Agenda item

To consider a report (enclosed) by the Corporate Project manager of the revised Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment prior to its submission to Welsh Government.

11:15 – 11:45

The Lead Member for Local Development and Planning introduced the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment report (previously circulated) to Members.

The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 required that an assessment of accommodation needs for Gypsies and Travellers must be undertaken and submitted to Welsh Government (WG) every 5 years. The Council undertook the assessment between August and October 2021, and this was submitted to WG on 24 December 2021.

Following Cabinet approval and WG submission of the previous Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA), a family with an existing need who had previously declined to participate, contacted the Council, and asked to now be included.

Following a report to Cabinet Briefing on 9 January 2023, the Gypsy and Traveller Needs Assessment (GTAA) Task and Finish Group (T&F) was re-established to support work on the new assessment. That T&F Group had now concluded its work and the final report from the Group was attached as appendix 1 to the report. The report provided the conclusions from the work of the T&F Group.

The Chair of the T&F Group outlined the conclusions of the Group and work that had been completed as follows:

·       The T&F Group had 4 meetings and the consultants, ORS, conducted interviews with the additional family and undertook a light touch review with the families who had previously engaged with the assessment process to ensure that their findings continued to be pertinent.  The T&F Group was satisfied that the correct process had been followed.

·       The T&F Group was satisfied as a Group that the findings and recommendations of the assessment were a result of following Welsh Government methodology and applying a robust approach to the work.

·       As a Group it was felt that a Member T&F Group with an elected Member from each MAG had worked well, and the approach would be beneficial for future work.

The Lead Member thanked the T&F Group for their hard work and Councillor Scott for his role as Chair.

The Corporate Project Manager reiterated the Council’s legal obligations. The Housing (Wales) Act required all Councils to undertake an assessment of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs and submit it to Welsh Government. There was also the responsibility to address any needs identified.

The Project had been led by the Project Board which included Senior Officers and the Lead Member, and all work had been overseen by the T&F Group.

Acknowledging the need identified within the Assessment for residential pitches members queried why a need for transit provision had not been identified.  The Lead Member and officers advised that whilst illegal encampments did occur in the county periodically, these were usually for short periods of time and were more effectively managed via a negotiated and tolerated approach.  This was also the view of the Gypsy and Traveller community.

The Chair gave thanks for the report and questions were welcomed by Members.

Members commented on the improved process in place and the excellent work that had been completed, which would support the development of the new Local Development Plan (LDP) in due course.

The Chair thanked the Lead Member and Officers for the report.

Following a comprehensive discussion, the Committee:

Resolved: 

(i)             to endorse the conclusions of the Task and Finish Group that the Welsh Government methodology had been applied appropriately to the analysis of need;

(ii)           confirmed its support for the approach adopted for the delivery of Denbighshire’s Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment as being robust and in line with Welsh Government guidance;

(iii)         to recommend to Cabinet that the revised draft Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment be approved for re-submission to the Welsh Government; and

(iv)         confirmed that as part of its consideration of the information provided it had read, understood and taken account of the Well-being Impact Assessment, Appendix 3 to the report - completed prior to the first assessment submission in 2021 and reviewed in 2023.