More than £127,000 has been spent by Sutton Council on tackling unlawful encampments across the borough this year, it has been revealed.

Councillor Manuel Abellan, the council’s environment and neighbourhood committee chair, disclosed the figure at full council on Monday (November 12).

This also includes the £90,000 forked out on obtaining a three-year injunction from the High Court following the expiration of the previous three-month ban earlier this month.

It comes as several parks and open spaces – not just in Sutton but in several other south London boroughs – were blighted with illegal encampments earlier this year.

Beddington, Cheam, Fairlands, Poulter and Rosehill parks were all hit during the month of July in a series of incidents during the summer.

Cllr Abellan told members of the meeting after the question was put to him by Worcester Park councillor Tom Drummond.

He said: “The total cost related to all the unlawful encampments, including the cost of the injunction, is £127,000.

“I think it's important to remind members that we have 400 hectares [of land], and a massive amount of green space, and hundreds of entry points.

“Making sure that all of our parks are entirely immune and secure from [illegal] encampments is very, very difficult.

“We have spent £175,000 since 2011 in strengthening our parks' defences and we're looking to see what else we can do in the next year or so.”

Cheam Park

At the previous full council in September the figures were reported to be around £14,000, while a council report said it was £52,000.

Mr Drummond sought clarification in a follow-up question before Mr Abellan insisted the previous figures were estimates as they didn’t have the “full picture” at the time.

He added: “The estimated costs to deal with the encampments this year would've been given from officers as £37,000.

“This includes legal fees, officers' time, clean-ups, repairs, additional security, measures and replacement locks. The estimated cost for gaining the injunction, at this moment, is £90,000.

“This includes solicitors, legal fees, court costs, and fees for the injunction documents to be produced and served on each site with evidence to support this for the court.”

The new three-year injunction bans anyone from setting up an encampment unlawfully on any 500 identified sites across the borough, as well as dumping their waste or fly-tipping.

Carrying a power of arrest if breached, those who violate it may be held in contempt of court – meaning they could be jailed, fined or have their assets seized.

Several boroughs in London and north Surrey have taken up pursuing injunctions after having suffered their own problems, notably Croydon and Elmbridge councils.