MORE than £145,000 was spent dealing with rogue Travellers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire over the last three years, the Evening Express can reveal today.

The bulk of cash went on clearing up unofficial sites in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire littered with rubbish.

But Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council bosses have managed to recover just £90 from Travellers towards clean-up costs.

Aberdeen City Council spent £70,086 in 2006/7 and £19,103 in 2007/8 picking up after Travellers.

The council shelled out £27,800 clearing up Calder Park near Wellington Road, £15,328 for the Bay of Nigg Old Granite Store and £21,614 for sites at Kingswells, Dyce and Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

The 2008/9 bill has not been finalised.

Aberdeenshire Council has spent £5,728 on clean-ups since 2006, but the figure does not include staff time.

Environmental health officer David Cooper said: “The clean-up costs include only those sites where the waste management service have charged the environmental health service.

“The costs do not include staff time spent visiting encampments.”

Aberdeenshire Council was landed with a £2,500 bill to repair fencing at Catterline, south of Stonehaven.

Another £1,957 went on a clean-up at Garlogie after a group of Travellers stayed

for 106 days and left gas cylinders, bags of rubbish and human waste behind.

Since 2006, Aberdeenshire has spent £3,095 providing toilets while the city spent £19,204 in 2006/7 and 2007/8 and another £6,243 providing wheelie-bins.

Mr Cooper, who specialises in housing and pollution for Aberdeenshire, said: “Travellers are asked to make a contribution towards the cost of providing portable loos and refuse facilities.

“Other than £90 that was received from Travellers who occupied the Ellon park and ride in early 2008, no other contributions have been made.”

By David Ewen and Kevin Duguid

Published: 27/04/2009

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