UPDATE - Monday, 8 June: Thurrock Council has now repaired the broken link so encampments can now be reported online via its website. However, despite this site being reported directly to the Essex Traveller Unit over the weekend, the website still says there is no unauthorised encampment in the borough.

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RESIDENTS and users of a Thurrock country park have spoken of their disappointment that a second unauthorised Traveller encampment in Thurrock is not being addressed by Thurrock Council - and that the online reporting system on its website does not work.

In fact, the website states that there are no unauthorised encampments in the borough at the moment – even though some of the Travellers currently at Westley Heights, which is part of Langdon Hills Country Park have been there for three days.

And a number of new arrivals today (Saturday, 6 June) – possibly from the other long-running illegal encampment at Belhus – has increased local concern.

Residents should be able to report unauthorised encampments the council's website on here, but the link currently does not work. However, Thurrock Nub News has been told the council has been contacted verbally.

The park is also managed by Thurrock Council which has a team of officers and rangers to administer it.

Concern arose in the west of the borough through the past week as the council failed to take any action on the unauthorised encampment on the Aveley by-pass – despite the council supposedly having a no tolerance policy, backed up by a borough-wide injunction that gives it the power to move Travellers on immediately.

Thurrock Nub News and Belhus councillor Chris Baker has so far been blanked by the council when asking why the encampment in Belhus had not been moved on. We have now asked a similar question about the Westley Heights camp.