A spokesman from Rochford Council, said: Rochford Council can confirm that travellers who had taken up illegal encampment in Rayleigh Leisure Centre car park, have now vacated the site, following the service of a section 61 notice by the Police on Thursday 22 April 2021, instructing the group to leave the site by 10.00am today, Friday 23 April 2021. Whilst it is not clear where they have moved to, the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit have confirmed the group have left the Rochford district. Council officers will continue to monitor the situation. Working together with the Police and the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit we were able to move the travellers from the location in the shortest time allowed by legislation.
Council bosses say they will beef up security in areas which have been previously used by travellers. It comes as Essex Police ordered a group of travellers based at Rayleigh Leisure Centre to leave the area by 10am tomorrow morning (Friday, April 23). Around 30 caravans are understood to have pitched up outside the site in Priory Close - for the fifth time in the last year. Initially, half a dozen caravans arrived at the leisure centre on Friday evening before the number rapidly increased over the weekend. In an update this afternoon, Rochford Council said: Essex Police have confirmed a Section 61 notice has been served this morning on the Traveller group at Rayleigh Leisure Centre.