LAWS to strengthen police powers against unauthorised traveller encampments are now being considered by the government following a petition by one of the area’s MPs.

North East Hampshire MP Ranil Jayawardena initially raised the issue of unauthorised encampments in June last year.

This followed on from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council gaining a High Court injunction granting authorities in the areas more powers to deal with unauthorised sites.

On Wednesday last week, the Home Office and the ministry for housing, communities and local government announced it would support changes to the law suggested by Mr Jayawardena which had the backing thousands of people via a petition.

Mr Jayawardena said: “This is excellent news for residents fed up of the nuisance of unauthorised encampments and the length of time it takes to move them.

“I’ve made it clear to ministers that the current law is simply inadequate, and they have proven that they are listening – they agree with us and they want to change the law.

“However, this is just the next step on our journey.”

The proposed legal changes would enable the police to direct trespassers to encampment sites in neighbouring local authority areas.

Currently, the police can only direct them within a local authority.

The High Court injunction won by the borough council covered Basingstoke town as well as areas of Bramley and Silchester.

The injunction granted the police and landowners the power to prevent the setting up of unauthorised sites and to remove individuals immediately.

Mr Jayawardena added: “We do have discrimination in this country, not against travellers and gypsies, but against the hard-working, honest residents of communities up and down the land, the silent majority.”