Anger as council votes down citywide bid to prevent illegal encampments on public open spaces.
The Conservative group on Birmingham City Council have called for a zero tolerance approach to illegal encampments in the city to protect our parks and open spaces having seen their proposed motion watered down by a council meeting.
The motion, put forward to a meeting of full council on Tuesday, called for a citywide injunction, with the council and police using all available powers to remove travellers as quickly as possible where they camp illegally. It also called on Government to implement all proposals in their consultation on increased powers to tacked illegal encampments.
However, the mothing was rejecedt with. Cllr Adam Higgs (Con, Highter’s Heath) saying: “Residents are rightly fed up and angry at seeing, year after year, illegal incursions by travellers onto both public and private land but whilst Birmingham continues to be seen as a soft touch the problem is not going to go away.
“The Labour council need to back officers and allow them to use the full extent of their existing powers to prevent and remove illegal encampments and do so more quickly so that our parks in particular are protected for everyone’s enjoyment.”
Cllr Bruce Lines (Con, Bartley Green) added: “It is hugely disappointing that the Labour group chose to water down our amendment, yet again deflecting blame to others and refusing to take responsibility for their own failings or those of their Police and Crime Commissioner.
“It is high time we prioritised protecting our parks so that they can be enjoyed by everyone and not spoilt by those with no respect for the law or other people.”