TRAVELLERS LATEST: Eviction notice served

THE travellers who moved onto a car park at Stratford-upon-Avon College, off Alcester Road, overnight on Sunday were served an eviction notice by police and local officials at 1pm today, Wednesday.

It’s understood that the travellers have two hours to vacate the site which means they should be gone by 3pm later today.

Following the shock occupation the college issued a statement on Tuesday through its principal and CEO, Andrew Cropley, who said: “Our stringent safeguarding procedures ensure our college community is safe at all times.

“Additional safeguarding measures have been implemented, and the police were informed immediately and joined us on campus on Monday morning.

“We have been working with the local authority and the police and the eviction process has commenced.”

Mr Cropley said that in the meantime, the college has taken a number of steps to ensure absolute safety during this period, including;

• Putting in place an additional security presence to ensure a robust 24-hour presence on campus.
• The police will be taking regular patrols of the campus.
• A staffing rota has been created to maintain an additional continual presence close to the car park throughout working hours.
• Teaching spaces close to the occupied car park have been relocated to other class rooms.

Mr Cropley added: “As always, students and staff are easily identified with lanyard-mounted photo ID, while all official visitors are required to wear badges and are accompanied by a member of staff at all times.

“I would like to thank every one of my colleagues for their professional response to the situation and our students for their calm and mature reaction to the necessary alterations to their teaching routine.

“The well-being of our learners and employees has been, and always will be, our number one priority.”

Stratford School and The Willows C E Primary School which are located close to Stratford College have also been informed of the travellers occupation.

A spokeswoman for Stratford School said that the school was made aware by the college on Monday and that the school continues to operate normally.

Speaking on behalf of The Willows CE Primary School, a Warwickshire County Council spokeswoman said that the school had been made aware and it was business as usual at the primary school.

Meanwhile travellers have occupied a site at Myton Fields car park in Warwick where they have been since Tuesday.

It’s estimated that three vans have moved onto the area but an eviction notice has been served by officers from Warwick District Council accompanied by police. For the time being the travellers remain on site.

Last week, travellers nearly forced a local football tournament hosted by Central Ajax in Warwick to be cancelled when they invaded the club’s Hampton Road ground.

They were moved on and the two-day tournament took place and hailed a huge success by organisers.