14 SITE MANAGEMENT
177. Site managers (called wardens on some sites)
usually have day-to-day responsibility for managing a site, contact
with site residents, allocating pitches and authorising repairs.
They are not caretakers, nor are they responsible for cleaning
or minor repairs. Some local authorities also employ senior site
managers or Gypsy and Traveller liaison officers who have other
responsibilities relating to Gypsies and Travellers including
unauthorised camping. These officers are often involved with the
financial aspects of site management and they manage the 'frontline'
site managers within an authority. Many witnesses emphasised the
vital contribution that site managers make to the success of a
site:
"[…] the best policy which can be operated
in respect of Gypsy site management is one of firmness but fairness
- there has to be a certain degree of 'give and take' on all sides,
but where individuals are showing flagrant disregard for or are
in continual breach of site rules and conditions of occupancy
action has to be taken against them. […]. In order for sites
to be successful, good management is essential. However in order
to achieve good management, local authorities must show an interest
in their sites and must also be prepared to back-up their site
wardens and/or managing officers."[244]
"Attention is needed to ensure practical
and fair site management structures for permanent and transit
sites. This makes a real difference to the success of sites."[245]
178. Some Gypsies and Travellers are critical of
local authority site management. The Traveller Reform Coalition
comments:
"We would like to see a recognition of the
history of neglect and poor management of many local authority
sites. Existing models of good practise in this area are vital
in assessing the changes needed. We believe that a community development
approach to site management is effective. This approach supports
a process by which residents can genuinely represent themselves,
and whereby the management can work in partnership with the residents
in order to create well managed sites and a pleasant and safe
living environment for both the site residents and the local community.
It will also give many Gypsies and Travellers valuable experience
of being involved in decision making processes, which could encourage
them to participate in other community forums such as parish councils
and local authority/school educational bodies."[246]
Site residents have suggested that site managers
fail to consult them about what they want; residents argue that
Gypsies and Travellers have their own culture and different priorities
and needs which are not understood by outsiders. They believe
that Gypsies and Travellers must be involved in management of
sites.
"Travellers' involvement in the running
of accommodation sites need to be formalised and enhanced. Training
programmes should also be offered by local authorities and other
service providers to develop strong internal leadership to activate
the Traveller community positively."[247]
Cliff Codona, Chair of the National Travellers' Action
Group, believes Gypsies themselves make the best site managers
because they understand the culture of the residents:
"If they are allowed to be managed by the
Gypsy community - which is good, respected members of the community
who work with the local government - they can manage sites in
the best possible way that they could ever move forward, because
gypsy communities have respect for their own people."[248]
John Treble, Vice-President and Vice-Chair, Somerset
Association of Local Councils, agrees that this approach can work
well:
"One thing is to recruit a Gypsy who wants
to be permanent [on a residential site] and let him manage the
site. It can work very well. […].We have, but it happens
to be a private site, 70 pitches, owned by a Gypsy who resides
there permanently. He manages it and may I say that the nature
of the Gypsy community is such that a King Gypsy can exercise
discipline over a Gypsy community far better than any external
agency can. He sometimes does it crudely by simply refusing to
admit people but he does it and we have a camp of 70 which is
under such good control that it is not causing much of a local
problem once it was accepted as a regular item there."[249]
179. Others believe that Gypsy/Traveller site managers
can operate harsh management regimes, including management by
fear, exclusive and factional pitch allocation policies.[250]
Tom Sweeney, Co-Chair of the Irish Traveller Movement Britain,
believes that Gypsy management works well on private sites, but
believes local authority sites need to be managed by local authority
officers. Charles Smith agrees:
"I think we should go back again to how
housing is managed and we should be looking at in the same way
as housing. If it is a private site, it is managed by the owner
of the site, the same as private caravan sites; if it is a council
site, it is managed by the accommodation department and so forth."[251]
180. Approximately 13% of local authority sites are
managed by a non-local authority body. Dr Power believes that
some of these sites operate more selective lettings policies resulting
in vacant pitches for periods of time:
"Management of sites has in some cases been
leased to particular Traveller groups. This policy often excludes
many other Travellers from these sites due to perceived animosities
between different extended families and selective letting by site
management […]."[252]
181. Gypsy and Traveller site residents usually sign
a site licence which sets out terms of tenancy including acceptable
behaviour. Enforcement of site licence conditions is an important
part of site management:
"Ours is what we call a "firm but fair
management policy". In our submission we actually sent a
copy of the licence agreement we have with the tenants. They have
to abide by certain rules. I think there are a lot of people talking
here about tenancy agreements - that Gypsies should perhaps have
tenancy agreements. I think in the main if you ask the run-of-the-mill
Gypsy he is not too bothered about a tenancy agreement. All he
is bothered about is being able to live on a caravan site, get
his children a good state school education and, at the same time,
be able to live in peace and harmony with his neighbours."[253]
The ultimate sanction is eviction. Although site
managers on private sites can carry out this action, it is more
difficult for managers on local authority sites because eviction
may result in establishment of an unauthorised encampment - creating
more problems for the local authority. In order to enforce site
licence agreements, site managers must be aware of all activity
on a site - preferably by living on site, or by visiting regularly
and at unexpected times - and they must apply rules consistently.
Such a heavy management approach can create tension with site
residents who want freedom and tolerance, although site residents
we spoke to on sites in Hampshire seemed content with their residential
site managers. The County's Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Officer
emphasised the importance of visible site management, as did the
Councillors and officials we met in South Dublin.
182. Pat Niner explained that although different
styles were favoured by different individuals, intensive management,
such as a full-time residential manager was thought to work best:
"I suspect that overall the most popular
sites of all are owneroccupied, small, family Gypsy sites
owned by the Travellers and site management really does not exist
as a separate function. If we are talking about sites where the
plots are let and where the residents are not owneroccupiers
but are some form of licensee or tenant, then our research did
not show that there were any clear preference or clear views on
the merits and demerits of Gypsy ownership or local authority
ownership. I think what it did show was the consensus that site
management needs to be rather more intensive in terms of site
presence, site management on site, than housing management would
normally be and is in a sense a different activity from housing
management. I suspect that some of the less successful sites are
where a housing officer is managing a site as part of their patch
and not really getting the resources and the skill and expertise
to do it. I think the more successful local authority site management
comes where there is a team of people who can share activities
and support each other and generally develop expertise in site
management. Taking it a step further, the standard words are "firm
and fair". There seems to be a great premium on equality
of treatment for all residents on Gypsy sites and I think that
probably one of the more hopeful signs for the future is the use
of things like Supporting People money to actually work some sort
of community development aspects of site management as well, and
I think in many cases we are probably at the start of that rather
than being able to really hold up many good practice examples
there."[254]
Alistair McWhirter, Chief Constable of Suffolk and
representative of the Association of Chief Police Officers agreed:
"I think that the site management that seems
to work best is where you have a dedicated site manager who is
on that site and who can work with the people rather than somebody
who has it as an additional responsibility and who is transient
and who may not have the knowledge to be able to build up relationships.
The people who are particularly good - some of whom have given
evidence to you as part of the group who came to speak to you
- are the people who I have had admiration for over the years,
who build relationships with the Travellers, they often know the
people who regularly come every year and that relationship pays
off because as a result people behave well because they are dealing
with people whom they know and trust."[255]
183. Most site residents accept that firm management
is necessary to preserve the environmental quality of a site.[256]
On our visit to Ireland we saw sites with residential managers,
and those with a visiting caretaker manager. The sites with residential
managers were in better condition, and caravans were parked in
appropriate places satisfying health and safety legislation. The
sites with visiting caretakers were in worse condition with more
rubbish. One such site had a community centre which had been vandalised
by residents, forcing the authority to fit metal shutters to the
windows. We were told that sites with residential site managers
had not experienced such problems. The Council was considering
putting a residential site manager onto the site; it was suggested
this would be more cost-effective than the cost of repairing and
clearing up the site and re-establishing good-will with the settled
community. Officials at South Dublin County Council told us that
threat of eviction was an insufficient deterrent because evicted
residents would camp illegally outside the site.
184. The Minister, Keith Hill MP, argues that site
management is not an issue central Government should become involved
in:
"I think it is probably quite likely that
it is an issue that has crossed our path in the course of the
review, but having said that I really do feel that this is again
not a matter for heavy central Government guidance or certainly
not edicts but very much a matter for local decision making. I
found it fascinating - to quote the estimable Mr Treble - that
there had been very positive experience of at least one member
of the Gypsy and Traveller community in the management of sites.
It seems like a very good idea but I do not think it is a matter
for central Government to intervene on."[257]
All the submissions we received emphasised the need
for good site management, and many highlighted concerns relating
to anti-social behaviour, consequently, we feel that site management
is an issue that central Government should be involved with. Without
central Government direction, local authorities could cut site
management budgets when needing to generate savings. An ODPM official
added to the Minister's response:
"[…] it is something we are looking
at and Pat Niner has certainly had a lot to add to that debate
with us. Again it is an example of what works best is what works
best. For example on a transit site where you have vans coming
in and out you would not really expect a Gypsy or Traveller to
take responsibility for that. My personal view is that that would
be the role of the local authority. Likewise on a site where a
Gypsy or Traveller owns the site I would not say that the local
authority would have too much locus; it would be down to the individuals
who live on that site to manage. If there were local authority
managed sites I think there could be arguments both ways, with
the local authority having a strong management input and for nominated
Gypsies and Travellers to have a strong input. Again, drawing
on the experience of the Irish Government they have also gone
for a "what works" approach and where there are Gypsies
and Travellers who are identified as having strong leadership
within their communities it is natural for them to have some role
in site management and can be appointed as paid site managers
living on the site. […]I think the thing that reassures the
neighbours the most is that the site is well managed."[258]
185. Effective site management is key to the success
of Gypsy and Traveller sites. There is no real consensus as to
whether a particular management arrangement works better than
any other. Some believe that Gypsies and Travellers make better
managers because they understand the culture of the residents,
but others argue sites managed by Gypsies and Travellers operate
harsher management regimes and selective lettings policies. Whichever
management approach is adopted, regular site presence by a manager
is vital. Ideally sites should have a residential manager. Site
management should be firm, fair and consistent, treating all residents
equally and taking action early if residents break site licence
agreements. Site managers should seek to involve residents in
management issues so that they take on more responsibility for
their site. Local authorities should consider running capacity
building programmes on sites to generate the necessary skills,
perhaps using funds available through the ODPM Supporting People
programme. The Government must emphasise the importance of good
site management and must be prepared to offer guidance, and facilitate
assembling and sharing of good practice materials. Any Government
funded programmes, such as the Gypsy Sites Refurbishment Grant,
should require assessment of site management before awards are
granted.
Career development and training
opportunities for local authority site managers
186. Most Gypsy and Traveller site managers are skilled
individuals but little national effort is made to offer training
and career development opportunities, unlike mainstream housing
managers/landlords. The Gypsy Council for Education, Culture,
Welfare and Civil Rights told us that they "[…] would
like to see positive steps towards the training and education
of local authority members and officers."[259]
187. We have been told how important site managers
are to the success of a site, and we have also been told how difficult
such management can be. Yet officials from the ODPM told us that
training was a matter for "local discussion"[260];
and the Local Government Association told us that it was not their
responsibility.[261]
188. Similarly, little effort is made to assess performance.
The Audit Commission told us that they do not specifically monitor
site management or performance of site managers. There are no
national frameworks available to allow site managers to benchmark
performance against others. It has been suggested that targets
could be set relating to licence fee levels, pitch vacancies,
turnover, void periods, arrears performance and management expenditure
at site level in order to compile a performance framework.[262]
189. The National Association of Gypsy and Traveller
Officers told us that some local authorities have developed their
own training schemes:
"The management of both permanent and temporary
accommodation is key to the establishment of provision. Without
the appropriate training of personnel involved in Gypsy &
Traveller issues and senior management overviews, Gypsy &
Traveller accommodation will often decline. The training undertaken
by the South-West Region Authority in Gypsy & Traveller management
should receive Government support and backing to ensure that standardisation
of management techniques and procedures is widely accepted across
both England and Wales."[263]
And in a supplementary note Councillor Susie Kemp
of West Berkshire Council and Chairman of the Local Government
Association Planning Executive told us that:
"[…] we will be looking into developing
a web-based network for authorities to share good practice and
information on site and service provision for Gypsy and Traveller
communities."[264]
190. We welcome the initiative of the South-West
region in developing training opportunities for Gypsy and Traveller
site managers. Unfortunately such schemes are few and far between,
and lack recognition. The Government and Local Government Association
must make efforts to provide training opportunities for Gypsy
and Traveller site managers as they do for Registered Social Landlords
in mainstream housing management. National frameworks should also
be established which will allow managers to benchmark their performance
against other site managers. Mechanisms should be available to
allow officers to share good practice. We welcome the intention
of the Local Government Association to develop web-based networks
to facilitate this. We recommend that the Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister update us on the progress of this project in their
response to this report. Career paths must be developed for site
managers and local authority officers involved with Gypsy and
Traveller policy areas. A regional approach to provision of sites
would generate more opportunities, as would closer interaction
between neighbouring authorities.
244 HC 63-III, Ev 67, [Hughie Smith, President of the
Gypsy Council (Romani Kris)]] Back
245
HC 63-III, Ev 97 [Greater London Authority, Mayor's Office] Back
246
Ev 35 [Travellers Advice Team, Community Law Partnership] Back
247
Dr Colm Power, Room to Roam, England's Irish Travellers,
June 2004, pg 105 Back
248
Q 81 [Cliff Codona, Chair, National Travellers' Action Group] Back
249
Q 305 and Q 312 Back
250
Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham,
The Provision and Condition of Local Authority Gypsy/Traveller
Sites in England, 2002, pg 25 Back
251
Q 83 [Charles Smith] Back
252
Dr Colm Power, Room to Roam, England's Irish Travellers, June
2004, pg 19 Back
253
Q 116 [Hughie Smith, President, The Gypsy Council (Romani Kris)] Back
254
Q 171 [Pat Niner, Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Urban and
Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham and Gypsy and
Traveller researcher] Back
255
Q 285 Back
256
Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham,
The Provision and Condition of Local Authority Gypsy/Traveller
Sites in England, 2002, pg 31 Back
257
Q 347 Back
258
Q 348 and Q 352 [Dawn Eastmead, Head of Housing Management
Division, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister] Back
259
HC 63-III, Ev 90, [The Gypsy Council for Education, Culture, Welfare
and Civil Rights] Back
260
Q 351 Back
261
Q314-5 and HC 63-III, Ev 115, [LGA] Back
262
Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Birmingham,
The Provision and Condition of Local Authority Gypsy/Traveller
Sites in England, 2002, pg 54 Back
263
HC 63-III, Ev 78, [The National Association of Gypsy and Traveller
Officers] Back
264
HC 63-III, Ev 115 [LGA] Back
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