Theale Councillor welcomes commitments on travellers from WBC and Thames Valley Police

1.32.47pm GMT Tue 18th Dec 2007

Alan Macro, Lib-Dem councillor for Theale, has welcomed the news that West Berkshire Council is looking at providing "transit sites" for travellers. These are sites where travellers can stay for a short period of time. Providing these was one of the "action points" discussed at the recent public meeting in Theale regarding travellers. It was raised again at a meeting involving Theale Parish Council, the police and local MPs held last Monday in the House of Commons. Such sites make it easier for the police to move travellers off private land and have been successful in Milton Keynes.

Alan said "I questioned the leader of West Berks Council about this at the Executive meeting last week. I was very pleased that the council are looking into this and I am looking forward to hearing more details soon."

Alan also questioned the Chief Constable at the council meeting last week as to why the police had not moved travellers on in Theale. The Chief Constable admitted that the police had not performed as well as they could have. Alan commented "Theale residents cannot understand why travellers have been able to move onto different sites over and over again with the police taking no action to move them on. I hope that that this admission from the Chief Constable means that the police will be far more pro-active if there are any more traveller incursions in the area."