Travellers camped in a car park in Burnham-on-Sea have been told to leave over the weekend.
The unauthorised encampment was first spotted on the site in Pier Street around 8pm on September 12 when around 20 vehicles arrived at the car park.
According to Somerset Live, Sedgemoor District Council has carried out welfare checks and told the group they need to leave over the weekend.
A council spokesperson said: "SDC is aware that there is currently a group of travellers at Pier Street car park in Burnham.
"Sedgemoor’s legal team has visited the site to speak with the group; carry out the welfare checks required by law and issued them with notice to go over the weekend."
The council has a process it sticks to when a situation like this arises.
- The travellers are issued with a letter advising that they are occupying council land without consent and are usually required to vacate within 24 hours.
- If they do not vacate an application is made to the County Court for a Possession Order and the notice of hearing is then served on the travellers.
- Under court rules, travellers must be given two clear days’ notice of the hearing, not including the day that the notice was served, the day of the hearing and not including weekends or bank holidays; which is why it takes at least a week to move them on.
- If they do not vacate, the council attends the court hearing and seeks an Order for Possession Forthwith. This is then usually served on the travellers the same day with the instruction that they vacate immediately.
- If they still do not vacate, the police and bailiffs are called in to assist with the removal.
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