Basildon MPs submit to unauthorised encampment consultation

Stephen Metcalfe MP, John Baron MP, and Rt Hon Mark Francois MP in Parliament’s Central Lobby

Following debates in the House of Commons and Westminster Hall last October, earlier this year the Government launched a public consultation into the effectiveness of powers to prevent unauthorised encampments and developments. The consultation considers Police and Council powers, court processes, Government guidance, the provision of legal traveller sites and their impact on settled communities.

Three MPs from the Basildon area – John Baron MP (Basildon and Billericay), Rt Hon Mark Francois MP (Rayleigh and Wickford), and Stephen Metcalfe MP (South Basildon and East Thurrock) – are putting in a joint submission detailing the unacceptable impact of the actions of some in the traveller community, highlighting deficiencies in the current powers at the authorities’ disposal to remedy these problems, and suggesting improvements.

The MPs recommend the Government seriously considers bringing in the so-called ‘Irish Option’ of making acts of deliberate trespass a criminal offence. This power, used with due discretion by the Police, would provide a timely method of dealing with unauthorised encampments. Currently, it can take several days before local authorities and the Police put an end to unauthorised encampments.

In a joint statement, John, Mark and Stephen said,

“The Government needs to better understand how our residents’ lives can be severely inconvenienced by those travellers who consider themselves above the law, and address the shortcomings in the current range of powers available to the Police and local authorities. We look forward to the Government’s response to the consultation, and will be taking our recommendations further.”

Notes to Editors:

• The deadline for consultation submissions is 23.45 today. Details are online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/powers-for-dealing-with-unauthorised-development-and-encampments.