Traveller issue

Firstly, Coun West accuses me of scaremongering over the scale of the problem of travellers in the city.

If he had checked through the records, he would see that this time last year there were no unauthorised traveller encampments in the city.

He should also perhaps talk to the police, who are having to allocate extra resources to this.

Secondly, it isn’t true to say the previous administration achieved nothing on travellers for four years.

We put money into refurbishing the Horsdean transit site on two occasions and this now has space for 23 caravans.

I agree with Coun West that there is a need for a new permanent site, but this will not solve the problem.

Many travellers have stated themselves they already have permanent base elsewhere in the country and are not interested in settling here.

And as for political point scoring, it was the Conservatives who, early on in your administration, put in a request to set up a cross-party scrutiny panel to look at solutions to the traveller issue.

Mary Mears, Conservative councillor, Rottingdean coastal ward

I ATTENDED a meeting in Patcham last week at which Councillor Pete West and the Travellers’ Liason Officer Mike Hibberd explained the situation regarding travellers on Ladies Mile nature reserve.

We thought the council was dragging its heels in their efforts at eviction as we were told the paperwork would be served and the process would be put into action soon after.

It’s interesting to learn that travellers at two other local sites have been speedily evicted (The Argus, June 30) – in fact within the space of three working days.

Travellers have been at the top of Ladies Mile for some time. While they have access to waste bins, provided at the expense of taxpayers, the sanitation situation has been getting totally out of control.

Human excrement and toilet paper has been seen on the nature reserve.

Councils must act quicker to protect our environment.

Clive Rawlings, Carden Avenue, Patcham