Caravans leave Goring Gap after legal proceedings threatened

Multiple caravans were pictured at Goring Gap, on Saturday morning (April 11). They reportedly arrived on Friday night, and the police were called to the scene.

West Sussex County Council issued a statement on Monday morning (April 13).

“There is an unauthorised encampment consisting of six caravans at Goring Gap, Worthing,” the council confirmed.

"Notice has been served to vacate the land. Court proceedings will follow in due course.”

Photos, taken around 1pm on Tuesday, April 21, showed that a camp was still at the site.

WSCC confirmed that the group had ‘moved on’ by Thursday afternoon (April 23).

This comes after Conservatives councillors in Worthing proposed creating a budget to stop traveller encampments at Goring Greenswards – but the council leader said the funding required would not be ‘effective or proportionate’.

At Worthing Council's budget setting meeting in March, Worthing Conservative councillors, led by Goring Councillor Kevin Jenkins, discussed a plan to put in 'measures to prevent the repeated annual visits by the various traveller groups'.

This would be a subject to a ‘consultation with local residents’ and the ‘various community groups’.

Mr Jenkins said: "The Greenswards are there for residents and visitors to the town to enjoy, it's not a transit camping site for travellers.

"Every year this council can spend up to £30,000 repairing the bollards, clearing the rubbish left behind and repairing the toilet block left open for travellers."

A spokesperson for the Worthing Conservative group added: "Elsewhere in various towns across the county, they have successfully introduced earth bunding that stops vehicles getting onto a site.

"It is planted up and creates a natural barrier, whilst at the same time you can provide regular access points for walkers, kiters, buggies and wheelchair users to enjoy the Greenswards.

"To achieve this it was proposed that a budget of £350,000 was put in place.”

The Tories asked why they did not receive backing from the Labour administration.

In response, Sophie Cox, leader of Worthing Borough Council and Labour councillor for Castle Ward, said: “As a cabinet, we carefully reviewed all proposals submitted by officers as part of the 2026/27 Capital Programme.

"These covered a wide range of priorities – from improvements to play areas to essential investment in Worthing Leisure Centre – each delivering clear benefits to residents across the borough.

“We recognise the concerns raised regarding unauthorised encampments and the need to balance this with the rights of travelling communities, as enshrined in legislation.

"We did not consider the proposed £300,000+ investment in bunding along Goring Gap to be the most effective or proportionate use of limited capital funding at this time.

"In a context of significant financial pressure, priority has been given to projects that deliver broader and more certain benefits to a wider cross-section of our community.”

Councillor Cox said there are also ‘practical considerations’.

She added: “Physical deterrents such as bunding can displace encampments rather than resolve the issue, potentially shifting pressures onto other nearby areas.

“We fully acknowledge the impact that unauthorised encampments can have on local residents and remain committed to addressing these concerns.

"However, this is a complex issue that requires a coordinated, multi-agency response. The council’s role is primarily that of landowner, and we continue to work closely with partners – including the police and West Sussex County Council – to respond appropriately and lawfully when encampments occur.”

The council leader said the local authority will ‘continue engaging with local communities’ to ‘understand their concerns’.

What does the law say?

In June 2022, it was made an offence for someone over 18 to reside on land without the owner’s consent and have, or intend to have, at least one vehicle with them.

The powers have made police able to arrest people and seize equipment, including vehicles, in relation to the offence.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner said traveller encampments can be a ‘challenge’ for local authorities and the police force.

At a performance and accountability meeting with police and crime commissioner Katy Bourne, Ms Shiner said Sussex Police were one of the first forces to use the new powers.

What happens after you make a report

Members of the travelling communities, including gypsies and travellers, periodically visit West Sussex. Adur and Worthing Council said this happens ‘most commonly in the summer’ and for ‘short periods at a time’.

A spokesperson added: “Adur & Worthing Councils welcome all communities to visit and enjoy our local area, and we also work together with partners to make sure visits by travelling communities work for everyone.”

West Sussex County Council (WSCC) is the lead authority for managing such visits but local councils provide access to bins; and – ‘where appropriate’ – toilets on the sites; deal with reports of fly-tipping and ensure sites are cleaned up after groups have moved on ‘repair any damage caused to the sites afterwards’.

A WSCC spokesperson said: “Once we receive a report we will visit a site to check: its tidiness; how much it's disrupting local residents and businesses; whether it's obstructing highways or public rights of way; if there are any welfare or humanitarian issues.

"We will tolerate an encampment for a short time if the campers are behaving, the site is tidy and other circumstances allow.

"We are likely to evict if the camp is causing a nuisance or campers aren't behaving. Usually we agree an acceptable deadline with the campers. This is cheaper and quicker than taking legal action.

“If we can't agree an eviction deadline there are powers the police can use. We have to apply these in line with the Human Rights Act and Race Relations Act, otherwise we may be challenged in court.”

Sussex Police responds to ‘any reports of anti-social behaviour or crime’ involving either the travelling communities or the settled community – the site where they are staying and the area nearby, the county council said.

Police officers also liaise with the Gypsy and Traveller Advisory Group to ‘promote equality and tackle hate crime’.

To report incidents of anti-social behaviour or crime, including hate crime: call 101 or make a report on the Sussex Police website. However if you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 999.