FOI Request - Antisocial Behaviour and Travellers

Request 101003780924

1. Unauthorised Encampments:

a) How many complaints have Moray Council received between the calendar years 2019 and 2024 about Unauthorised Encampments in the local authority area?

b) How many times has Moray Council evicted members of the Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities from encampments from public or private land between 2019 and 2024?

c) Of those, how many were carried out using:

i) Antisocial Behaviour Powers (please specify which)
ii) Planning Enforcement Powers

d) Does Moray Council work in partnership with the Police or private bailiffs in these cases? What costs are incurred?

e) Please provide copies of any internal policies or protocols used in making decisions to evict.

 

2. Antisocial Behaviour Powers

a) Please list all Antisocial Behaviour Powers used by your authority that were directed at members of Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller communities / any orders that specifically mention members of these communities.

b) For each instance, please provide:

i) The type of power used (e.g., Community Protection Notice, Public Spaces Protection Order, Dispersal Order, Injunction, Criminal Behaviour Order, etc.)
ii) The location
iii) The date
iv) The reason for its use
v) Whether the action was challenged and the outcome of any challenge

c) Please confirm whether your authority has a specific policy or guidance for the use of ASB powers against Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller or nomadic communities.

 

3. Injunctions

a) Has your authority applied for, obtained, or enforced any injunctions (interim or final) to prevent unauthorised encampments, including "wide" or "persons unknown" injunctions?

b) For each injunction, please provide:
 

i) The type (e.g. interim, final, wide-area, "persons unknown")
ii) The date it was granted and by which court
iii) The geographic area or sites it covers
iv) The legal grounds on which it was sought (e.g. nuisance, ASB, trespass)
v) Whether it was directed at specific individuals or groups, and whether Traveller communities were named or implicitly included

c) The number of times the injunction has been enforced, including:
 

i) How enforcement took place (e.g. eviction, arrest, fine)
ii) Whether any individuals from Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller
communities were affected
iii) Any challenges or appeals, including outcomes

d) Copies of any Equality Impact Assessments or Human Rights Assessments
conducted in connection with seeking or enforcing such injunctions.

Response 02-06-2025

1.a) This information is not held – Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

b) 2019 – <5*
2020 – Nil
2021 – Nil
2022 – <5*
2023 – Nil
2024 – Nil

<5* - the low numbers associated with this response may result in the identification of individuals. Therefore numbers between 1 and 5 have
been redacted and marked with <5 instead. This response is exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - personal
information.

c) 

i) None

ii) None

d) Work in partnership with Sheriff Officers – Costs incurred for the evictions came to £508.62.

e) A protocol for dealing with unauthorised travellers’ encampments in Moray is in place and a copy can be found on the Council’s website. This information is therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise accessible. For ease of reference please find a link to the web page here: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_51689.html

 

2. 

a) None

b) i)- v) Not applicable

c) No

 

3. 

a) No

b) i)-v) Not applicable

c) i)-iii) Not applicable

d) Not applicable