A large group of travellers camped in Weston-super-Mare has been served with a summons to appear in court - as the council applies for an order to evict them.
North Somerset Council officers visited the travellers parked on land at Hutton Moor Leisure Centre today to serve them with the summons informing them of a hearing at North Somerset Magistrates Court on Monday, May 20.
Travellers who tried to set up two illegal camps in Abbots Leigh moved on when police were called
The travellers arrived on the land last Wednesday night (May 15) and despite requests by the council to move on, have stayed put.
Initially a group of around 10 caravans parked up, but this has now grown to 26 caravans and associated vehicles.
North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said: "Our housing team has been to visit the travellers at Hutton Moor and served them with a summons about the hearing for us to take possession of the land.
"They have the opportunity to attend court if they want to say why they should not have to move."
The travellers arrived in Weston earlier this month, originally parking up on playing field at Locking Primary School.
After being moved on they set up camp on Beach Lawns overnight before moving onto to land at Hutton Moor.
North Somerset Council spends thousands of pounds each year on dealing with illegal traveller encampments.
Council issues deadline to travellers at illegal encampment
As well as officer time and the cost of applying to the magistrates court for an order to evict the groups there are also the costs of cleaning up sites after illegal encampments.
Last summer the authority was forced to play 'cat and mouse' with traveller groups who, after being evicted from one site, simply moved to another close by.
Each time the authority has to carry out welfare checks, ask the group to leave and if they do not comply, apply to the courts to move them on.
Currently the council has no transient sites for travellers where they can be moved onto.
However the district does offer a number of permanent pitches for the travelling community including the Willowmead site and a newly developed site at the Old Junction Yard, both in Weston-super-Mare.
There are also privately operated traveller camps in the district.
