8:00am Tuesday 7th July 2009
TRAVELLERS who were served with a court notice to move off a Shoebury Park last week, have pitched up next to a war memorial just yards away.
Southend Council was granted an order to move travellers from Gunner’s Park on Friday. They complied with the order on Sunday by moving across Campfield Road opposite the park, pitching their caravans and vehicles beside flower beds at the memorial to the fallen soldiers of two world wars.
Astonished councillors watched in amazement as the travellers, who had been on Gunner’s Park for more than a week, moved to their new site right under their noses.
Tony Cox, Conservative councillor for Shoebury West, said: “On Sunday night myself and fellow councillor Derek Jarvis went to the park to ask them to move. They had moved away from the original area, but had gone to a new retail unit on the park. We managed to persuade them to move, but we could see they were looking for somewhere else to go right in front of us.
“They moved to the war memorial, and as the order was for Gunner’s Park there was nothing we could do.”
Calling for the law to be amended to prevent such incidents. Mr Cox added: “They know the law. In front of us they were on the phone getting advice on where they could go. They went round the back of the health centre, but they know they can’t stop in car parks so they just moved on the memorial ground.
“What do we have to do to stop these people who pay no council tax and leave us to count the cost of clearing up after them?
“Do we have to move concrete blocks on to every piece of open land?”
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