Category: Funding

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend signs Christmas cards designed by a young person in her office at Surrey Police HQ

Commissioner and deputy send out Christmas cards after girl, 10, wins competition

Posted on | by Alex Winter

Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner and her deputy have sent out their Christmas cards – after picking a design created by a 10-year-old girl fleeing domestic abuse.

Lisa Townsend and Ellie Vesey-Thompson invited children supported by services across the county to submit illustrations for their 2022 card.

The winning artwork was sent in by I Choose Freedom, which provides refuge to women and children escaping harm at three locations in Surrey.

The charity is just one of the organisations partially funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Victims Fund. One of the key aims of Lisa’s Police and Crime Plan is to prevent violence against women and girls.


Over the past 18 months, Lisa and Ellie have committed hundreds of thousands of pounds to causes supporting children and young people through the office’s funding streams.

Reflecting on the year, Lisa said: “This has been my first full year serving as a Police and Crime Commissioner, and it’s been a real privilege to serve everyone living in this wonderful county.

“I’m very proud of all the work that has been done so far, and I look forward to achieving more for residents in 2023.

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank those who work for Surrey Police for their efforts to keep all of us as safe as possible, and to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and new year.”

During the year, Lisa and Ellie ring-fenced £275,000 from the Community Safety Fund to protect children and young people from harm and allocated almost £4million of Home Office funding for projects and services which help survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

In the autumn, the Home Office awarded the office a second grant of just under £1million to provide a package of support for young people to help combat violence against women and girls in Surrey.

And in November, Ellie announced the launch of a brand new Surrey Youth Commission, which will allow children and young people to have their say on the issues affecting them.

Applications for the Commission are open until January 6. For more information, see our Youth Commission page.

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson awarding a young person with a certificate

Inspirational young people honoured by Deputy Commissioner at Surrey awards ceremony

Posted on | by James Smith

Surrey’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner has congratulated some of the county’s most inspirational young people following an awards ceremony last week.

Ellie Vesey-Thompson paid tribute to the winners of the Elmbridge Young Persons Awards after handing out certificates at the event on Friday night.

A total of 18 children and teens were celebrated at the popular show, which took place in person for the first time since the pandemic began. The awards were funded in part by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.

Young people were nominated across five categories: citizenship, personal adversity, young carers, role models and bravery.

Among the winners were Libby Jones, who suffers with severe epilepsy and almost lost her life to sepsis after a string of brain surgeries, and Daniel Ivanov, who organised a series of events to raise £20,000 for victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

One of the young winners, Teddy Read, sadly died with a pre-existing health condition in the days before the ceremony. He had been honoured by Claygate Youth and Community Hub for his “loyalty, honesty, integrity and humanity”.

Ellie, who is responsible for leading the Commissioner’s focus on the safety of children and young people in Surrey, said: “Everyone who was nominated for an award should be incredibly proud of themselves.

“I’d also like to congratulate the mums, dads, grandparents, carers, teachers and youth workers involved too.

“In my role as Deputy Commissioner, I spend a lot of my time with young people across Surrey. A lot of what we hear about young people is negative, but every day, I’m blown away by the selflessness, strength and achievements of the teenagers who live here.

“On Friday, I heard some truly moving stories from young people who have overcome extreme difficulties to succeed. They are an example to all of us.

“These awards celebrate hope in the face of adversity. It was my pleasure to be a part of the evening.”

PC Phil Jebb from the Elmbridge Borough Community Safety Team co-organised the awards.

He said: “These young people have demonstrated resilience and courage over the course of a very challenging two-and-a-half years.

“In the face of their own fears and hardships, they have reached out to comfort and support others, while setting a positive example and also being great role models. They and their families should be very proud of what they’ve achieved.

“It’s fantastic to be back and I’m thrilled for all the winners.”

Winners:

Miles Nicholson. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Meredith Kendall and Sue Dickenson, Grovelands School

Louis Patridge-Adair. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Sharon Morris-Motasher, Three Rivers Academy

Emilia Wall. Category: Citizenship. Nominated by Nick Elliott, North East Surrey Short Stay School

Teddy Read. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Katie Holmes, Claygate Hub

Joe Dickinson. Category: Role model. Nominated by PC Jebb, Surrey Police

Isabel Dolby. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Heidi Stone, Three Rivers Academy

Nicholas Granger. Category: Citizenship. Nominated by Nick Elliott, North East Surrey Short Stay School

Libby Jones. Category: Bravery. Nominated by Katie Holmes, Claygate Hub

Ewan Lascaris and Henry Hall. Category: Charity. Nominated by Kath Plummer, Esher High School

Daniel Ivanov. Category: Charity. Nomated by Mark Tachon, Heathside School

Scarlett Trigg. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Daphne Sohl, Grovelands School

George Farrell. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Jo Gale and Nikki Wheeler, Esher High School

Harry Spragg. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Heidi Stone, Three Rivers Academy

Luke Turner. Category: Role model. Nominated by PC Jebb, Surrey Police

George Dillon. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Jo Gale and Nikki Wheeler, Esher High School

Isabel Holloway. Category: Personal adversity. Nominated by Heidi Stone, Three Rivers Academy

Michael Graham. Category: Citizenship. Nominated by PC Jebb, Surrey Police

“Their voices must be heard” – Applications open for brand new Surrey Youth Commission

Posted on | by James Smith

Young people living in Surrey are invited to have their say on crime and policing as part of a new forum supported by the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey.

The Surrey Youth Commission, which will be overseen by Deputy Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson, calls on young people aged between 14 and 25 to shape the future of crime prevention in the county.

Applications are now being invited from those who would like to get involved with the challenging and rewarding scheme over the course of the next nine months.

Ellie said: “We’re so proud to launch this brilliant initiative, which is dedicated to helping young and underrepresented people get involved in the crucial issues that impact their lives.

“As Deputy Commissioner, I work with children and young people around Surrey, and I believe that their voices must be heard.

“This innovative project will allow more people to speak up on the biggest issues they face right now and directly inform future crime prevention in Surrey.”

Surrey Commissioner Lisa Townsend has awarded a grant to not-for-profit organisation Leaders Unlocked to deliver the initiative. Between 25 and 30 successful young applicants will be given practical skills training before holding forums on the issues they’d particularly like to address and then giving feedback to Ellie and her Office.

Teenagers sitting and standing in front of blue sky in selfie style photograph


During the next year, at least 1,000 young people from Surrey will be consulted about the Youth Commission’s key priorities. Members of the Commission will ultimately develop a series of recommendations for the force and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, which will be presented at a final conference.

Lisa said: “One of the top priorities in my current Police and Crime Plan is to strengthen the relationships between Surrey Police and our residents.

“This fantastic scheme will ensure we are hearing opinions from young people across a range of backgrounds, so we understand what they feel are the most important issues for the force to tackle.

“So far, 15 Police and Crime Commissioners have worked with Leaders Unlocked to develop Youth Commissions.

“These impressive groups have consulted with their peers on some truly weighty topics, from racism to drug abuse and rates of reoffending.

“I’m excited to see what Surrey’s young people have to say.”

See more information or apply on our Surrey Youth Commission page.

Applications must be submitted by December 16.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend with local police officer in Stanwell

Commissioner secures £700,000 in Safer Streets funding for projects to improve safety in three Surrey communities

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey Lisa Townsend has secured over £700,000 in government funding to help tackle anti-social behaviour and improve safety in three areas of the county.

The ‘Safer Streets’ funding will help projects in Epsom town centre, Sunbury Cross and the Surrey Towers housing development in Addlestone after it was announced today that all three bids submitted for the county earlier this year have been successful.

The Commissioner said it was brilliant news for residents in all three communities who will benefit from a number of planned measures designed to make the areas safer places to live.

It is part of the latest round of the Home Office’s Safer Streets funding which has so far seen £120m shared across England and Wales for projects to tackle crime and improve safety.

The Police and Crime Commissioners Office submitted three bids totalling £707,320 after working with Surrey Police and borough and district council partners to identify areas most in need of support.

Around £270,000 will go towards improving safety and combatting anti-social behaviour, town centre violence and criminal damage in Epsom.

The funding will go towards helping modernise CCTV use, deliver training packages for licenced premises and the provision of safe spaces by accredited businesses in the town.

It will also be used to promote the services of the Street Angels and Street Pastors and the availability of free spiking detection devices.

In Addlestone, over £195,000 will be spent to tackle issues such as drug use, noise nuisance, intimidating behaviour and criminal damage to communal areas at the Surrey Towers development.

It will fund improvements to the security of the estate including resident only access to stairwells, the purchase and installation of CCTV cameras and additional lighting.

Increased police patrols and presence are also part of the plans as well as a new youth café in Addlestone which will employ a full time youth worker and give young people a place to go.

The third successful bid was for around £237,000 which will help introduce a number of measures to tackle youth-related anti-social behaviour in the Sunbury Cross area.

This will include residents only access, improved CCTV provision in the location, including the subways, and opportunities for young people in the area.

Previously, Safer Streets funding has supported projects in Woking, Spelthorne and Tandridge where funding helped improve security for women and girls using the Basingstoke Canal, reduce anti-social behaviour in Stanwell and tackle burglary offences in Godstone and Bletchingley.

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Safer Streets bids for all three projects in Surrey were successful which is great news for those living and working in those areas.

“I have spoken to residents across the county and one of the key issues that is raised repeatedly with me is the impact of anti-social behaviour on our communities.

“This announcement comes off the back of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week where I pledged to continue working with our partners in the county to take positive steps to combat ASB.

“So I am really pleased to see that the funding we have been able to secure will help tackle those issues which have been causing concern for local people and make these three areas safer places for everyone to live in.

“The Safer Streets Fund is an excellent initiative by the Home Office which is continuing to make a real difference to our communities. I will ensure my office continues to work with Surrey Police and our partners to identify other areas that could benefit from this extra funding in the future.”

Ali Barlow, T/Assistant Chief Constable with responsibility for Local Policing said: “I’m delighted that Surrey has been successful in securing funding through the Home Office Safer Streets initiative which will see investment in key projects in Epsom, Sunbury and Addlestone.

“I know how much time and effort goes in to submitting applications for funding and we have seen, through previous successful bids, how this money can make a real difference to the lives of communities involved.

“This £700k investment will be used to improve the environment and tackle anti-social behaviour which continues to be a key priority for the Force working with our partners and with the continued support of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

“Surrey Police has made a commitment to the public that they will be kept safe and will feel safe living and working in the county and Safer Streets funding helps us to do just that.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend with members of Surrey Search and Rescue at night

Commissioner pays tribute to ‘fantastic’ Surrey Search and Rescue as they celebrate 1,000 call outs

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend has applauded the incredible contribution of the Surrey Search and Rescue team who have recently celebrated their 1,000th call out in the county.

Surrey SAR are made up entirely of volunteers who provide crucial help to the emergency services in finding missing people particularly vulnerable adults and children.

The Commissioner and her Deputy Ellie Vesey-Thompson saw the team in action when they joined a recent live training exercise which simulated a search for a missing person in woodland at Newlands Corner near Guildford.

They also went to meet the team and present awards for hours volunteered at an event in March.

Surrey SAR rely solely on donations to fund life-saving equipment and training for the team of over 70 members and trainees who are on-call 24 hours a day to respond across Surrey. The PCC’s office provide them with an annual sponsorship grant and have also helped fund one of the team’s control vehicles.

The team operate in farmland, urban areas and woodland and have specialist teams in water rescue, search dogs and an aerial capability using drones.

Since they were formed in 2010, the team recently surpassed the milestone of 1,000 call outs to incidents across the county. Last year alone volunteers gave up nearly 5,000 hours of their time making them one of the busiest Lowland Rescue teams in the UK.

PCC Lisa Townsend said: “Searching for missing people can often be a race against time which is why the role Surrey Search and Rescue play to support our emergency services across the county is so vital.

“They respond to incidents which really can be a life or death situation where someone could be at their most desperate. That is why they deserve the thanks of all of us for volunteering their time to carry out the amazing work they do.

“It was fascinating to see the team in action at the recent exercise and although it was only a brief glimpse of the challenges they face, I was really impressed with the professionalism and dedication they displayed.

“The team has recently celebrated its 1,000th call out which is an incredible achievement and highlights the invaluable contribution they make when someone goes missing in our county.

“My office is a big supporter of the team and I hope they continue to provide that crucial support to the emergency services in keeping people safe in Surrey.”

For more information on the work of Surrey Search and Rescue – visit their website here: Surrey Search & Rescue (Surrey SAR) (sursar.org.uk)

Teenager shoes

Police and Crime Commissioner teams up with Catch22 to prevent child exploitation in Surrey

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office for Surrey has awarded £100,000 to charity Catch22 to launch a new service for young people at risk of or affected by criminal exploitation in Surrey.

Examples of criminal exploitation include the use of children by ‘county lines’ networks, leading individuals into a cycle of offending that can include homelessness, substance misuse and ill mental health.

The Commissioner’s Community Safety Fund will enable the new development of Catch22’s successful ‘Music To My Ears’ service, using music, film and photography as a way to engage and work with individuals for their safer future.

The service has been commissioned by Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group since 2016 focusing on mental health and substance misuse. In this time, the service has supported more than 400 young people and children to improve their wellbeing and reduce their contact with the Criminal Justice System. Over 70% of young people engaged said it helped them to improve their mental health, build their self-esteem and look forward.

Launching in January, the new service will offer a combination of creative workshops and tailored one-to-one support from a named advisor to help individuals to address the root causes of their vulnerability. Focussing on early intervention that recognises the family, health and social factors that can lead to exploitation, the three-year project will increase the number of young people supported away from exploitation by 2025.

Working with the Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership that includes the PCC’s Office, aims of the service delivered by Catch22 include entry or re-entry into education or training, improved access to physical and mental health care and reduced contact with the police and other agencies.

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Ellie Vesey-Thompson, who is leading the Office’s focus on children and young people, said: “Myself and the team are thrilled to be working with Catch22 to further enhance the support we offer for young people in Surrey to feel safe, and to be safe.

“Both the Commissioner and I are passionate about ensuring our Plan for Surrey enables a focus on the safety of young people, including recognising the enormous impact that exploitation can have on an individual’s future.

“I am pleased that the new service will build on such extensive work by Catch22 over the last five years, opening up routes for more young people to avoid or leave a situation in which they are being exploited.”

Emma Norman, Assistant Director for Catch22 in the South said: “We’ve seen the success of Music to My Ears again and again and I’m thrilled that commissioner Lisa Townsend recognises the impact of the team’s work on local young people at particular risk of exploitation.

“The last two years have presented a more urgent need for practical, creative interventions for young people. Poor school attendance and online risks have further aggravated much of the risk factors we were seeing pre-pandemic.

“Projects like this enable us to re-engage young people – by boosting their self-esteem and their confidence, young people are encouraged to express themselves and their experiences, all while supported by professionals in a one-to-one setting.

“The Catch22 team address the risk factors – be it the young person’s home, social or health factors – while unlocking the impressive talent we know young people have.”

In the year to February 2021, Surrey Police and partners identified 206 young people at risk of exploitation, of which 14% were already being exploited. It’s important to note that the majority of young people will grow up happy and healthy with no need for intervention from services including Surrey Police.

Signs that a young person might be at risk of exploitation include absence from education, going missing from home, becoming withdrawn or uninterested in usual activities, or new relationships with ‘friends’ who are older.

Anyone who is concerned about a young person or child is encouraged to contact the Surrey Children’s Single Point of Access on 0300 470 9100 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday) or at cspa@surreycc.gov.uk. The service is available out of hours on 01483 517898.

You can contact Surrey Police using 101, Surrey Police social media pages or www.surrey.police.uk. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

PCC Lisa Townsend welcomes new Probation Service

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

Probation services delivered by private businesses across England and Wales have been merged with the National Probation Service this week to provide a new unified public Probation Service.

The Service will provide closer supervision of offenders and home visits to better protect children and partners, with Regional Directors responsible for making probation more effective and consistent across England and Wales.

Probation services manage individuals on a community order or licence following their release from prison, and provide unpaid work or behaviour change programmes that take place in the community.

The change forms part of the Government’s commitment to grow greater public confidence in the Criminal Justice System.

It comes after Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation concluded that the previous model of delivering Probation through a mix of public and private organisations was ‘fundamentally flawed’.

In Surrey, partnership between the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Community Rehabilitation Company has played a key role in reducing reoffending since 2016.

Craig Jones, OPCC Policy and Commissioning Lead for Criminal Justice said KSSCRC were “a true vision of what a Community Rehabilitative Company should be” but recognised that this was not the case for all services provided across the country.

PCC Lisa Townsend welcomed the change, that will support the existing work of the PCC’s Office and partners to continue to drive down reoffending in Surrey:

“These changes to the Probation Service will strengthen our partnership work to reduce reoffending, supporting real change by individuals who experience the Criminal Justice System in Surrey.

“It’s really important that this retains a focus on the value of community sentences that we’ve championed over the last five years, including our Checkpoint and Checkpoint Plus schemes that have a tangible impact on an individual’s likelihood of reoffending.

“I welcome new measures that will ensure that high risk offenders will be monitored more closely, as well as providing a greater control over the impact that probation has on the victims of crime.”

Surrey Police said it will continue to work closely with the Office of the PCC, the National Probation Service and the Surrey Probation Service to manage offenders released into the local community.

New Safer Streets funding set to boost crime prevention in Surrey

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

Over £300,000 in funding from the Home Office has been secured by Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend to help tackle burglary and neighbourhood crime in East Surrey.

The ‘Safer Streets’ funding will be awarded to Surrey Police and partners after a bid was submitted in March for the Godstone and Bletchingley areas of Tandridge to support a reduction in incidents of burglary, particularly from sheds and outhouses, where bikes and other equipment have been targeted.

Lisa Townsend has also today welcomed the announcement of a further round of funding that will focus on projects to make women and girls feel safer over the next year, a key priority for the new PCC.

Plans for the Tandridge project, starting in June, include the use of cameras to deter and catch thieves, and extra resources such as locks, secure cabling for bikes and shed alarms to help local people prevent the loss of their valuables.

The initiative will receive £310,227 in Safer Street funding which will be backed by a further £83,000 from the PCCs own budget and from Surrey Police.

It is part of the second round of the Home Office’s Safer Streets funding which has seen £18m shared across 40 areas of England and Wales for projects in local communities.

It follows the completion of an original Safer Streets project in Spelthorne, that provided over half a million pounds to improve security and reduce anti-social behaviour at properties in Stanwell during 2020 and early 2021.

The third round of the Safer Streets Fund, which opens today, provides another opportunity to bid from a fund of £25 million for the year‚ÄØ2021/22 for projects designed to improve the safety of women and girls.‚ÄØThe PCC’s office will be working with partners in the county to prepare its bid in the coming weeks.

Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: “Burglary and shed break-ins cause misery in our local communities so I am delighted that the proposed project in Tandridge has been awarded substantial funds to tackle this issue.

“This funding will not only improve the safety and security of residents living in that area but will also act as a real deterrent to criminals who have been targeting properties and boost the prevention work our police teams are already carrying out.

“The Safer Streets Fund is an excellent initiative by the Home Office and I was particularly pleased to see the third round of funding open today with a focus on enhancing the safety of women and girls in our neighbourhoods.

“This is a really important issue to me as your PCC and I look forward to working with Surrey Police and our partners to make sure we put forward a bid that can make a real difference to our communities in Surrey.”

Borough Commander for Tandridge Inspector Karen Hughes said: “I’m really excited to bring this project for Tandridge to life in partnership with our colleagues in Tandridge District Council and the Office of the PCC.

“We’re committed to a safer Tandridge for everyone and the Safer Streets funding will help Surrey Police to go even further in preventing burglaries and ensuring local people feel safe, as well as enabling local officers to spend more time listening and providing advice in our communities.”

More PCC funding to tackle burglaries and catalytic converter thefts in Surrey

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey David Munro has provided additional funding to help Surrey Police prevent burglaries and catalytic converter thefts.

£14,000 from the PCC’s Community Safety Fund has been provided to enable local Surrey Police teams to develop targeted operations with the new Surrey Police Prevention and Problem Solving Team across six boroughs.

An additional £13,000 has been allocated to the Serious and Organised Crime Unit to work with the team to tackle a steep rise in catalytic converter thefts from vehicles in the county.

The problem solving team was paid for by the PCC’s increase to the policing element of local council tax in 2019-2020, alongside more police officers and staff in Surrey’s communities.

The county saw the fourth largest increase in catalytic converter thefts in the country in 2020, rising to over 1,100 incidents since April. Surrey Police records an average of eight domestic burglaries a day.

Working closely with the Prevention and Problem Solving Team enables officers to identify new trends and inform a bespoke approach based on the analysis of multiple incidents.

This involves a new way of thinking about crime prevention that is data led, and leads to a longer term reduction in crime.

Embedding a problem solving approach in the planning of operations saves time and money later on; with fewer but more targeted actions.

Analysis for new operations to prevent burglaries included actions such as reviewing every single crime committed in a target area in winter 2019.

Responses informed by the team and funded by the PCC include increased patrols and deterrents in specific locations where it is believed they will have the most impact. The distribution of catalytic converter marking kits and greater awareness of this crime will be carried out by local police.

PCC David Munro said: “Burglary is a devastating crime that has a long lasting impact on individuals, and is one of the main concerns expressed by local residents. Catalytic converter thefts have also increased in recent months.

“I know from our recent community events that this is a key concern of residents.

“As the problem solving team heads into its second year, I’m continuing to increase the resources available to Surrey Police to build on the improvements being made. This includes more analysts and investigators to lead problem solving across the Force, and more police officers in local teams to drive crime down.”

Chief Inspector and Prevention and Problem Solving Lead Mark Offord said: “Surrey Police are fully committed to ensuring that our residents feel safe in their communities. We understand that the harm caused to victims of burglary goes far beyond the material loss of property, and can have far-reaching financial and emotional consequences.

“As well as proactively targeting the individuals committing these offences, our problem solving approach seeks to understand how and why crimes are committed, with the intention of employing crime prevention techniques that will make offending a riskier prospect for potential offenders.”

Individual operations funded by the PCC will form part of Force’s dedicated response to burglary county-wide.

“A step in the right direction for Surrey residents” – PCC’s verdict on potential location for the county’s first transit site

Posted on | by Surrey PCC

The Police and Crime Commissioner David Munro has said news that a potential transit site has been identified to direct travellers to in Surrey is a ‘step in the right direction’ for the county’s residents.

An area of Surrey County Council managed land in Tandridge has been earmarked as the first site in the county that could provide a temporary stopping place which could be used by the travelling community.

The PCC has long been pressing for such a site with proper facilities which have proved successful in other areas of the country. Following continued collaboration involving all borough and district councils and the county council, a location has now been identified although no planning application has been submitted. The PCC has committed £100,000 from his office to help set the transit site up.

The Commissioner said he is also eagerly awaiting the results of a government consultation after reports that the Home Office are planning to change the law to make setting up unauthorised encampments a criminal offence.

The PCC responded to the consultation last year saying he supported the criminalising the act of trespass in relation to encampments which would give police tougher and more effective powers to deal with them when they appear.

PCC David Munro said: “During my term of office I have long been saying that there is an urgent need for transit sites for travellers in Surrey so I am pleased there is hopefully some good news on the horizon with a potential location identified in the Tandridge area.

“A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes involving all local agencies to address the need for transit sites. There is obviously still a long way to go and any site will have to go through the relevant planning processes but it is a step in the right direction for Surrey residents.

“We are approaching the time of year when the county begins to see an increase in unauthorised encampments and we have already seen a few in Surrey over recent weeks.

“The majority of travellers are law-abiding but I’m afraid there are a minority that cause disruption and concern to local communities and increase the strain on police and local authority resources.

“I have visited a number of communities where unauthorised encampments have been set up over the last four years and I have great sympathy with the plight of the residents whom I’ve met whose lives have been adversely affected.”

The legislation around unauthorised encampments is complex and there are requirements that must be met in order for local authorities and police to take action to move them on.

The act of trespass in relation to encampments currently remains a civil matter. When an unauthorised encampment is set up in Surrey, the occupiers are often served with orders by the police or local authority and then move on to another location nearby where the process begins again.

The PCC added: “There have been reports that the government will be seeking a change in law to make trespass in relation to unauthorised encampments a criminal offence. I would fully support this and submitted in my response to the government consultation that the legislation should be as simple and comprehensive as possible.

“I believe this change in law, coupled with the introduction of transit sites, is urgently needed to break the cycle of repeated unauthorised traveller encampments that continue to affect our local communities.”