RENEWED calls for a permanent traveller site in Cumbria have been launched and an MP has asked why the police do not use the full extent of their powers.

In an open letter this week, MP for Workington Mark Jenkinson addressed a new illegal traveller site which has been set up near a play area at Ashfield.

He said: “They can usually move any site that has six vehicles. Three cars and three caravans, the of majority our sites have that or more.

“The police could move it immediately without intervention of the court and they choose not to for whatever reason.”

Cumbria police inspector Rachel Gale said: “Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act allows senior officers to direct those in an unauthorised encampment to leave land if their encampment consists of six or more vehicles.

“But there also has to be evidence of damage or use of threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. We have had no crimes and no incidents of disorder recorded.

“Every single unauthorised encampment identified is referred into Allerdale Local Focus Hub – a collection of public agencies working together.

Inspector Gale said: “We work on the issue jointly with Allerdale Council and any other landowner.

“We then seek to engage not only with the traveller community but also the settled community nearby.

“Working together, we issue an agreed Code of Conduct that explains how those in the encampment should behave while the landowner makes a decision of how to proceed.

“We regularly provide updates to Mr Jenkinson on this issue.”

Workington Town Council has taken action as the landowner, sending bailiffs to the illegal site.

They hope that travellers will be removed by the end of today.

Mr Jenkinson welcomed the move from the town council, but believes more could have been done higher up the local political chain before now to secure a permanent location and address the issue of illegal traveller sites.

He said: “This year’s budget is the first ever to incorporate budgeted lines for the clean-up and security of sites and a separate line for work on a permanent site.”

In the open letter, Mr Jenkinson said: “Not a single (Allerdale) Independent councillor voted for that budget.”

Allerdale Borough Councillor and member of Workington Town Council Paul Scott said: “Workington Town Council has taken swift action again with illegal encampments on their land and will continue to do so. There is ongoing work in progress to ensure the site is secure and free from and future visits.”

Councillor Scott is the leader of the Allerdale Independents party.
In response to criticism from MP Mark Jenkinson that the Independents have not supported funding for a permanent site, councillor Scott said: “We have our estate team at the ready to visit after they’ve vacated the site to ensure it is clean and tidy for our residents.

“Too much of tax payers money is spent on legal costs and welfare checks, etc, so let’s get the job done and then police the gypsy and traveller community as we do our own communities.

Councillor Scott said: “Political point scoring does not solve problems and we must work together to solve the problem for all our residents.”