Travellers should be forced to pay for illegal camps clean up, MPs say
Travellers who set up illegal camps should be forced to pay for the cost of cleaning up any mess they leave behind, according to a cross-party group of MPs.
Politicians from the West Midlands are calling for tougher laws to stop the scourge of unauthorised encampments, which have blighted the region in recent years.
The delegation met with Local Government Minister Alok Sharma in Parliament this week to discuss the issue.
Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden wants to see greater powers for authorities to disrupt illegal camps, and to charge traveller groups for the cost of any clean-up operations.
He said: “The current law on dealing with illegal traveller encampments is not fit for purpose.
"It takes too long to get these encampments moved and it costs far too much in terms of legal fees and clean-up costs.
"It is hugely frustrating that law abiding citizens area bearing the costs of these clean-up operations when those responsible for leaving the rubbish get away without paying anything.
"I believe the law has to be changed to make it faster and easier to deal with these illegal encampments and that those who create the clean-up problem should be liable for paying for it.”
The group also included Conservatives Mike Wood, who represents Dudley South, Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes and Aldridge-Brownhills MP Wendy Morton.
Another attendee, Labour's West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson, has called for police to be given the power to ban anti-social traveller groups from the region.
Following the meeting, he said: "As a result of this meeting the ministers officials will now be working closely with my office to tighten up the law to give the police and councils the powers we need to tackle unauthorised encampments.
"Unauthorised encampments cause misery across the region.
"I am confident that by tightening up the law we can make a big difference."
The number of illegal camps across the region has more than doubled in the last five years. According to official figures in 2016 there were 395 unauthorised camps, up from 189 the previous year.
This year the figure is expected to rise again, with Walsall being hit particularly badly.
Last month 11 hotspots in the borough were slapped with injunctions allowing the authorities the power to remove illegal camps within 24 hours.
A total of 24 sites across Walsall are now no-go areas for travellers.
Mr Hughes said he wanted to see 'more punitive action' taken against travellers who dump rubbish on sites.
He added: "I will also be lobbying the Mayor to look at bringing in injunctions that take into account the whole region, so that travellers can't simply move from one site to another nearby."
Meanwhile, Dudley Council has identified 10 potential sites for a new temporary travellers site that they hope will combat illegal camps.
Clean-up and eviction costs on illegal traveller camps have cost taxpayers in the borough £150,000 a year since 2015. The scheme will cost £280,000.
The Government is due to start a national consultation on the issue of illegal camps in the new year.
