Brighton a 'soft touch on travellers', councillor claims

Dawn Barnett, Conservative councillor on Brighton and Hove City Council, criticised the Green administration’s “soft touch” approach to the traveller community after at least 30 caravans and other vehicles appeared at Preston Park on Friday evening.

She said: “I don’t know why they have been allowed to stay there. They shouldn’t be allowed on any public park - it’s a park for residents in the city who pay council tax.

“People aren’t able to go out and enjoy Preston Park. Residents shouldn’t have to put up with this. They do not want to be mucked around by travellers.

“The travellers are their own worst enemy - if they behaved themselves, keep areas clean and tidy, get off their quad bikes, people would accept them if they stayed for a day or two.”

Dozens of caravans remain in Preston Park

Cllr Barnett said that the group that has parked in Preston Park should be directed to the traveller site in Patcham.

She said: “We put in the site at a lot of expense and the arrangement was that the travellers would go to that site if there was room and if it was full, they would leave the city.

“The council has a soft touch. They say Brighton and Hove is a City of Sanctuary - but who for? Certainly not the residents.”

Her comments come after a parkrun was cancelled over the weekend due to “travellers in the park”.

Organisers of the parkrun said: “They’re not on the course but there are so many vehicles and quad bikes driving dangerously we daren’t go ahead.”

Councillor Dawn Barnett (Image: Conservative group)

Cllr Barnett said the dangerous behaviour poses a threat for children in the city, as many will head to parks across Brighton and Hove as schools break for summer later this week.

She said: “I’m saying what everybody else in the city is thinking and it’s about time the council listened to what residents want.”

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “We are aware of a number of vehicles which arrived at Preston Park in Brighton.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in consultation with the local authority to help ensure local community safety and to establish what next steps should be taken.”