Memorandum by the National Association
of Gypsy and Traveller Officers (NAGTO) (SRH 12)
1. NAGTO represents Local Government Officers
working in support of Gypsies and Travellers, including in the
supply and management of appropriate accommodation. Local authority
sites represent the major source of rented accommodation for these
communities, whose needs are now recognised by government as a
factor to be considered when considering future housing policy.
Assessment of housing need must now include that for Gypsy/Traveller
accommodation, and the same factors relate to the supply of sites
with pitches available for rent as with more mainstream rented
housing.
LEVEL OF
PUBLIC FUNDING
2. Currently grants are available through
the Housing Corporation for the provision of new sites by local
authorities or Housing Associations, but this funding is not guaranteed
to continue for more than another year. For most authorities the
government initiative to have locations for new sites identified
within Local Development Frameworks will not come to fruition
for three or more years, and there is a disincentive to plan for
new sites where there is no certainty of funding being available.
Without such an incentive there is a risk that most sites identified
will be snapped up privately by individuals or concerns wishing
to demand a higher rent than the more socially disadvantaged element
of the Gypsy/Traveller communities will be able to pay.
FUTURE ROLE
OF LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
3. Because of the uncertainty of funding
highlighted above there is likely to be a disincentive to local
authorities themselves to plan to build new sites. Yet it is the
local authorities that have the background and experience to manage
such sites and to provide the equivalent of social rented housing.
ROLE AND
EFFECTIVENESS OF
PRIVATE RENTED
HOUSING
4. There are a number of successful private
rented sites and more will no doubt develop. However, most Gypsies
and Travellers indicate a wish to own their own small site and
occupy it with members of their own (possibly extended) family.
The effect of this is to marginalize those without either a richer
relative able to buy and develop land or the resources to take
part in a co-operative venture.
EFFECTIVENESS OF
HOUSING BENEFIT
5. Current DWP regulations mean that County
Councils (usually the providers of sites in areas of two-tier
local government) are unable to obtain an economic rent for their
sites from housing benefit, whereas Unitary Authorities and District
Councils can do so, even though County Council as opposed to District
Council management can provide opportunities for economies of
scale. This is yet another disincentive to further provision of
social rented accommodation of this nature, and could indeed lead
to closure of existing sites.
IMPACT OF
COUNCIL TAX
6. The majority of tenants on local authority
sites are in receipt of housing benefit and in these cases will
also not be paying council tax. Where such tax is paid it is normally
at the lowest range, but even that is likely to be excessive for
the relatively limited fixed facilities provided on caravan sites.
RELATIVE FUNDING
PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES
OF THE
HOUSING CORPORATION
ETC AND
ROLE AND
EFFECTIVENESS OF
PLANNING
7. All of these are intrinsic to recent
initiatives by government to "mainstream" gypsy accommodation
requirements into general housing policy and it is too soon to
make any judgement as to their effectiveness. However, it is important
that as they develop the needs of Gypsies and Travellers are considered
equally with the housing needs of the remainder of the community.
| 
