The Labour-led coalition are giving up on supporting Basildon residents when it comes to illegal encampments that pitch up in Basildon creating a trail of chaos, misery and devastation in their wake and leaving residents to foot the clean-up bill.
On two separate occasions now the Coalition has turned its back on residents, deciding not to pursue infringements. The first such occasion was the decision not to appeal the court ruling that allowed Travellers to stay on Hovefields. The second occasion now comes in a decision on an encampment at Rushley Green. A Basildon Council spokesman said: “The council is aware of the encampment at Rushley Green and the Essex and Countywide Traveller Unit have been notified. Basildon Council doesn’t deal with these kinds of incursions anymore”.
Cllr Andrew Schrader, Conservative Spokesperson for Regeneration & Environment, said: “The coalition has turned its back on residents, signalling a softening in the Council’s long-held approach in dealing with such illegal incursions in Basildon. Under the Conservatives, Basildon Council had a reputation for dealing robustly with illegal encampments. My concern now is that once word of the Coalition’s lax approach gets out, it will spread like wildfire and then it will be open season on Basildon”.
Conservative Group Leader Cllr Phil Turner said: “For years a Conservative administration has stood strong against all kinds of incursions but in the blink of an eye UKIP, Labour and the Wickford Independents have thrown all this away. While I expected it of the other parties, I though as Dale Farm 2 was taking place in Wickford, the Wickford Independents might be hot on the case. Unfortunately, they are just as bad as the other parties”.
A Conservative administration will reverse these decisions and reintroduce a tough no nonsense stance on all illegal encampments.