THREE “cat and mouse” dispersal orders to stop an illegal car meet from causing traffic mayhem in Essex was a “massive waste of police resources”, council bosses say.

Essex Police declared emergency powers in Basildon, Canvey and Chelmsford, to stop hundreds of cars travelling to key hotspots for a meet-up.

The car meet, organised by SouthendModz, was first planned for Southend, before being moved to Chelmsford.

However, following a dispersal order which covered most of the town, the car meet is understood to have changed direction to Canvey, where they were met with a second dispersal order.

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Just hours later, another dispersal order was introduced in Basildon, which covered the popular Festival Leisure Park.

The situation has baffled council chiefs, with officers introducing “last-minute tactics” three times in one weekend.

Andrew Baggott, Tory leader of Basildon Council, said: “It’s a waste of police time and money.

“It’s disgraceful that they travel that they travel at high speeds down roads and rev their engines really loudly.

“But is there not a case for allowing it to happen in a controlled way, the police show up fine and pick up any uninsured or illegal cars, and fine the organisers there and then? That would be my preferred way forward.

“Hopefully a compromise can be made between the organisers and police next time.”

Mick Thwaites, former police chief in Southend, called for more collective responsibility to deal with the illegal car meets.

He said: “Dispersal orders are a last-minute, emergency tactic. Police need to be on the front foot, at the moment they’re on the back foot. Police aren’t going to as many crimes as they used to, it’s a resources issue.

“There were other ways to tackle this, there’s ANPR cameras which can be used too “It’s fine margins and a really tricky balance. If someone is injured or loses their life because of these drivers, then the police will also be blamed too. It’s everyone’s responsibility, the police needs to sit down with councils and consider PSPOs or injunctions.”

The dispersal order in Basildon included Festival Leisure Park, Pipps Hill and Mayflower Retail Park, while in Canvey, it covered roads and areas inside Roscommon Way and the A130.

Martin Terry, councillor in charge of community safety, supported the police’s decision, adding: “Their job is to protect the public, and if this is the way they feel is best, we have to support that. What we saw in Southend was hell on earth, and I wouldn’t want that to happen anywhere else.”

This comes just weeks after officers were injured during an illegal car meet on Southend seafront.

Inspector Steve Parry, from the Basildon Community Policing Team, said: "The safety and wellbeing of our communities is our absolute priority and we know that car cruising events can pose a risk to members of the public and those who attend them.

"We have no issues with true car enthusiasts who meet in sensible locations with the landowner’s consent with roadworthy cars and who are respectful to the local community.

"We’ve seen that often these events involve vehicles racing or driving dangerously or anti-socially. Often there are few, if any, safety measures in place.

"In recent years we’ve see the very real impact an illegal meet can have. In 2017, a woman had to have part of her leg amputated after she was struck by a motorbike on the Manor Way in Corringham.

"In Stevenage in 2019, a number of people were injured after two cars collided at speed.

"We will always look to use the powers available to us to protect our communities, and this includes dispersal orders."