This month many residents have contacted me regarding illegal traveller incursions across Elmbridge, in particular in Cobham, Claygate, Long Ditton, Esher and Walton-on-Thames. I share the acute frustration many residents feel at these illegal encampments, and I am taking action at every level to tackle the issue.
First, locally, I met with Elmbridge’s new Neighbourhood Police Inspector, Dallas McDermott, at the end of July to talk through police enforcement action in Elmbridge and to convey the concerns of local residents about illegal incursions. Inspector McDermott reassured me that Surrey Police understand the frustration of residents and have been taking a more pro-active approach against illegal encampments than they had in the past.
This has produced results. I am relieved that the encampments on the Recreation Ground in Long Ditton, Claygate Recreation Ground, Halfway Car Park in Walton, Cobham Recreation Ground and the Lower Green Recreation Ground in Esher have all been removed, with full clear-up operations underway at all the sites.
As well as this, the Conservative-run Elmbridge Borough Council has secured an injunction in the High-Court preventing people from entering or occupying the borough’s parks, open spaces and car parks for the purposes of living there (including caravans, mobile homes and vehicles). Anyone who breaches the injunction will be liable for sanctions including imprisonment, fines and seizure of assets. It will also make it easier for the Council to move illegal encampments on, as they will not need to go through the process of securing a Court Order for each individual site, saving time and money.
While local enforcement is important, we also need a change at the national level. In April of this year, as Housing and Planning Minister, I brought forward new proposals to strengthen enforcement powers, provide county-wide authorised sites and consider introducing a new offence of criminal trespass.
I moved from that role in July to become the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, but I have had regular discussions with my successor, Kit Malthouse, about the proposals. I raised the matter with him again recently, following the incursions in Elmbridge. He has reassured me that the government has finished consulting on the proposals, and will be setting out its plans shortly.
As someone who lives in the community, I totally appreciate the level of frustration with illegal encampments. More importantly, I will continue to work at a local and national level to prevent their recurrence and reinforce the powers available to deal with them.