View report page

CARAVANS
The background and habits of the nomads using bombed sites for unauthorised
caravan parking is difficult to obtain because they are often un-coperative,
even hostile, when visits are made by Council Officers. It appears from details
gathered that by far the majority of these people are true wanderers with no
permanent home whether they describe themselves as Gypsies or not. They obtain
a living in various ways, by car-breaking, dealing in rags etc., or by door
to door selling of various articles in the winter. During the summer months
they usually leave town to work either in fairs or on farms. The children
appear to be well clothed and nourished, often being sent to local schools.
The environment and uncertain way of life must have a very adverse effect on
the welfare and education of the children as a whole.
Occupation of the sites give rise to numerous complaints from the local
residents subjected to requests for water, annoyance, trespass and intimidation
and the obvious annoyances occasioned by the lack of any sanitary facilities.
In addition to caravans, families often erect temporary structures and tents
for additional sleeping and living purposes. Most families have their quota
of half-wild domestic animals which are a further cause of nuisance.
The Public Health hazards are clear, since no water supply or sanitary
accommodation is provided and there are no arrangements for the disposal of
refuse. The chief method of disposing of soil and waste water is the furtive
use of street gulleys and sewer man-holes, whilst household refuse becomes
distributed all over the site. The following details give some idea of
difficulties encountered:- A broken down motor coach, the engine of which was
useless, was used as a "home" for a family of husband, wife and three children.
It was parked on land cleared in preparation for inclusion in a larger
re-development scheme. The site was in the process of transfer, and it was
not until completion that the L.C.C. evicted them from the land. The coach
with a towing vehicle and accumulated impedimenta moved to the other side of
the road. It stood on the highway for nearly three years. A portion of the footway
was taken up and a latrine erected. The husband had been in prison
and his driving licence had been endorsed. At no time were the family prepared
to accept any local authority accommodation. After every possible pressure,
including Court action, they eventually purchased a new caravan, broke up the
old and cleared the site
The problem has been a most difficult one to deal with. Legal proceedings
under the London County Council (General Powers) Act 1959, have proved to be
protracted and no deterrent as the small fines are accepted by the trespassers
as a payment in lieu of rent. The sympathy aroused by the difficulties and
plight of these people constantly moved from place to place often obscures
the basic problem. The indiscriminate parking on bombed and other cleared
sites is a hazard to the community and the perpetrators. The only satisfactory
solution is for sites to be enclosed on clearance, followed by immediate
-29-