29/06/09 - Conservatives Ask Shoebury Independent Party to Clarify Their Position On Travellers

Following a bizzare story on shoeburynews.com, a website run by former Labour Party candidate Anne Chalk, now standing for the Independent Party in Shoeburyness Ward at the 2010 local elections, Anne Chalk indicates that she will support the requirement for travellers pitches to be made available in Shoeburyness.

The article even urges the council to provide skips for the travellers currently on Gunner's Park despite local Shoebury Conservatives efforts to get them removed quickly.  This would mean allocating space on either Gunner's Parks, Friars Park or East Beach for the needs of traveller's.

Anne Chalk was a member of the local Labour Party when one of her Southend councillor's told full council last year that traveller's sites should be put on all Southend's Park.s  

On hearing the news Cllr Tony Cox commented:

"I urge Anne and the Independent Party in Shoeburyness to make their position on travellers in Shoeburyness clear to local residents.

"Residents that I have spoken to over the past few days feel intimidated by the current situation on Gunner's Park and want them to be removed as soon as possible.

"Anne seems to imply that she will support the requirement for travellers pitches to be made available in Shoeburyness and invite to suggest where we put them.

"If skips were provided, this would surely only encourage more travellers to settle on Gunner's Park than are already there.

"I do not support travellers sites in Shoeburyness and I am currently working closely with fellow councillor's and officers to get them removed from Gunner's Park.''