Councillors are calling an emergency meeting to deal with illegal traveller sites.

The Southend Conservatives are calling an emergency meeting of Southend Council so a discussion and decision can be made to stop illegal traveller sites in Southend.

Leader Tony Cox said it will be in the next few weeks.

The Southend Tories have called the meeting following a number of traveller incursions on the old gasworks car park, Gunners Park and St Mary's in Shoeburyness causing a number of issues.

The Southend Conservatives will be putting forward a motion to implement a borough-wide injunction in Southend that will allow the police to serve a notice to leave the Borough of Southend without delay.

As it stands Essex Police have the ability to move Travellers on using section 61 powers.

However, these can take time to gather the evidence required to serve and then give travellers three hours to be moved on.

The injunction would allow the police to move them on immediately.

Mr Cox said: "We must act now to tackle the issue of travellers illegally camping in Southend. This happens every year and every year we have a number of incursions across the entire borough.

"With the summer season fast approaching the council needs to act swiftly, we cannot wait until the next potential full council meeting before a decision can be made. Which based on the current activity in the Council could be as late as October. That is why we have decided to call an emergency meeting of the council.

"We all want to stop these incidents from happening, they have such a negative effect on the lives of residents, the livelihoods of businesses and the enjoyment of visitors. That is why we must act."

Daniel Nelson, councillor for community safety said: "We have had far too many incursions already this year and that has to stop. Currently it takes far too long to move travellers along when they illegal set up camp in the town. By putting in place this injunction we can empower the police to move them along almost instantaneously.

"We must end this endless cycle of park, move on, park move on...it is wasting taxpayers resources and money. Costing approximately £3,000 for each incident It is time to take a stand by putting forward this injunction, so we can protect the town from these incursions."