a life of vagrancy, but I do wish they would respect other peoples' rights, refrain from causing damage and not expect local councils to spend money on them when they pay neither rates nor taxes.