In a question on notice at last Wednesday’s ordinary Ceduna council meeting, Cr Ian Bergmann asked if council administration staff had been putting enough pressure on government agencies to “solve the problem of itinerant residents” at the Eighteen Tank Road camp.

Cr Bergmann said he had received many complaints from farmers about the traffic hazard it caused and he believed it could also be a fire hazard.

Deputy chief executive Trevor Smart said more pressure was being applied since the death of a man there recently.

“We don’t support any permanent infrastructure there to make a perception that it’s a permanent ground,” Mr Smart said.

“…We’re enforcing our bylaws in our area which is causing a shift to some other areas.

“Generally there has been a move back to communities but also other areas. We can’t let people camp there.”

Cr Bergmann also asked what could be done about the derelict WCT and True Value Hardware buildings at the corner of O’Loughlin Terrace and McKenzie Street in Ceduna.

“We can’t get them to demolish it would have to be quite dilapidated to order them to demolish,” environmental manager Chris Holland responded.

Cr Ken Maynard asked if council had plans to close any or all laneways in Thevenard that he believes allow people to easily evade police or dog patrol officers.

General manager operations Grant Drummond told council some barriers had already been put in place halfway down lanes to prevent people using them as escape routes or hiding places, including one behind the Thevenard Hotel.

They will still be able to be used by residents to access back gates and driveways.

Also, a concrete fence on council land in Thevenard has been removed and will be replaced with an iron one that cannot be sat on.

Mr Drummond also told council that the owners of signs on the northern Eyre Highway entrance to Ceduna would be asked to replace or remove them, including one for a caravan park and another for the Ceduna Keys marina announcing it will be open in 2008.

Mayor Allan Suter told the meeting that proposed Commonwealth marine parks could affect the South Australian fishing industry because fishing boats often offload their stock from Commonwealth waters at Thevenard.

“Suffice to say we identified some areas that were going to cause some concern but there does seem to be some willingness from the Commonwealth to make adjustments,” Mr Suter said.