- Government announces plans to tackle illegal traveller sites
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Posted 07.02.19
GOV.UK: Article link
The Home Secretary has announced plans to give police tough new powers to crackdown on illegal traveller sites.
Sajid Javid set out draft measures aimed at making it easier for officers to intervene and remove travellers from land they should not be on.
The Home Secretary will also consider making it a criminal offence to set up such camps. It is currently defined in law as trespassing, a civil matter.
In addition, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced it will provide local authorities with practical and financial support to handle unauthorised encampments.
MHCLG has committed to give councils up to £1.5 million of extra funding to help them enforce planning rules and tackle unauthorised sites, with funding also available under the £9 billion Affordable Homes Programme to help pay for legal pitches.
