Traveller campaigners have welcomed the withdrawal of Harlow’s ‘discriminatory’ injunction against encampments.
Harlow Council had sought to apply for a new High Court injunction against unauthorised traveller encampments at a hearing earlier this month.
The town has employed injunctions against travellers since 2015 and was one of the first local authorities in the country to do so.
However, the council withdrew its latest application following a virtual hearing before Mrs. Justice Tipples on Friday, July 10.
During the hearing the judge raised a number of concerns about the application before the council’s legal representation withdrew the bid.
Victoria Gilmore, policy and project officer at national traveller charity Friends Families and Travellers, said: “Finally, common sense prevails. It’s shameful and inhumane to see councils ploughing huge sums of public money into legal action against travellers when there is a simple solution – meet your planning duty to nomadic communities.
“It’s futile identifying places travellers can’t stop if you’ve never taken the time to work out where they can stop. Everybody needs a place to live.”
Sherrie Smith, Director of Gypsies and Travellers Essex, added: “Travelling in modern times is hard enough without these discriminatory injunctions. We are looking forward to a more welcoming environment across Essex.
“If Essex County Council as they say are looking to improve the welfare and outcomes of gypsies and travellers, they should look to establish adequate temporary and permanent site provision.”
Traveller rights group, London Gypsy Travellers, has been working over the last two years to challenge similar injunctions.
Policy Officer at London Gypsy Travellers Ilinca Diaconescu said: “We are pleased that the Harlow injunction application was withdrawn and we hope this sends a message about the much stricter requirements that councils have to meet when seeking such orders.”
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