Advice for Gypsies and Travellers

Information for Gypsies and Travellers in Denbighshire.

Encampments on council land

If you set up an encampment on Council land, a member of our staff will visit the site and talk to you. Together, we will fill-out a welfare form to find out if you have any health, wellbeing or education needs. Our staff are also here to help you to access any other support and services in Denbighshire.

After this visit, the Council will follow advice from the Welsh Government in choosing one of three next steps:

• we may offer you an alternative site for the encampment
• we may agree to allow the visit on the current site for a fixed period of time, so long as certain rules are followed (any such agreement between you and our team will be put into writing)
• we may take legal action to take back possession of the site

Encampments on private or third-party land

When any encampment is set up in Denbighshire, we always carry out a welfare visit (as we would if you were on land owned by the Council). If the encampment is on private or third-party land, then the landowner is responsible for taking any action. 

View our advice for landowners. 

Legal action against unauthorised encampments

Legal action will most likely result in a Civil Court Order for Possession, which will be posted at the site and enforcement will follow. If private landowners act under common law, eviction can be very swift and bailiffs can be present within hours.

While trespass is a civil offence, if the group's behaviour goes against the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, or if there is evidence of criminal activity, the Police can take action.

Housing

You can get information on housing in Denbighshire from our housing section.