The Mayor of Medway is pressing for further action to move travellers from unauthorised sites.

Cllr Stuart Tranter says current laws are not sufficient to prevent illegal encampments and called on police to use further powers following evidence of what he described as “criminal activity” at Gas House Road in Rochester last week.

“The current laws are inadequate in my opinion and conviction is rare,” he said.

“I have requested that police consider using their additional powers, since there is, in my opinion, evidence of criminal behaviour – excessive graffiti, damage to fences, and children jumping on cars.”

Travellers left the Gas House Road site on Sunday, just before an eviction notice was due to be enforced, but new camps have been set up at Cookham Wood Young Offenders’ Institution in Borstal and the Civic Centre in Strood.

Barriers at Cookham Wood have stopped travellers from moving on to some locations, while more are due to be put up at other sites.

Council officers have served travellers at the Civic Centre with a notice to move, and will seek an court order if they remain.

Commenting on Facebook, residents said they had encountered out of control dogs, litter and excrement, while one said they had been threatened by a child wielding a clawhammer at Gas House Road.

Cllr Tranter said council officers were doing as much as they could within the law. Officers were in the process of cleaning the Gas House Road area on Tuesday this week, and measures to prevent further incursions around the Towns were being discussed.

Speaking on Tuesday, he said: “The law does not allow us to move quickly and it’s a problem.

“I spoke to the police crime commissioner this morning. He said the problem when it comes to criminal behaviour is identifying the individual concerned, and sometimes the individual is below the age of criminal responsibility.”

He said he did not know the reason for recent camps, adding: “I don’t know what their situation is. All I know is a group of people are illegally occupying land. It doesn’t matter who occupies the land, it doesn’t make it OK.

“When they are there, their behaviour is unacceptable; the damage is unacceptable and the intimidation is unacceptable.

“I’ve got no doubt there are lovely travellers around, but they don’t seem to choose to come here.

“I’m proud of the fact that there are many other sensitive sites we have protected, such as The Vines.

“We have improved security at other green spaces so that is a step forward. Piece by piece we will close down as many options as we can to make it as difficult as possible for illegal encampments.”