RESIDENTS demand travellers pay council tax, rent and waste disposal fees if the council builds a transit caravan site.

Reading Borough Council is set to cast aside plans for a dedicated traveller site in favour of a new secondary school instead.

However, the authority launched a consultation to seek views from residents if it did decide to build 10-17 pitches at the junction of Cow Lane and Richfield Avenue.

The area has become a hotspot for illegal encampments in recent months and numerous respondents claimed there has been an increase in thefts of fuel and scrap metal.

Others stated the council should not pay for the site unless people using it paid their way.

A report reads: "Some individuals and nearby businesses blamed travellers for incidences of theft, including fuel, scrap metal and break-ins. These respondents fear that they will be unable to secure their properties if a site at Cow Lane is approved.

Bosses at Reading Festival also hit back at the plans, stating fears for festival goers' safety.

The report adds: "Respondents particularly Festival Republic Limited, expressed concern that the transit site would disrupt the safe and efficient operation of the Festival and cited Reading Festival’s major economic and cultural contributions to the town.

"Many respondents did not want Council monies spent on providing sites and services for the travelling community. "Many requested that travellers using the transit site be required to pay council tax, waste collection fees, water, sewerage, gas and rent."

RBC came up with the idea to reduce the number of illegal encampments and costly clean-up operations across the borough

The plans are likely to be thrown out next week as Reading Borough Council intends to use the site to build a new secondary school instead.