COUNCILLORS discussed how they will deal with travellers illegally pitching up on Canvey.

Castle Point Council’s cabinet meeting spoke of working with the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit, which it has declined to join in the past.

The unit, set up in November 2012 by Essex County Council, is an arrangement between local authorities, Essex Police, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and local health organisations.

The move follows 13 caravans stopping on the council-owned Labworth car park on August 28, causing havoc across Canvey.

Traders were forced to close, missing the last days of the summer season, and at one point armed police were called after reports a man had been seen with a gun.

Cabinet member councillor Ray Howard presented a report to the meeting. He said: “They entered our land and caused chaos across the island. We shouldn’t have to have a situation where these travellers cause considerable hardship, make businesses close and make people frightened to go out.

“In all my life, yes we have seen them come to Canvey, but my God every shop they went in to, every business, they just caused devastation.”

The report said court proceedings to move the travellers on were started the day after they arrived, on the Friday, and eventually on Sunday they were escorted out of the borough by the police.

The council had locked up the barriers at the car park and cleaned the area, at a cost of £770, by 10am Monday. Court fees were £280.

Councillor Dave Blackwell said: “I think we should contact the police, they should liaise with this council. I don’t believe when travellers move from one area, no one can say they may be coming our way, so we can have a complete shutdown of local spaces.”

Councillor Simon Hart added: “We need to make sure if this happens again we are not caught out.

“We can’t stop them coming into the borough and that is the problem.”

The cabinet was told an officer from the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit had helped in the last incident.