Notice served to remove Rugeley gipsies
A notice has been served on a makeshift gipsy site in a bid to remove more than a dozen travellers who have taken up residence on a Rugeley field.
Brereton resident Alan Stoddard says the travellers are causing major disruption, playing loud music on the site at the playing fields in Heather Close until late at night and riding around on scramble bikes and quad bikes.
Cannock Chase Council has now lodged an application with the courts to order the gipsies to move from the land. The case will be heard at Stafford County Court on August 21. The notice for court action was formally served on the gipsies yesterday.
Mr Stoddard, of Ella Close, said: "I notified the council about it the Friday before last. When I first reported it, there was around five or six caravans – now there's 12 or 13. The notice should have been served earlier – this could now end up being a massive clean-up operation and a massive burden on the taxpayer. It's really not fair. We're an elderly neighbourhood.
"They're playing music on the site loudly until around 11pm at night. It's like living on the edge of a fairground. They've got scramble bikes and quad bikes too, so they're making a lot of noise. You really have got to see it to believe it."
Cannock Chase Council, which owns the land in Brereton, has admitted the application for the removal of the gipsies was delayed as its officers sent the papers to Walsall County Court, as opposed to Stafford County Court.
Spokeswoman Kirsteen Miles said: "The council is aware that travellers have unlawfully accessed council land in Rugeley. As such, we have embarked on a process to remove the travellers and take possession of our land.
"We formally served notice on the travellers today. Once the court has granted us the possession order then we can apply for the bailiff to fix the date for the eviction.
"We understand residents' concerns and are acting on this matter swiftly."
