Politicians join campaign to change ‘failing’ measures for dealing with illegal traveller camps

Fifteen MPs have backed a joint letter by West Midlands PCC David Jamieson and Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden demanding urgent measures to help policing deal with problem travellers.

The group is requesting stronger police powers to direct unauthorised encampments to move on and for repeat trespass on private land to be made a criminal offence.

Its submission is the largest collective response to the Government’s ongoing consultation on how police and local authorities can best respond to illegal traveller activity.

Mr Jamieson said: “A majority of MPs in the region have come together with me to call on the Government to tighten up the law to give the police and councils the powers we need to tackle unauthorised encampments. This collective call is larger than anywhere else in the country.

“The current system is failing everyone, that is why Pat McFadden and I have brought together MPs from across the region to tackle the issue.

“We’ve been working closely with the Government who have welcomed our proposals so far. I am confident that by tightening up the law we can make a big difference.”

West Midlands Police has seen incoming 999 and 101 calls related to unauthorised traveller camps double over the last two years.

However, the number of illegal camps in the force’s Sandwell borough has declined following the introduction of a transit site.

Figures from the most recent Traveller Caravan Count survey found four in every 25 encampments are still unauthorised.

Signatories to the letter include Jack Dromey, former Shadow Policing Minister, and Valerie Vaz, sister of former Home Affairs Select Committee chair Keith Vaz.

Mr McFadden said: “We need urgent changes to prevent the pattern of repeated illegal traveller encampments that affects much of our region.

“These cause huge inconvenience and frustration to local people and significant cost to local taxpayers.

“It should be easier for the authorities to move camps on and those responsible for causing damage and engaging in fly tipping should pay the costs.”