CALLS from Councillor Rob Gledhill led to unanimous backing for Thurrock Council to tackle the increasing number of unauthorised traveller encampments across the borough.

Speaking at a recent council meeting, Tory leader Mr Gledhill said it was not about “persecuting any particular group or the way they live their lives but about protecting our residents green spaces, protecting the public purse and filling the gaps left in the Criminal Justice and Public order Act 1994."

Mr Gledhill's motion came after Essex and Harlow Councils have been granted a temporary injunction to stop 35 named individuals and any unnamed individuals from settling on a number of parcels of Council and privately held land.

In the last 11 months Thurrock Council has had 57 recorded unauthorised encampments, with Mr Gledhill mentioning four others that were not recorded. Thurrock Council will now start to identify those parcels of land at risk and Mr Gledhill has asked officers whether private land owners can also be included in the application for injunction to help reduce the cost and increase the ares protected.

Mr Gledhill said: "This is the first step in a long process that could see an end to towns and villages across Thurrock waking up to find families of travellers camped on Council land, car parks or green spaces without permission.

“With more than one recorded unlawful encampment a week, every time a council car park is occupied its loses money, every time travellers move and leave rubbish the council tax payer picks up the bill. Due to loopholes in current laws, we see groups moving around from site to site and back again in the space of a few weeks which causes local residents to feel let down by the authorities.

“Whilst more might need to be done across Essex, with each and every council ensuring it supplies a fair share of authorised pitches for travellers as Thurrock does, residents and businesses need to know that Thurrock Council will do everything to stop unauthorised encampments and take measures to protect our open spaces."