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Cllr Rhydian Vaughan and Ranil Jayawardena MP striving to enforce the law.
Cllr Rhydian Vaughan and Ranil Jayawardena MP striving to enforce the law.
Unauthorised Traveller Encampments

There is not a level playing field and something must be done. This petition aims to do just that and I would strongly urge you to sign it, then share it — with your neighbours, friends and family.

Unauthorised Traveller Encampments

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Cllr Steve Forster and Ranil Jayawardena MP
Travellers
Travellers

Hot on the heels of the announcement of more police funding, locally and nationally, there’s more good news from the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.  

You’ll remember that we - together - presented a petition to Parliament, calling for action on unlawful traveller encampments. I have made it clear to Ministers that the current law is simply inadequate.  

They have proven that they are listening. 

We called for police to be able to direct trespassers to sites outside our county - and for the police to be able to act even when there are fewer than six vehicles (as the current law doesn’t allow for this!). Today, the government have said they agree and they want to change the law. 

The government has taken on board the support that you and others provided for making 'intentional trespass' a criminal offence, so they will now be looking at the specifics of how to implement this, along with increasing the period of time that trespassers moved off land will be unable to return, and enabling the police to move trespassers off highway land, so that our councils don’t have to waste money going to court. 

This is excellent news - but it is just the next step on our journey. There will be forces against us that now try to stop this change so, if we’re going to get this through, I need your continued support for change.

The politically-correct brigade will organise campaigns saying that this is outrageous, discriminatory and wrong. They’re wrong. It’s the current system that outrageous and discriminatory - against the silent majority. We need the silent majority to speak up again. 

I know you’re busy, so I’ve made it easy to do so again, by launching a follow-up petition that backs this real change - and asks the government to get on with it! 

Please sign it and share it with your friends and family.

We have made good progress, so let’s keep pressing the government until this change is delivered.

Unauthorised Traveller Encampment Powers

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To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.

The Humble Petition of the people of Hampshire,

Sheweth,

That urgent action must be taken concerning unauthorised traveller encampments, which are a nuisance for local communities; and, further, that we welcome the proposed new powers in HM Government’s recent response to its consultation on powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments.

Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges HM Government to take all possible steps to swiftly implement the powers proposed, namely permitting the police to direct trespassers to suitable authorised sites located in neighbouring local authority areas; increasing the period of time in which trespassers directed from land would be unable to return; lowering the number of vehicles needing to be involved in an unauthorised encampment before police powers can be exercised; and enabling the police to remove trespassers from land that forms part of the highway; further, that intentional trespass should be made a criminal offence; and, further, take note of the detailed consultation response submitted by our Member of Parliament.

And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c

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We only collect your data in line with the Data Protection Acts. How the information you have provided will be used: Some data received from you will probably comprise personal data about you and your issue/question, this may include sensitive personal data. The types of information collected about you will probably include your name, address and contact information. The contact data you provide will be retained by Ranil Jayawardena (“the data holder”) in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Acts and related legislation. It will also be retained and used in line with the Data Collection and Use Policy referred to above. Sensitive personal data remains confidential and will not be used or released by the data holder except in order to deal with your issue/question when contacting other agencies and the House of Commons. The data holder will use the data collected for the following purposes: (i) to respond to you and assist you with your issue or question; (ii) to keep you updated on this issue and the wider subject matter in the future; and (iii) by signing this petition, you are opting in to receive his electronic newsletter which may contain information you may find of interest. You have the choice to not submit this form but, in any case, you may opt out of future electronic communications at any time by clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of any such newsletter.

News

RJ

Dixon Road

Wednesday, 22 May, 2019

You know that I believe the District and Borough Councils that cover North East Hampshire should control development in our area through Local Plans.

Cllr Steve Forster and Ranil Jayawardena MP

Government Consults on North East Hampshire MP’s Traveller Proposals

Wednesday, 6 February, 2019

Laws to strengthen police powers against unauthorised traveller encampments are now being considered by HM Government following a petition launched by Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire Ranil Jayawardena.

MP Backs Silent Majority

North East Hampshire MP welcomes action being taken on Unauthorised Traveller Encampments

Thursday, 9 August, 2018

Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire, Ranil Jayawardena MP, welcomes yesterday’s announcement that the High Court has granted Basingstoke and Dean Borough Council an interim injunction allowing it to deal more quickly with Unauthorised Encampments within key areas of the borough.

MP Backs Silent Majority

Local MP Says Police Need More Powers

Thursday, 14 June, 2018

Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire, Ranil Jayawardena MP, presented his petition on unauthorised traveller encampments to the House of Commons on Wednesday 13th June 2018.

Almost two thousand residents of North East Hampshire and the wider United Kingdom signed his petition.

Ranil Jayawardena MP contact details

Ranil Jayawardena MP Opinion Piece—June 2018

Friday, 1 June, 2018

Since my election in 2015, I have received almost 10,000 pieces of casework—ranging from animal cruelty to the Yemen. Almost none have been as ongoing and persistent, however, as concerns over unauthorised traveller encampments and the behaviour in and around them.

Cllr Rhydian Vaughan and Ranil Jayawardena MP striving to enforce the law.

Local MP Launches Petition To Give Police More Powers Against Unauthorised Traveller Encampments

Tuesday, 24 April, 2018

Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire, Ranil Jayawardena MP, is launching a petition to urge HM Government to strengthen police powers by giving the police the power to direct trespassers to leave simply because of trespassing—and before damage, abuse or six vehicles occurs.

Ranil Jayawardena MP speaking in Parliament

Local MP Calls for Level Playing Field for Residents Facing Unruly Travellers

Monday, 16 October, 2017

Ranil Jayawardena – Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire – took the opportunity at a recent Parliamentary Debate on “Gypsies and Travellers and local communities” to speak out for local constituents, calling for reform of the outdated law in this area which puts the interests of travelle

Ranil Jayawardena Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire

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