Labour: We would not evict the travellers (From Echo)

Labour: We would not evict the travellers

10:34am Saturday 8th March 2008 in

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BASILDON Council's Labour group has put on the record it would not evict travellers from illegally-built homes.

In his party's strongest attack yet on the Tory-run council's eviction battle, Labour group leader Nigel Smith said he would spend the £1.6 million and £300,000 a year set aside for evictions on other things.

Mr Smith made the pledge as he outlined an alternative to the council's budget, revealed by the ruling Tories for the next financial year.

He argued most local taxpayers thought the massive cost of evicting travellers from illegal sites in Hovefields, in Wickford, and Dale Farm, in Crays Hill, was not justified.

Mr Smithargued the money could be spent on other priorities across the district, including street cleaning, graffiti removal, services for young people and parking charge changes.

Paul Kirkman, Labour councillor for Fryerns, claimed the Dale Farm eviction was only being pursued because it was an obsession of Tory councillor John Dornan, who lives in Oak Avenue, Crays Hill, near the site.

He said: "This is an outrageous amount of money to set aside, to enforce planning laws at a former scrapyard in an anonymous country lane."

Mr Dornan, who represents Laindon Park on Basildon Council and Ramsden Crays Parish Council, said: "What you are saying is Labour would sell us down the river."

He pointed out the council voted for eviction in 2005.

Tory Council leader Malcolm Buckley said: "This will be judged at the ballot box in May and shows how clearly out of touch they are with people of the district in terms of green belt issues.

"This money is not just for traveller-related planning enforcement. What Labour is saying is the travellers can stay on unauthorised sites as long as they like, which is a total U-turn."