PRIVATE security guards have been patrolling two green spaces this Bank Holiday weekend to try and prevent further unauthorised encampments by travellers.

Brighton and Hove City Council has paid for security guards to monitor Patcham Place and Carden Park over the weekend to ensure they remain open and accessible to the public.

The intervention is costing taxpayers £450.

The move comes as resident groups raise concerns that the annual traveller merry-go-round in the city is resuming in earnest despite new powers designed to stop encampments from preventing the wider public from enjoying city parks and open spaces.

Twelve sites in the city have been designated areas where new public space protection orders can be issued to prevent anti-social behaviour which has been defined by the council to include occupying vehicles, caravans or tents and driving vehicles on grass.

In the first month of the new powers, which can see those breaching the rules removed from the site within 12 hours, issued with on-the-spot fines taken to court, none were issued despite at least four encampments on PSPO sites.

Two warnings were issued by council staff which resulted in offenders moving on.

Since the first month, there have been significant encampments in both Stanmer Park and Waterhall, both designated PSPO sites.

Ward councillor Lee Wares is now pushing for Patcham Place to be included within PSPO powers after at least three incursions on the land since April.

The city council said the PSPO scheme will be evaluated after six months and officers will look at which non PSPO sites may have been affected by displacement of travellers from traditional sites now included in the new orders.

Cllr Wares said ahead of the weekend: “After some fairly robust exchanges between us and the council and police, all the travelling families have now vacated Patcham Place.

“In addition, due to concerns that this is a Bank Holiday weekend, the council have arranged for security contractors to monitor Patcham Place, Carden Park and other places in Patcham and Hollingbury.

“They can therefore act on behalf of the council as their agents immediately with the police. “Further, we are pushing, and have some indicative agreement, for Patcham Place to be subject to a PSPO.

“It’s nice to see people again using the park for the purpose it was intended.

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: “The traveller encampment was there for less than two days.

“The first group arrived on Tuesday evening, and the S62a was enforced by the police on Thursday.

“During the same period the police and the travellers team were dealing with a S61 at Waterhall, which was a priority due to a planned event scheduled for this weekend.

“The senior police officers who make decisions on the S62 for Patcham were also dealing with the increased security alert following the Manchester attack.”