Call for action on illegal camps

Existing laws should be used more effectively, officials said

A call has been made to set up a single countywide unit for dealing with illegal travellers in Leicestershire.

County council leader, David Parsons, said if councils, police and other services worked together, illegal camps could be moved within 24 hours.

He said law-abiding residents should not have to wait weeks for such problems to be moved on.

But travellers said the issue would be more effectively dealt with if more legal sites were provided.

The plan follows problems on Leicester's Western Park where an illegal camp disrupted other park users and nearby residents.

Budget costs

It took the city council several weeks to move the travellers on and the mess left behind had to be cleared up at the council's expense.

Mr Parsons said a study of the problem had shown that the authorities in Northamptonshire had achieved successes by improving liaison between the police, councils and health trusts.

He said: "We have done a lot of searching around the country to see if we can use the existing law to get rid of illegal encampments quickly. This is one solution and I am determined to try it in Leicestershire.

"We can do it in existing budgets, we have a budget of about £200,000 a year which we statutorily have to have in Leicestershire and we can cover it from that."

Travellers' rights

The body would also create a single point for travellers to access services and advice, he said.

But Claris Evon, a member of the Gypsy Romany community, said Mr Parsons was approaching it from the wrong angle.

"Instead of treating those camping by the roadside so harshly I think they should be given somewhere else to go so they don't need to be on the road.

"And if they buy a piece of land to stay on, as some have, the authorities should help them, not turn them off to be stuck by the roadside."

The proposal will be discussed by the county council's cabinet on 14 November.