TWO unauthorised traveller encampments are set up in Colchester every month, according to the latest figures.

Travellers settled at 178 unauthorised encampments in Essex during the past eight months.

The figures were revealed in a report out this month from the Essex Countywide Traveller Unit.

Several encampments are by the same group, or groups, who stop at numerous sites on the same estates, with some travellers staying all year round and playing "cat and mouse" with councils.

The unit admits powers are limited - with repossession orders restricted to small geographic areas - and some travellers are "very aware of the limitations of the law" so once a group are removed from one site they simply move over to a neighbouring site, according to the report.

Between November 2015 and June 2015 the unit helped negotiate departures from land on 16 per cent of occasions.

Court enforcement was needed 68 per cent of the time costing councils an average of £4,000 per month.

Attempts are being made to keep travellers safe when they visit.

263 smoke alarms were issued and 213 fire safety visits were carried out along with some immunisation visits and attempts to increase the amount of schooling for children from travelling communities.

However there are fears the partnership between councils and agencies could break up and with it the ECTU.

A risk report suggested it is likely the ECTU could become "no longer viable" due to a lack of investment, concerns about its performance and negative opinions.

It is feared if this happens there will be more encampments and more problems.

The issues were discussed at a joint committee meeting to try and confirm the county's traveller plans up to 2019.

There are also attempts to get Braintree, Brentwood and Chelmsford to join the unit.

The ECTU currently costs about £284,000 per annum and is paid for by public grants totalling £264,000.