COUNCIL chiefs want utility companies banned from supplying services to travellers and gypsies who set up unauthorised developments across the county.

Kent County Council says friction between local residents and travellers could be eased if it was illegal to connect services such as water and electricty to unauthorised sites that did not have planning permission.

County councillors say legislation should be passed that prohibits service companies from crossing highway verges if the site they intended to supply lacked planning consent.

The county has dealt with an increasing number of travellers’ sites in the last year and a recent report suggested the costs of dealing with the problem could be in the region of £500,000.

Kent County Council Leader, Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, said: “We are opposed to unauthorised development that is a blatant cocking the snook at the law. It cannot be right that people should be allowed to start development without planning permission on sites in the open countryside where no other resident would stand a chance of gaining permission.

"This is contrary to planning guidance which states everyone is equal under planning law and no group or minority has special rights.”

At a meeting of KCC’s cabinet Cllr Keith Ferrin, said: “The idea that gypsies human rights are being restricted [by lack of sites] is complete hogwash. Why is it that one community has rights that another group does not? The only way this is going to be stopped is if it becomes a criminal offence.”