COUNCIL bosses have called on Essex Police to tackle illegal encampments, amid ongoing talks of a joint protocol.

Thurrock Council says councillors and officers have taken part in the discussions due to the large number of unauthorised encampments in the borough, ahead of a report to be published later this year.

Rob Gledhill, leader of the council, said: “We already have an internal process in place which worked well last year, with some encampments being moved off in hours not weeks.

“A standardised approach across the Essex Police area will help the local authorities in taking a more strategic approach to the issue, and reduce the varying levels of response to these unauthorised encampments.

“It is grossly unfair that taxpayers in Thurrock, and across the region, have to pay for the eviction and clean up after some of these encampments.

“We are working on a number of different ways to prevent them from happening in the first place, ranging from injunctions to reinforcing access prevention to some of the more regular sites targeted within the borough.”