'Significant' rise in unauthorised gypsy camps in Fife

That's led to a big jump in complaints too with local residents angry and frustrated about the noise and the mess left behind at sites, including dumped rubbish and human faeces.

Across the Kingdom, there have been 18 illegal encampments recorded so far in 2024 – up from just eight last year. 

The South West Fife committee area reported the most unauthorised settlements with seven while two sites in Cowdenbeath - around Leuchatsbeath Drive and Golf Course Road - have had a combined total of six this year. 

At the people and communities scrutiny committee, Cowdenbeath councillor Darren Watt said: “It wasn’t the fact that gypsy travellers were there – it was everything that came with it.

“It was the fly tipping, it was the dumping, it was the noise, it was the generators, it was the cockerels and horses for goodness sake and it was even human defecation.

"That’s where people were really getting upset, frustrated and angry over it.” 

Cowdenbeath Conservative councillor Darren Watt. (Image: Cllr Darren Watt)

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He added: "It must be made clear that from a councillor point of view and from a resident point of view, it has never been about culture, lifestyle, background or even authenticity."

Nonetheless, he described a growing sense of frustration from people in the community with an increase in the number of complaints, particularly from local residents in Cowdenbeath. 

Head of housing, John Mills, said: “Generally speaking, we get a good level of co-operation from gypsy travellers moving through Fife, but we do get the odd group who unfortunately and on this occasion do not respect the council.  

“Looking back at the last few months, [the council] could have and should have resorted to legal action [in Cowdenbeath] much sooner than we did. 

“We’re always trying to work within the Fife co-operation policy as much as we can – with legal action as a last resort –  but when it’s the same group of travellers returning repeatedly to the same area, then we should go straight to legal action to move them on if they’re on council land.” 

READ MORE: Travellers moved on from site of new £85m high school

Councillors have now agreed to set up a working group to review council policy and look more closely at the issues. 

There is a long history of gypsy travellers coming to Fife, mainly for employment and social reasons. 

However, the scrutiny committee was told on Thursday that there has been a “significant increase” in the number of unauthorised settlements this year.

Based on Scottish Government guidance, Fife Council takes a co-operation-first approach to unauthorised gypsy traveller settlements. 

The policy states that the local authority will initiate legal eviction proceedings for unauthorised sites where they: create health or safety hazards; create intolerable nuisance based on size, location, nature, or duration; cause damage to council land or property; are too large or otherwise detrimental to the interests of the public. 

However, the council only has jurisdiction over their own land.

Mr Mills explained that they can’t take action against settlements on private property. 

“It is recognised that unauthorised encampments are a difficult and challenging issue,” his report acknowledged.

“The main difficulty is balancing the needs of gypsy travellers and the settled community.” 

The working group will aim to learn lessons from the unauthorised encampments this year and look at ways to better balance the needs of travellers and local residents.