THE problem of illegal traveller encampments has been blamed on councils and the Government has called on them to find more space for authorised sites.

In a written statement to MPs, Housing Minister Yvette Cooper said local authorities had not done enough to identify locations where gypsies and travellers could legally park their caravans.

Swindon Council has had to take action against illegal camps in the town in the past.

Ms Cooper accepted that councils had not been given strong enough enforcement powers in the past but said new measures were likely to come into force from March.

But she rejected calls from MPs for a compulsory requirement on councils to provide and maintain traveller sites.

That was the recommendation from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Select Committee last year, which said councils should be forced to assess traveller needs and make provision for them drawing on a central pot of funding.

Ms Cooper said councils needed to identify more appropriate sites for travellers in their Local Plans to address traveller complaints that they have nowhere to go.

But she also admitted the Government had not given councils enough powers to deal effectively with any unauthorised encampments.

"There are two major problems in the planning system at the moment

concerning gypsy and traveller sites," she said. "Firstly, local authorities are not identifying enough appropriate locations, either for private or public sites. And, secondly, they do not have enough powers to deal swiftly with any development on inappropriate sites.

"The result is that there are too many developments on inappropriate sites, causing tensions and difficulties for both the neighbouring communities and the gypsies and travellers."

As well as a new obligation on councils to identify suitable sites, ministers are also looking at an extension of temporary stop notice powers which would allow councils to force illegally parked caravans to move.

Swindon Council has previously been forced to take action against illegal traveller sites which sprang up near Dorcan Way, in a lay-by near the entrance to the Honda plant on the old Highworth Road.

Travellers previously set up an illegal encampment in Dorcan Way despite the installation of 18-inch high anti-caravan wall around the site.

Councils are currently being invited to bid for a share of £8 million, which is being made available for 2005/06 to address the issue.