LAWYERS hired by travellers at Dale Farm say they will launch another legal challenge if the council votes to spend £8million evicting them.

Councillors vote on Monday whether or not to spend the money clearing the illegal camps at the Crays Hill site, but the lawyers will argue it is not an appropriate use of public money when no alternative sites have been found.

Keith Lomax, partner of Davies Gore Lomax, which represented the families through the last High Court battle over the eviction, said: “It is highly likely there will be a judicial review challenge. The disproportionate allocation of resources to eviction rather than a proportionate allocation of resources to providing lawful alternative accommodation will be considered.”

Last time there was a judicial review challenge to the release of £1.9million for the eviction in 2005, it led to a four-year court battle, which the council eventually won.

If the High Court feels there is a case to answer it could serve another injunction banning the eviction until the case is heard in several months.

Basildon Council leader Tony Ball said: “Any decision by the council can be subject to judicial review and we are mindful this could be the case after Monday’s meeting and the service of the 28-day eviction notices.”

Mr Lomax wrote to the council urging it continued negotiations with the families and other agencies about finding sites and suspends the eviction in the meantime.

Councillors will also be able to consider this at the meeting.

Mr Lomax pointed out in his letter the authority has a duty to achieve “best value” for taxpayers and spending millions on eviction when finding alternative sites was possible, would not achieve this.

Meanwhile a committee on the protection of national minorities from the Council of Europe is due to visit Dale Farm today. It is to prepare a report on its views of the situation due for publication in June, which may be too late if the eviction goes ahead in May.