Memorandum by Somerset County Council
(GTS 07)
1. EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
— Somerset County Council provides
accommodation for Gypsies on six residential sites and one Transit
Site the total provision from both Local Authorities and the Private
Sector numbers approx 300 pitches. Somerset also has nearly seventy
pitches providing accommodation for those Gypsies who resort to
the County on a temporary basis.
— It is considered that Somerset has
adequate provision of accommodation for Gypsies and that new sites
would be provided by the Private Sector and Local Authorities
having a Housing function.
— On County Council sites income from
site rents is restricted by the involvement of the Rent Service
and the setting of local reference rents. The County Council meets
the shortfall from its own Revenue Budget.
— County Councils are reluctant to
use the New Grant Aid Scheme as local reference rent levels set
by the Rent Service discourage County Councils from making further
provision.
— Small sites up to six families are
seen to be the way forward.
— A regional approach to Gypsy Accommodation
as seen in the Housing sector would relieve pressures on Local
Authority areas.
— Legislation relating to unauthorised
camping should be linked to a duty to provide accommodation and
not just site availability.
2. INTRODUCTION
2.1 Somerset County Council has for over
thirty years provided accommodation for Gypsies. The Council took
advantage of Grant funds being made available by refurbishing
six residential sites between 1989 and 1993 and also constructed
a 25 pitch Transit Site at Middlezoy completed in 1994. These
sites plus over fifty private sites make up the provision of accommodation
for Gypsies in Somerset
3. LOCAL AUTHORITY
PROVISION
3.1 Somerset County Council provide six
residential sites and one Transit sites for Gypsies.
— Westonzoyland residential site, eight
pitches, District of Sedgemoor opened 1970 refurbished 1989.
— Middlezoy Transit Site, 25 pitches,
District of Sedgemoor opened November 1994.
— Stogursey residential site, 10 pitches,
District of West Somerset opened 1975 refurbished 1988.
— Berkley residential site, 23 pitches,
District of Mendip opened 1976 refurbished 1994.
— Otterford residential site, 15 pitches,
District of Taunton Deane opened 1976 refurbished 1992.
— Tintinhull residential site, 15 pitches,
District of South Somerset opened 1978 refurbished 1993. Leased
to District Council.
— Ilton residential site, 15 pitches,
District of South Somerset opened 1973 refurbished 1992. Leased
to District Council.
3.2 Private Provision
The County has over 50 private sites including
one large Transit Site providing 35 pitches. The total contribution
towards the accommodation for Gypsies in Somerset is approx 150
pitches.
4. DEMAND FOR
AND USE
OF SITES
4.1 All of the residential sites provided
by the County Council are at 95% use. The Transit Site contributes
approx 25% use during the period October—March and increases
to 75% during April-October.
4.2 Somerset has seen an increase in Private
Site applications being granted planning permission at District
level although a significant number of applications require a
Public Inquiry. The Private Sector continues to be major provider
of accommodation for Gypsies.
4.3 Somerset also has four authorised new
traveller sites provided by the Private Sector.
4.4 Somerset County Council would support
a regional perspective to the issue of accommodation for Gypsies
and Travellers similar to the system employed in Housing.
5.0 EXISTING
FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS
5.1 Capital
All of Somerset County Council's residential
sites were initially funded by the County Council. During the
period 1988-94 they were refurbished with 100% Grant Aid from
Central government. The Middlezoy Transit Site received 100% grant
for both purchase and construction and the site was opened in
November 1994.
5.2 Revenue
The Revenue budget for Gypsies and Travellers
has one source of income, Site Rents. As a County council the
Housing Benefits are controlled by the Rent Service, which severely
restricts Benefits paid to claimants who reside on County Council
owned sites. At the present time site rents on Somerset County
Council sites are set at £7 per night per family, the Rent
Service sets Housing Benefit at £3.70 per night—or
£26 per week per family.It is therefore evident that the
Revenue Budget must be subsidised by the local Council taxpayer.
5.3 Since the removal of duty upon local
Authorities to provide accommodation for Gypsies and the reorganisation
of Local Government the duty to provide accommodation rests with
a Unitary Authority or a District Council.
5.4 County councils provide over 40% of
Gypsy accommodation in the Public Sector and are requested by
Central government to continue with this provision yet legislation
operated by the Rent Service make it impossible for County Council's
to recover rents which permit them to meet their obligations to
their Clients, maintain their stock and continue to function as
a financially self financing operation.
6. GYPSY REFURBISHMENT
GRANT SCHEME
6.1 Somerset County Council is in a position
of having adequate provision of accommodation for Gypsies and
foresee that further provision would come from either the private
sector or from those authorities, which have a duty to provide
Housing. Existing sites owned by Somerset County Council will
need to be refurbished in due course.
6.2 The effect of the Rent Service on the
ability of County Council to financially manage a site restricts
the willingness of County Councils to engage in new site provision.
7. SITE CHARACTERISTICS
AND THE
FACILITIES PROVIDED
7.1 Long Stay Sites
After many years experience in the provision
of accommodation for Gypsies Somerset County Council believe that
smaller sites are easier to manage, encourage integration and
engender a culture of respect for all groups within the community.
7.2 Transit Sites
As one of the few Counties, which provide over
70 pitches for Gypsies who resort to the area, Somerset has both
local authority and private site provision. Site design is similar;
open plan, all services provided ie wc, sewage, water, electricity,
dedicated parking areas. All sites are managed by full time residential
staff.
7.3 Local Authority site at Middlezoy is
managed by on site staff who also reside on the site. Management
support for staff includes CCTV.
8. MANAGEMENT
OF UNAUTHORISED
ENCAMPMENTS
8.1 As a rule Somerset County Council uses
Part 55 of the Civil Procedures Rules 1998 to secure possession
of land being used for Unauthorised Camping. The County Council
is in consultation with Police and District Councils to provide
working protocols, which will ensure a multi agency response to
this issue.
8.2 Additional powers for police contained
within the Anti-Social Behavior Act 2003 are not seen as helpful.
The indiscriminate placing of Unauthorised Campers on Local Authority
sites by Police would not improve either the existing site management
or the good will fostered over many years of the local communities
supporting existing sites.
8.3 The provision of accommodation for Gypsies
and Travellers, in sufficient quantity, in the region could reduce
the need for Police involvement in unauthorised company.
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