Updated: Council lets travellers stay (From Echo)

Updated: Council lets travellers stay

11:52am Thursday 5th July 2007 in

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TRAVELLERS were re- joicing today after striking a deal with Basildon Council which will let them stay put until at least next spring.

Eleven traveller families had been told to leave the illegal camp at Dale Farm, Crays Hill, by midnight tomorrow or face the bulldozers.

But at the latest High Court encounter, the travellers demanded judicial review of the council's latest eviction decision taken last month.

Before a judgement could be the council's latest eviction decision taken last month.

Before a judgement could be made, the council stepped in and stopped proceedings, promising not to evict anyone before a separate hearing next spring, over the remaining 40 plots at Dale Farm.

Amazed villagers have accused the council of weakness, while delighted travellers celebrated by dismantling the gas canister barricade set up to keep out bailiffs.

Site spokesman Richard Sheridan, said: "The villagers will have to put their champagne back on ice.

"There's a long way to go, but no one will be thrown out this year.

"Hopefully there will be justice in the end."

Sally Aungier, 43, of Crays Hill Residents Association can not believe it.

She said: "We could understand it if the hearing was sooner, but waiting until spring is diabolical.

"Will this nightmare ever end?"

Tory council leader Malcolm Buckley explained his reasoning by saying it was "likely" the court would have agreed to a separate judicial review, preventing the eviction anyway.

He said: "This would have taken at least a year to hear and would have cost taxpayers more in legal fees.

"The undertaking prevents eviction, but means both cases can be heard together next spring - at no extra cost."

The 11 families included sisters Melissa, 18, and Rosemary McCarthy, 13, who were orphaned when their parents died in a mobile home blaze two years ago.

They were terrified they would have nowhere to live.

Melissa said: "I was so scared they were going to come in a few days. I was crying and depressed. This gives us more hope."

Grattan Puxon, a campaigner for the travellers, said: "It is promising the council appears to now be taking a common sense approach and has withdrawn the threat to send in bulldozers which might easily have deteriorated into a violent confrontation."

Basildon fire community safety officer Martin Trevillion - who last week gave Mr Sheridan an award for the way he had improved camp safety - applauded the travellers decision to take away the gas cannister barricade.

He said: "Following the weekend terror attacks involving gas canisters, we were able to convince the community of their danger. Removing canisters is a really positive move."