Ross Town Council have received letters of support, with regards to the installation of barriers at the entrance to the Red Meadow Car Park. Local people have become increasingly concerned with the behaviour of the Travellers, each time they visit Ross-on-Wye.

One local resident, whose letter was referred to at the Town Council meeting on Monday, June 13th, said one of the Travellers had even defecated in a litterbin.

The resident, who did not want to be named, as she feared there could be repercussions, later told the Gazette that she works at a local business, and each time the Travellers arrive, Herefordshire Council is called, as are the police. “The attitude seems to be ‘suck it up buttercup’,” she commented, as little is done to move the Travellers on quickly.

She said extra staff are needed, as they can feel intimidated by the Travellers, and regular customers are often put off using their service.

Other local residents have contacted the Gazette to say they felt intimidated after some of the Travellers tried to sell them knives and chainsaws.

Councillor Richard Mayo is currently pushing for Ross Town Council to get a barrier installed at the Red Meadow car park. The motion is being supported by several other Councillors.

During the full meeting of Ross Town Council on Monday, Cllr Phil Cutter said:?“I understand they have rights, but we also have rights, the people who live in the town.” He said that while as Councillors, they often feel impotent, installing a barrier at the entrance to the car park is something they can do to be proactive.

He added that there seemed to be a double standard, when it came to issing parking fines. He explained that Travellers are usually not given parking tickets, and this often angers local people who do receive the fines, but he said the Council do not want to put County Council staff in harms way.

Cllr Craig Morgan said he totally agreed with what Cllr Cutter said. He said that when the travellers last paid a visit to Ross, residents complained that very loud music was being played in the street at 11.45pm, and the Traveller’s children were out, awake and playing at the street at this time.

Cllr Hannah Lerego said the Town Council, alongside Herefordshire Council, were being criticised by local residents for not stepping in to prevent the Travellers from returning. “It is the most common thing that people slate us all, as a Council,” she said.

Cllr Jane Roberts commented that although Ross Town Council do have responsibility for the toilets in the Red Meadow car park, Herefordshire Council are the organisation responsible for the car park itself. She added that between April 2013 and March 2014, the car park had given the County Council £43,000 in revenue. She said the Traveller’s presence “must be costing them an absolute fortune.”

In addition to the County Council losing revenue, she said each occasion, Herefordshire Council must pay for the cost of a welfare officer to conduct a site visit, as well as any legal costs incurred, and costs associated with the cleaning any rubbish left behind. She said:?“Yes, we own the toilets, but we do not own the car park. We must get County Council to take responsibility for what is County Council’s problem.”