Thanet council and Kent Police have been notified of the arrival of Travellers at Palm Bay.
The group of around ten caravans set up on the field, which is due to be used for the PTFA bootfair this Sunday, this afternoon.
It means there have been some 35 incursions on the isle this year, the most recent including Jackey Bakers’ field, land by Cummins in Manston and green space at the Westcliff close to the Chine.
A recent article in the Travellers Times has suggested unauthorised camps could be dealt with under a ‘Negotiated Stopping’ scheme, which the Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange says reduces costs, community tensions and conflict
The Traveller Times says the solution has been used by Leeds City Council for a number of years, saving the council and police close to £250,000 a year in legal and clean up fees.
‘Negotiated Stopping’ involves a contract between mobile Travellers and councils that allow the Travellers to camp for up to three months on specified areas of vacant council land. The authority would usually agree to provide household rubbish disposal and sanitation. In return, the Gypsies and Travellers sign a contract agreeing to keep the area clean and to move off at the end of the agreed period.
The council also directs Travellers away from contentious public spaces – like playing fields – and onto more appropriate council land in return for a longer stay for the Travellers involved.
Figures from Leeds City Council show that in 2010/11 the authority spent £324,000 dealing with unauthorised camps.
Following the negotiated stopping arrangement the costs in 2014/15 were £150,000.
In 2013 Thanet council dealt with two incursions. Last year there were around 40 and so far this year there have been some 35.
Thanet council has been asked for comment.
