SANDWELL Council has won praise from the Government for the way it has dealt with unauthorised encampments.

During a debate in the House of Commons on Monday evening, MPs discussed how councils were dealing with travelling groups around the country.

Conservative MP Andrew Selous told the house that current legislation was failing both the travelling and settled communities, and that he was encouraging his local council and police to follow Sandwell’s lead and create a temporary transit site for traveller groups.

He said: “I am strongly encouraging Central Bedfordshire Council to adopt the policy of Sandwell Council in having a temporary stopping site.

“The provision of that site has led to a significant decrease in unauthorised encampments and the associated clear-up costs and environmental degradation that sadly so often accompany them.”

Sandwell Council created its transit site in September last year, unlocking powers that allow police to direct traveller groups to the site where they must pay rent and a deposit, or leave the borough.

Councillor Paul Moore, cabinet member for regeneration and economy, said: “It’s good to hear Sandwell being mentioned positively and to have the efforts we’ve put into dealing with unauthorised encampments recognised by MPs.

“Since the transit site opened nearly a year ago, there has been 17 occasions when groups have attempted to set up unauthorised encampments in Sandwell. All of them have been ordered to move to the transit site or leave the borough within a matter of hours of their arrival.”

In 2016/17, travelling groups spent 577 days camped in Sandwell while the police and council used bailiffs and the court process to move them on, but in 2017/18, this was reduced to just 33 days.

While the cost of dealing with unauthorised encampments – particularly the fly-tipping and damage left in the aftermath – fell by 96 per cent from £252,000 to just £10,000.