Essex Police have been criticised for their handling of illegal traveller sites in Essex.

Yesterday, a parliamentary debate took place at the request of Harlow, Nazeing and Roydon MP Robert Halfon.

In Harlow and the borders of Epping Forest, there have been 81 encampments in the last year.

The MP accused the police of failing to intervene and use powers to move them on.

He said: “Although I respect the contributions of individual officers, residents of Harlow believe that the police are more concerned about the human rights of travellers than those of law-abiding residents, and that the police are hiding behind ACPO guidelines while trying to put all the burden on the local authorities and the courts.”

Earlier this month in a joint letter, Mr Halfon and Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price: “We believe there has been a failure of the Chief Constable of Essex Police to uphold the law and deal with this problem effectively.

“When the public who abide by the law see it being flagrantly breached, they lose faith in the police.”

Department for Communities and Local Government minister, Brandon Lewis, wrote in a letter to Mr Halfon: “This is a serious issue and I want to see local police and Crime Commissioner and councillors take it on and stop gold-plating the Human Rights Act.”