Officials get £10,000 budget to deter travellers

Warwick District Council’s executive committee this week approved a request for emergency powers to stop illegal encampments on the authority’s land.

The authority spent £4,700 on temporary measures to stop travellers being evicted from privately owned land in Macbeth Approach, Heathcote, moving on to Harbury Lane recreation ground.

Travellers had twice broken into the playing fields over the past two years, leaving rubbish strewn over the site.

Councillors voted to approve payment of the £4,700 from the authority’s contingency budget, and any further actions necessary to deter illegal encampments.

In a report to the committee, deputy chief executive Andrew Jones said that with a budget of £10,000 until April 2012, officials would be able to respond more quickly.