Bolton Council discloses bill for moving on Travellers from its land

The Bolton News submitted a Freedom of Information Request following a number of unauthorised Traveller encampments in and around Bolton in recent weeks and months.

The money spent covers the past two years, but almost all of the costs have fallen within a single year.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act show the authority spent £16,926.90 during 2024/25, compared with nothing in 2023/24 and £2,430 in 2025/26.

The figures cover the cost of removing or evicting travellers from land after unauthorised encampments across the borough.

Cllr David Wilkinson, of Westhoughton Town Council, said: “It has not been as bad round our way, we do not have as much land now to create this issue.

“There was some land earlier on the A6 used, which is now secure.”

Cllr Wilkinson said the reason his area hasn’t been as affected is due to the costs it’s taken them to secure land better.

The council’s spending peaked during 2024/25, accounting for a high fraction of the two-year total due to 2023/24 having £0 spent.

The latest figure for 2025/26 is significantly lower, at £2,430.

In 2024 Bolton Council applied to shut down the permanent Travellers Camp in 2024, after several high-profile incidents and concern from nearby residents.

The authority says that suspected cases involving drugs, serious violent crime and firearms meant the site was no longer safe either for tenants or those living nearby.

Town Hall chiefs said that in the six months leading up to legal action, there was an escalation in the level of violence and criminality, including a serious attack on a council liaison officer.

After a police investigation into the illegal abstraction of electricity at the site, thousands of pounds were spent on network repairs to make the area safe for residents.

The council says that vandalism, including to the site office, meant it was no longer possible for their staff to maintain a permanent presence in the area.

It added ongoing maintenance, repairs, and security at Crompton Lodge was costing the council more than £100,000 a year.

Encampment on Pavilion Square. (Image: NQ)

Cllr Wilkinson added: “In years gone by then we have had to spend significant sums. It does not surprise me it is a big issue, whether we like it or not Bolton ended up.

“Most of the costs will be related to courts afterwards because, depending where you are.”

The figures come months after five caravans set up on a private car park off Pavilion Square, near Cricketers Way, in Westhoughton, in March.

The site serves several businesses, with other vehicles continuing to use remaining parking spaces while the encampment was present.

There was also a Travellers Camp in Harwood and Breightmet in recent weeks.

Travellers were seen camping on Longsight Park, found in Harwood.

They stayed for a number of days before being legally required to move by Bolton Council. Failure to do so would have meant a notice for them to appear in court.

Since then, the councillors have spent money protecting the park from further occurrences; which doubles up as a way to protect the land from other wrong-doers.

Cllr Jackie Schofield, of Harwood and Bradshaw, said: “It’s just that when they came to Longsight Park, they dealt with it really quickly to be fair to council staff, and the police as well.

“So that it wasn’t a big issue, I think it’s the fact that what they leave behind is a problem, it’s often a bit of a mess.

“I do feel that the travelling community get a bit of a bad reputation, but they need somewhere to go and there’s a lot of like criminal activity associated with them, and I understand that.

“It has cost us some money because we’ve actually put a new gate on, so that’s from out of the ward budget. But that doesn’t just prevent the travellers, it actually helps the arboretum [park] as well.

“I’m happy to do that if it protects it, not just from travellers, but also from problems with off-road bikes in our ward.”

The site serves several businesses, with other vehicles continuing to use remaining parking spaces while the encampment was present.

Unauthorised encampments on private land are generally the responsibility of the landowner, who must take legal steps if they wish to seek possession of the land.

Gypsies and Travellers are protected from discrimination under equality legislation, while landowners also have legal rights when unauthorised encampments take place.