News / Van Dwellers
Council confirms plans to move vehicle dwellers
Bristol City Council has confirmed that “encampments” around the Downs will start being moved from Monday.
The council will engage with vehicle dwellers and conduct welfare assessments, following which they will be directed to move and given time to leave the area.
If people do not comply, the council have said they will apply for a court order requiring the vehicles and their occupants to leave.
Over 600 people are estiamted to be living in vehicles across areas in Bristol
Chair of homes and housing delivery committee, Barry Parsons said: “The council will begin the process of moving the encampments on in the week beginning 1 December by engaging with the vehicle dwellers and conducting welfare assessments.
“People will be given advice and signposted to relevant support services. We will direct the vehicle dwellers to leave the area and give them time to do this.
“We hope to achieve this through voluntary co-operation wherever possible.
“If people do not comply with this request, we will then apply to the court for an order requiring the vehicles and their occupants to leave, using section 77 and section 78 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, or other legislation as appropriate.”
On November 18, the council confirmed that “enforcement” plans to move vehicle dwellers from the Downs, following complaints of parts of the area being used as “organised toilet facilities”.
An increase in the number of vehicle dwellers on the Downs, Parsons said, presented “significant social, health, and environmental challenges” and, with recently received evidence, the group of vehicle dwellers had been classified as “high impact” under the council’s policy.
The council is currently working on a new vehicle dweller policy, following the conclusion of a public consultation at the end of October. The policy is expected to go to the housing and homes delivery committee for a decision on December 19.
All photos: Betty Woolerton
Read next:
- Claims ‘van-lords’ are renting out caravans on the Downs
- Plans to move vehicle dwellers after sanitation complaints
- Labour refutes council claims on Fishponds van dwellers
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