CHESHIRE Police have called for land to be set aside for traveller groups to prevent the massive financial costs in cleaning up mess left behind on unauthorised campsites.

The move comes a week after the Guardian revealed that Cheshire County Council spent more than £10,000 clearing a field next to a Northwich school.

There exists no legislation that requires local authorities to provide suitable campsites at the moment.

Insp Mark Watson, from the police Partnership Development Unit, said: "The most important issue that needs addressing in respect of travellers is that of accommodation, as the biggest source of conflict between groups and settled communities is the setting up of unauthorised encampments.

"Without sites for them to go to the cycle of travellers being moved on by landowners, their agents and the police will continue, which is both extremely time-consuming and expensive."

PC Mike Senior, from Middlewich Community Action Team, said: "People become disgruntled when they feel that money they have worked hard to earn is then spent on a clean up operation when travellers are moved on.

"This is one thing which would be rectified by an increase in permanent usable land if monitored in the correct manner."

Cheshire Police appointed PC Pete Jones, who is based in Northwich, as the force's first gipsy traveller liaison officer in June last year to help deal with any problems that arise in Vale Royal when groups arrive.

He said: "Problems arise when people don't understand or accept each other's perspectives.

"Sadly, some perceptions of gipsy travellers are wholly inaccurate as people fear a rise in crime and often blame the group for anything and everything that happens in the area."

PC Jones also emphasised the importance of working closely with local authorities and the county council in tackling the issue.

Moves to establish a countywide policy to deal with illegal settlers are already under way.

A spokesman for Vale Royal Borough Council said: "A new joint protocol for the whole of Cheshire is currently being developed.

"The traveller issue is sensitive and we are still trying to resolve good practice within the massive culture conflict that exists."

A study entitled The Gipsy/Traveller Site Issue has been commissioned to look into whether local authorities are adequately addressing the needs of these groups and meeting their legislative duty.

Existing law, under the Housing Act 2004, requires councils to complete an analysis of local gipsy and traveller needs by 2007.