As council staff met last night to discuss the extent of the damage caused by the rave, police denied allegations that they failed to disperse the party-goers because of a lack of resources.
Angry residents and councillors in Tolworth, south-west London, accused officers of keeping a low profile when the travellers flocked to Tolworth Court Farm on Friday evening. By Saturday night seven stages were blaring out music on the site, owned by Kingston-upon-Thames council.
Dave Rogers, vice chairman of the Police Federation, said: "Officers felt they were undermanned. Only 15 officers were on duty. Whether there should have been more numbers is up for debate."
A Scotland Yard spokesman denied a lack of resources had caused officers to maintain a low profile.
"We do have powers to go in and disperse people, but it was decided that it might have caused more public order problems," he said.
"If a decision had been made to remove people, appropriate resources would have been made available. The decision was not resource based."
However, Keith Witham, a Conservative councillor, said the police response had been inadequate and had failed residents, some of whom had booked into hotels to escape the noise.
"The noise carried for miles and residents have had to put up with hell all weekend. I'm absolutely seething the police were not able or willing to use their powers to protect residents," he said.
Police made three arrests over the weekend, two for drug-related offences.
Bob Smart, chief environmental officer for the council, said the main powers for seizing equipment and dealing with illegal raves rested with police and not local authorities.
He said: "When the numbers became more manageable on Sunday we went in with police and spoke to the travellers who said they would turn the music off by 8pm." Press Association
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