BASILDON Council may no longer use a firm of no-nonsense bailiffs to carry out future traveller evictions because of spiralling costs.

Yet council leader Malcolm Buckley insisted Constant & Co, the self-styled traveller eviction specialists, were still in the running for the large-scale evictions at the Dale Farm, Crays Hill, and Hovefields, Wickford, if they ever go ahead.

The firm was paid £20,000 by the council to draw up a blueprint for the clearances in 2005 and has been hired for three small-scale evictions.

The estimated cost of evicting both sites stands at nearly £3million, including the bill for police back up, which the council may be charged for.

Mr Buckley said: "Because this is above a certain threshold, we would have to go out to tender for a firm. As Constant & Co are one of the few prepared to take this line of work, they would be in the running."

He spoke out following a press release from Dale Farm campaigner Grattan Puxon, which claimed a victory, saying the council had dropped the "bully boy bailiffs".

The Echo revealed in February the travellers had produced a dossier of evidence detailing allegations of misconduct by Con-stant & Co, which are strongly denied by the firm.

After reading this, the council has confirmed any future evictions are likely to be filmed, as previous clearances at Hovefields were, to help contest any possible legal action by travellers.

Mr Puxon said: "Our report has gone to the Health and Safety Executive. We are preparing a formal complaint against Constant & Co in the hope its licence will be withdrawn. We see the council's statement as a backwards step. It even says it may hire an expert to advise on future operations."