SURREY’s Police and Crime Commissioner has called for ways to find a better solution to unauthorised traveller encampments across the UK.

David Munro has written to all police and crime commissioners across the country to seek their views on such issues as the use of short-stay transit sites and a review of the legislation governing the balance between travellers’ rights and those of settled communities.

In Surrey, the PCC is meeting leaders from various borough councils in the next few weeks to discuss the picture locally, and has written to the chairman of the Surrey Leaders Group regarding transit sites.

He is also looking to liaise directly with the gypsy, Roma, travellers community and has asked Surrey Police to compile a report on the policing issues following recent unauthorised encampments in the county.

With tensions running high over some unauthorised encampments in the county and the knock-on strain on police resources Mr Munro said: “I believe the time has come to look at a more co-ordinated approach to seek a better solution for all communities.”

But he said: “I want to make it absolutely clear it remains completely unacceptable for any heightened tensions created by unauthorised encampments to be used as an excuse for intolerance, discrimination or hate crime towards this community.

“This can be a complex issue which often causes frustration for all concerned.

“I have heard from a number of people over the last few weeks about their recent experiences and I know unauthorised encampments can cause significant disruption to local residents and landowners.

“We must find a more productive path to lessen the impact on our local communities, while at the same time seeking to meet the needs of the travelling community. There is a delicate balance to strike, and I know we are not alone in Surrey in seeking a longer term solution.

“Policing alone cannot provide the complete answer and we must work more closely with local government and national bodies to come up with ways of meeting this challenge.

“I am particularly interested to hear about the use of transit sites that provide appropriate temporary stopping places for travellers with proper facilities which have worked well in some areas of the country.”