THE location of Warrington’s future transit site for travellers will not be confirmed before the all-out elections in May, the council leader has confirmed.

Hundreds of pieces of land have been assessed but, so far, none have been deemed to be deliverable by councillors.

Around £2 million has been set aside in the Labour-run council’s capital budget for the facility, which Town Hall bosses believe will reduce the number of costly unlawful encampments.

It would allow officers to direct groups to the land.

A task group was set up to identify and recommend a site to the cabinet but this is yet to happen.

And council leader Cllr Russ Bowden says there is ‘no chance’ a proposal could come before the cabinet ahead of the elections in less than three months.

But he said officers are working ‘very hard’ on options and that he believes a transit site is ‘absolutely’ the right answer to provide a solution to officers ‘chasing people around as we are doing’.

Cllr Bowden added: “There is no doubt it is the right thing, unless the Government is prepared to change the law.

“While things are as they are then I am absolutely committed to a transit site.

“There is still that thing about respect for me, gypsies and travellers are a community, they are recognised and protected as such under the law.

“There is nothing wrong with making suitable provision for them.”