Hove MP to host public meeting about travellers

Hove Conservative MP Mike Weatherley is to hold a public meeting about plans to build a permanent travellers sitein Patcham.

Mr Weatherley will be joined by councillors at the meeting next Friday from 6pm to 8pm at Patcham Community Centre in Ladies Mile Road, Brighton.

The meeting has been called in response to proposals to build a permanent travllers site with 16 pitches next to the transit site at Horsdean, just north of the A27 Brighton bypass.

He said that travellers took over another piece of public open space last week when they illegally occupied Greenleas Park in Hangleton.

Yet he said there were spaces available for travellers at the current site at Horsdean at the time.

He said that they had chosen to pitch up for free in the middle of a public park rather than stay at the site which is already there for them.

Mr Weatherley added: “Residents have quite frankly had enough of travellers infringing the law at their expense.

“While I am pleased that the travellers moved on, I am deeply concerned by the delayed reaction of Brighton and Hove City Council and Sussex Police on this issue.

“In future travellers should be moved on within the hour, not after days, weeks or months.”