Groups of Travellers or Gypsies could be banned from the entire West Midlands if they take part in criminal behaviour or set up illegal encampments.

Government Ministers are to meet West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson to discuss the proposal.

Local councils already have the power to ban Travellers and Gypsies in some circumstances, but there is nothing to stop them moving to a neighbouring local authority.

However, Mr Jamieson is calling for the power to ban them from the entire area covered by the West Midlands Combined Authority, which was set up in 2016. This includes Birmingham, Solihull , Walsall , Sandwell , Dudley , Wolverhampton and Coventry.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Local Government Minister Alok Sharma said: “Of course I will ensure that I meet the police and crime commissioner, or that a Home Office Minister does so if that is more appropriate.”

He said he had seen Mr Jamieson’s proposals, adding: “I have seen the piece of work that was produced, and it is an incredibly useful document.”

The Police and Crime Commissioner said it should be possible to ban individuals for up to two years from the West Midlands if they set up an illegal encampment.

Travellers in Wood End Road

And he said banning groups who engage in criminal activity from the whole West Midlands area for three months at a time “would be a serious deterrent”.

Mr Jamieson also wants councils to be allowed to order Travellers or Gypsies to move to an authorised encampment in a neighbouring authority.

West Midlands MPs spoke in the House of Commons to raise concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour but stressed that only a minority of travellers or gypsies were responsible.

Birmingham MP Steve McCabe (Lab Selly Oak) said Birmingham City Council had spent £700,000 attempting to enforce the law and cleaning up sites in the past year, and there had been 395 unauthorised encampments across the seven West Midlands authorities.

Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes (Con) said there had been 54 unauthorised encampments in Walsall so far this year.

He said: “This summer has felt like a bizarre game of cat and mouse, as the council has chased pretty much the same group of Travellers all around the authority.”

Warley MP John Spellar (Lab) said: “The public view of the community will continue to be shaped by the appalling behaviour of the minority, who bring absolute chaos to their own communities, and by the perceived inability of the authorities to act.”

Eddie Hughes MP
Eddie Hughes MP

Dudley North MP Ian Austin (Lab) told MPs: “Parks and public open spaces have all been used for illegal encampments. Gates have been broken and bollards removed to access the sites.

“Residents and their kids have been unable to use community facilities and parks. Vehicles have been driven in a dangerous and antisocial way, destroying the environment and putting local people at risk, as well as the Travellers and their children.

“Some of the sites have been left with huge amounts of rubbish and waste, including in some cases, unbelievably, human waste in children’s play areas.”

Coventry North West MP Geoffrey Robinson told MPs: “The problem is increasing across the country, particularly in the West Midlands and certainly in Coventry, which I have represented for a few years now. Over the past five years, the number of illegal encampments - I stress that I am talking only about the illegal encampments - has doubled.”