SEDGEMOOR taxpayers were left to foot the bill after travellers set up camp in Burnham-on-Sea.

A small group of travellers pitched up on a grassed area in Marine Drive on Monday, April 23 and were served with a notice to vacate the site within 24 hours by Sedgemoor District Council on Tuesday, April 24.

However the travellers remained on the land despite the warning and Sedgemoor District Council was forced to take legal action, applying to Weston Court for a Possession Order.

The travellers eventually left the site on Friday, April 27 but not without leaving seven bags worth of rubbish and an old petrol can on the site which Sedgemoor District Council's Clean Surroundings team was left to clear up.

Sedgemoor District Council said it was difficult to work out the precise costs of the work carried out due to the travellers illegal encampment, but confirmed that the court fee alone cost £355.

A Sedgemoor District Council spokesman said: "Sedgemoor District Council take incursions by travellers onto their land very seriously.

"There are legal procedures which have to be followed to remove travellers, but we act as quickly as the law allows us, as was the case last week."

Burnham's mayor, Cllr Bill Hancock said he was worried there would be more illegal encampments as the law does not allow councils to act quickly enough.

"The law has not changed since last summer, it is a complete waste of time," Cllr Hancock said.

"The travellers know they have virtually a week because of the all the legal processes.

"Our business was on tenterhooks last week, it can be a nightmare for small businesses and needs more action from central government.

"I have lived here 40 years and last year was the worst I have seen - I have big concerns that this is just the start and it will be the same this summer."

Burnham-on-Sea's MP James Heappey said he was impressed by the quick response of Sedgemoor District Council and hoped this would act as a deterrent.

Mr Heappey said: "There is no excuse for illegal encampments. Sedgemoor’s speed of response shows that Burnham-on-Sea and the surrounding area will be much more difficult for travellers to illegally encamp this summer.

“Local residents need to see that travellers are not above the law and that our local authorities are exercising the powers they have quickly to minimise disruption.”

Last month Somerset taxpayers were faced with a separate £7,500 bill in the aftermath of a group of travellers camping at a Taunton park-and-ride site.

Somerset County Council, which operates the site, was forced to obtain a court order to remove the travellers, with the park and ride being out of action to commuters and tourists for the first half of the week.

The council has now confirmed that the bill for moving on the travellers comes to £7,500 when the legal costs, clean-up and lost revenue are taken into account.

It cost the council £650 to clean up the site near Junction 25, with a pram and a broken television left behind along with shoes, fast food wrappers, dog waste and human excrement.

The council has also informed Avon and Somerset Constabulary after bus shelters and electric charging points at the site were found to be damaged.

The council also shelled out approximately £1,000 for court fees and a barrister to obtain a court order, and around £3,750 for bailiffs to move the travellers on.

Here is the process SDC takes to remove travellers from their land.

- The travellers are issued with a letter advising that they are occupying council land without consent and are usually required to vacate within 24 hours

- If they do not vacate an application is made to the county court for a Possession Order and the notice of hearing is then served on the travellers.

- Under court rules, travellers must be given three clear days’ notice of the hearing, not including the day that the notice was served, the day of the hearing and not including week-ends or bank holidays; which is why is takes at least a week to move them on.

If they do not vacate, the council attends the court hearing and seeks an order for possession forthwith. This is then usually served on the travellers the same day with the instruction that they vacate within 24 hours.

- If they still do not vacate, the police and bailiffs are called in to assist with the removal