Birmingham City Council have obtained what appears to be a general injunction covering unauthorised encampments in Perry Park, Selly Oak Park, Selly Park Recreation Ground and Hazelwell Park.

CLP are very interested in hearing from anyone affected by this injunction. Obviously parkland is not an ideal location but this is in the context where there is not a single transit pitch in the whole vast area of Birmingham. However the Council are finally discussing the need for a transit site.

Meanwhile a very negative Early Day Motion (EDM) regarding unauthorised encampments has been put forward by B’ham MP Steve McCabe : http://www.stevemccabe-mp.org.uk/ If the EDM gets sufficient signatures from MPs there will be a debate in Parliament. We know that the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups have asked Mr McCabe for a meeting.

It is early days in statistical terms but some are pondering whether the increase in unauthorised encampments is (as many warned would be the case) a result of the change in the definition of Gypsy/Traveller (for more on the definition see several articles in recent TAT News E Bulletins https://www.communitylawpartnership.co.uk/noticeboard/links/tat-news ) . CLP are also very interested in hearing from anyone adversely affected by the new definition.

TAT telephone advice line: 0121 685 8677 Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm.