Worthing council accused of 'relaxing approach' to deal with travellers as calls made to protect green space

The police were made aware of an unauthorised encampment at Goring Gap on Friday, May 24. Officers worked closely with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) to ‘monitor and resolve the situation’ – with the public encouraged to ‘report any crime or suspicious activity’.

As is its ‘customary practice’, Worthing Borough Council left the public toilets unlocked and provided extra bins to ‘keep the area clean’.

A spokesperson added: “We are regularly checking the site to minimise the impact on residents living nearby.”

The group of travellers left on Sunday, June 9 – more than two weeks after they arrived.

Conservative councillor Kevin Jenkins, the leader of the ‘main opposition’, has since criticised the Labour-controlled council in Worthing.

The Goring Ward councillor said a large amount of mess and 'fly-tipping' has been left at the site, adding: “This council has become a joke, since they relaxed their approach to dealing with traveller encampments we have seen an increase in these events. Worthing is seen as a soft touch and travellers nationally know it.

"The disruption to the local community is significant. The presence of these illegal camps deters people from the area and creates a mini no go zone for residents.

"I have asked for meetings with council officers to discuss how the site can be target hardened ahead of the busy summer periods to deter further incursions.

"So far all requests have been refused claiming that they need to get a political steer from the ruling Labour administration.”

Beccy Cooper, leader of the Worthing Labour Group, said the council is ‘committed to listening to all of our communities’.

She added: “It is our intention to open up conversations with not only Goring residents and Goring ward councillors but also those of the travelling community to plan for future traveller arrivals that may occur.

"All solutions to reinforce the area at Goring Gap will need to be looked at to ensure they are effective as well as cost effective and not just moving arrivals to another area.”

Mr Jenkins said Labour councillors were asked at a meeting this week ‘what action they proposed to take’.

He added: “They could only state that they were reviewing the matter and would give no commitment to taking any action before the summer to help resolve this issue.

"Officers are declining to meet with ward councillors to discuss/review how to target harden this regular incursion site to seek to prevent further inclusions this summer.

“All ward councillors, irrespective of their political allegiance, should be able to access officers to discuss ward related matters, this is being obstructed."

Worthing Borough Council has also issued a statement.

A spokesperson said: “We’re committed to working with all of our ward councillors on any issues they or their residents raise with us.

“We provided regular updates for our Goring ward councillors while travellers were at Goring Gap, and are currently considering whether there are ways to prevent other groups from accessing the land illegally.

“We have not refused to meet with any of our Goring ward councillors – in fact, we hope to work closely with them and the community over the coming months on possible prevention and mitigation measures to address community concerns.”