THE cost to the taxpayer of council measures to evict travellers has nearly doubled in three years.

Council leader John Beesley told a meeting on Tuesday that the cost of taking legal, preventative and enforcement action had increased from £87,000 in 2012 to £158,000 in 2014, with a similar expenditure expected this year.

He said the cost was justified as the law presented the town with "no alternative".

However, Adnan Chaudry, chief officer of the Dorset Race Equality Council, has said the council could save money by taking a "tolerant approach" towards unauthorised encampments.

He said: "Looking at various good practice examples around the country i.e. South Somerset, Surrey, Leeds, it is obvious that the councils that are adopting a tolerant approach towards unauthorised encampments have saved a considerable amount of money.

"In a letter from Darren Johnson, chairman of the housing committee at the London Assembly to Boris Johnson, he mentioned that since introducing toleration sites, Leeds City Council has made a saving of up to £200,000 per year.

"Toleration agreements have been adhered to and engagement with the local community and businesses have been straightforward. Crime figures in the toleration area have also dropped reducing pressure on public services and offsetting the perception that a gypsy and traveller site will induce crime and anti-social behaviour. I would strongly recommend Bournemouth Borough Council to explore these options."

But Cllr Beesley told councillors the council was proud of its tough stance.

"Since 2012 Bournemouth council has adopted an increasingly intolerant approach in our response to unauthorised encampments," he said at the meeting.

"We have invested heavily in preventative measures and have adopted a much more proactive policy to the management of all unauthorised encampments."

He said the authority had been working on improvements to land "defences" including shielded locks, posts, gates and other barriers, and height barriers in car parks, while also posting security in King's Park throughout the summer season.

Also, he said, the council would escalate a court possession order to a high court writ to speed up eviction if required.

Cllr Beesley was responding to a query about the expenditure by new Ukip Cllr Laurence Fear, who also asked what steps the authority took to determine whether members of such encampments were "authentic Romany gypsies or Irish travellers" or not.

The leader said officers had to make several checks by law as soon as an encampment was identified, particularly with the purpose of safeguarding children.

He added: "The legislation doesn't help us, particularly the Human Rights Act, the sooner that is dealt with the better."

There are currently no proposals for a transit site for travellers in the Bournemouth area.

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