Travellers dumping mounds of rubbish is a problem that needs to be “combatted” in Wycombe, a councillor has warned – after human excrement and piles of waste was left behind at the site of two different encampments.

Cllr Darren Hayday, who represents residents in Sands, has demanded to know what Bucks County Council and Wycombe District Council are doing to stop unauthorised encampments in Bucks – and particularly in High Wycombe.

It comes just days after travellers left mounds of waste at car parks at Homebase on London Road and the park and ride at Handy Cross Hub.

Travellers were pitched up at the Marlow Hill site for more than two weeks, before they were moved on by police last Friday, January 25.

Travellers then arrived at the old Homebase car park – but caused traffic chaos as they arrived as police tried to prevent them from pitching up.

Caravans and trailers spilled out onto the busy London Road as they battled to get inside. They stayed at the site for the weekend before they moved on again.

Human excrement, bags of rubbish and litter were left strewn at both car parks after they were emptied.

Cllr Hayday said travellers should not be “allowed to leave the mess they do” and asked what is being done to stop the illegal camps.

Buckinghamshire County Council cabinet member for planning and environment, Bill Chapple OBE, said that the county council had responded to the government’s recent consultation regarding powers to deal with unauthorised encampments

He said: “We believe that there should be stronger powers made available to local authorities to deal with unauthorised encampments and especially those anti-social groups that are associated with fly tipping, mass dumping and associated criminality.

“Often unauthorised encampments require a rapid and robust response which current powers do not always permit. We await the government’s response with interest.

“We continue to use the powers available to us under S77 and 78 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act we have an unauthorised encampment.

“This is the legislation that best covers our legal obligation to manage the health, housing and educational welfare of our travellers.”