Herefordshire Council’s Gypsy and Traveller Team took enforcement action against Valerie Butler and Zackery Biddle, who leased separate pitches at the Openfields Traveller Site near Bromyard, following a continued series of breaches to their pitch agreement to stay on the site.

The behaviour included large-scale fly tipping on the site and other waste offences, along with Biddle being prosecuted for thefts from the nearby Bromyard Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Biddle was prosecuted by the Council in 2022 for mass fly-tipping adjacent to the site. This related to the running of a commercial waste removal service from the site, during which large quantities of waste removed from people’s properties was dumped near the site. Butler has also been prosecuted for waste offences.

The Council applied to Worcester County Court for eviction orders, which were initially contested01 by Butler and Biddle, but the pair accepted the order on the third day of a civil hearing.

Herefordshire Council’s Gypsy and Traveller Team has worked alongside partners such as the police to try to resolve the issues through engagement, However, despite repeated warnings and interventions, the behaviour continued, leaving the authority with no reasonable alternative other than to seek enforcement and eviction.

In granting the eviction orders, the court also imposed costs on Butler and Biddle, who now have until 30 May to vacate the site.

During the court hearing, the Judge expressed hope that this outcome will allow a “fresh start” for all involved and help ensure that Openfields can remain a place of harmony and safety for the traveller community.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Roads and Regulatory Services, Cllr Barry Durkin, said:

“This is a longstanding case involving persistent breaches of pitch agreements and criminal activity that were clearly having a negative impact on other residents at the site and the surrounding community.

“The Council only takes such action as a last resort, but in this case it was clear that all other avenues had been exhausted and we were left with no choice.“

“We hope this sends a clear message that behaviour of this type will not be allowed to continue. Where issues persist despite repeated warnings and engagement, we will not hesitate to take strong action.”

He added:

“This outcome is a testament to the diligence and professionalism of the Regulatory Services Team, which has worked tirelessly with partners to attempt to secure a positive resolution for the local community but had to resort to legal proceedings in the end.”

• Residents can report fly tipping incidents through Herefordshire Council’s website.

•  Anyone operating a commercial waste collection business must have a Waste Carrier’s Registration that they must show to customers before removing the waste. Find out more here.