Today, I wrote to the Home Secretary to support a range of measures that the government has put forward to strengthen police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments.
Elmbridge has experienced significant problems with these encampments in the past, particularly during the summer of 2018. Encampments can be a blight on communities and damage residents’ quality of life.
Elmbridge Borough Council’s three-year injunction to forbid encampments – which expires on 9 November 2021 – was welcome, but it is not a permanent solution. It is important to take action to make sure that residents are not affected by this problem once the injunction expires.
I support all of the measures set out in the Home Office’s recent consultation. First, the proposal to criminalise the act of trespass (for unauthorised encampments). This would allow the police to arrest offenders and seize vehicles.
Next, the proposals to strengthen existing police powers. The law could be changed to stop trespassers returning to land that they have been directed to leave within 12 months, rather than within 3 months.
The law could also change to allow police to direct trespassers to leave land when there are two vehicles involved in an encampment, rather than six.
You can read my letter to the Home Secretary below.
