Travellers moved on after pitching up in Walton for several days

The Essex Countywide Traveller Unit (ECTU) visited the site yesterday and served direction to leave notices, which gives the encampment 24 hours to leave.

If the travellers do not leave, then the ECTU will apply for a court summons.

A spokesperson for Frinton and Walton Town Council said: “The mayor, councillor Terry Allen, attended the incursion site in Naze Park Road on Sunday evening and met with Essex Police for a briefing on the situation.

“Inquiries were made with regards to issuing a Section 61 Notice.

"Councillor Allen has been in contact with Tendring Council’s chief officer Ian Davidson and requested that the Essex Travellers Unit be informed.

“Mr Allen was informed the Essex Travellers Unit attended site on Monday to issue a Section 61 Notice.”

A section 61 notice gives police the power to direct an encampment to leave once the landowner has made reasonable steps to remove the occupants and certain conditions are met.

For these conditions, there must be two or more trespassers on land with the common purpose of residing.

They will have six or more vehicles or damage to the land or property on the land has been caused or threatening words or behaviour towards the occupier, a member of his family or an employee or agent of theirs.

A spokesperson for Tendring Council said: “We always work promptly, with the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit (ECTU), to move on unauthorised encampments as swiftly as the process allows”.

Travellers have gone through Walton several times in the past few years. In April 2018, a group of eight caravans and campervans situated at the Columbine Centre were moved on from the Tendring council owned site.

The ECTU was also involved on that occasion as well as police officers who visited the encampment, and no issues were reported at that time.

In the current situation at Naze Park Road, Essex Police have informed the Gazette that the encampment left the area on Wednesday, June 22.