Key information
Request reference number: MGLA010525-5147
Date of response:
Summary of request
Request
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I request the following information:
Unauthorised encampments:
1. How many complaints have the council received between the calendar years 2019 and 2024 about unauthorised encampments in the local authority area.
2. The number of times your local authority has evicted members of the Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities from encampments from public or private land between 2019 and 2024.
3. Of those, how many were carried out using:
a. Anti-social behaviour powers (please specify which)
b. Planning enforcement powers
4. Whether the authority works in partnership with the police or private bailiffs in these cases, and any costs incurred.
5. Copies of any internal policies or protocols used in making decisions to evict.
Anti-social behaviour powers
1. A list of all anti-social 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.
2. For each instance, please provide:
a. The type of power used (e.g., Community Protection Notice, Public Spaces Protection Order, Dispersal Order, Injunction, Criminal Behaviour Order, etc.)
b. The location
c. The date
d. The reason for its use
e. Whether the action was challenged and the outcome of any challenge
3. 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.
Injunctions
1. Has your authority applied for, obtained, or enforced any injunctions (interim or final) to prevent unauthorised encampments, including “wide” or “persons unknown” injunctions?
2. For each injunction, please provide: a. The type (e.g. interim, final, wide-area, “persons unknown”) b. The date it was granted and by which court c. The geographic area or sites it covers d. The legal grounds on which it was sought (e.g. nuisance, ASB, trespass) e. Whether it was directed at specific individuals or groups, and whether Traveller communities were named or implicitly included
3. The number of times the injunction has been enforced, including:
a. How enforcement took place (e.g. eviction, arrest, fine)
b. Whether any individuals from Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller communities were affected
c. Any challenges or appeals, including outcomes
• Copies of any Equality Impact Assessments or Human Rights Assessments conducted in connection with seeking or enforcing such injunctions.
Response:
I can confirm that the GLA holds some information within the scope of your request. I would also advise the GLA is not a local authority and, therefore, does not operate in the same way. GLA does have some land holdings across London and that it is to this land that the responses relate.
Unauthorised encampments:
1. How many complaints have the council received between the calendar years 2019 and 2024 about unauthorised encampments in the local authority area.
GLA has not received any complaints, although there have been 11 occasions of unauthorised encampments on its land.
2. The number of times your local authority has evicted members of the Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities from encampments from public or private land between 2019 and 2024.
For the 11 occasions noted above the ethnicity of the evicted person/s is unknown.
3. Of those, how many were carried out using:
a. Anti-social behaviour powers (please specify which)
b. Planning enforcement powers
a) 0 b) 0
Common law eviction power used in all cases, acting as a landowner
4. Whether the authority works in partnership with the police or private bailiffs in these cases, and any costs incurred.
Private bailiffs. Total costs incurred £129,648
5. Copies of any internal policies or protocols used in making decisions to evict.
GLA do not have any internal policies or protocols
Anti-social behaviour powers
1. A list of all anti-social 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.
GLA only use common law eviction powers for all unauthorised encampments, acting as a landowner.
2. For each instance, please provide:
a. The type of power used (e.g., Community Protection Notice, Public Spaces Protection Order, Dispersal Order, Injunction, Criminal Behaviour Order, etc.)
b. The location
c. The date
d. The reason for its use
e. Whether the action was challenged and the outcome of any challenge
Please see table on the final page of this letter.
3. 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.
GLA do not have such policy as it is a landowner and not a local authority.
Injunctions
1. Has your authority applied for, obtained, or enforced any injunctions (interim or final) to prevent unauthorised encampments, including “wide” or “persons unknown” injunctions?
Common law approach used so not relevant. GLA do not issue injunctions, as it is a landowner and not a local authority.
2. For each injunction, please provide: a. The type (e.g. interim, final, wide-area, “persons unknown”) b. The date it was granted and by which court c. The geographic area or sites it covers d. The legal grounds on which it was sought (e.g. nuisance, ASB, trespass) e. Whether it was directed at specific individuals or groups, and whether Traveller communities were named or implicitly included
N/A – as per above, point 1
3. The number of times the injunction has been enforced, including:
a. How enforcement took place (e.g. eviction, arrest, fine)
b. Whether any individuals from Romani Gypsy or Irish Traveller communities were affected
c. Any challenges or appeals, including outcomes
• Copies of any Equality Impact Assessments or Human Rights Assessments conducted in connection with seeking or enforcing such injunctions.
N/A – as per above, point 1