Authorities agree traveller plan

A new combined approach to dealing with travellers in Leicestershire and Rutland will be more efficient and effective, officials have said.

It is a joint initiative between Leicester City, Leicestershire County, Rutland County Council, Leicestershire police and their Primary Care Trusts.

The scheme is designed to offer more advice and support to travellers, as well as move on illegal camps.

The changes will be included in the current £250,000 traveller budget.

No alternatives

Officials said the authorities should be able to move illegal camps from public land far faster in future.

County councillor Nicholas Rushton said: "Where I come from in north-west Leicestershire we have more problems than perhaps in some other areas but this is a county-wide, city-wide and Rutland-wide scheme.

"What happens is when the travelling community knows we have this instant response, firm but fair approach, is they tend not to come, they will go to places that have not got this co-ordinated approach to the problem."

But some travellers have said that until they have practical sites to use, the problem will just be moved from place to place.