Agenda item

Purpose:

To seek approval for the introduction of the Pitch Allocation Policy for any future Council owned Gypsy and Traveller Site in Monmouthshire.

Key Issues:

1. Under the requirements of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, the Council carried out its duty to assess the needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community in 2015 when it undertook the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA). The GTAA identified a need for eight pitches in Monmouthshire over a five year period.

2. As part of the ‘next steps’ section of the GTAA there was a commitment to introduce a pitch allocation policy.

3. The Welsh Government’s Managing Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Wales strongly

recommends that Local Authorities operate such a policy as a positive and proactive means of engaging with Gypsy & Travellers. Councils are expected to publish their policies and procedures for allocating pitches, including assessment criteria, expected timescales and how to apply and how priority need is defined. Where a waiting list is in operation, the Local Authority should clearly explain how the list operates and inform applicants of their general position on the list when requested.

4. The Policy

4.1 The proposed policy is intended to be structured similar to the Monmouthshire

Homesearch allocations policy.

4.2 The proposed policy sets out the criteria that will be used to establish eligibility and ineligibility to register for a pitch in Monmouthshire and the criteria that will be used to assess need.

4.3 The proposed policy would ensure an appropriate ‘needs assessment’ is completed and a system of prioritisation is applied to determine that pitch allocation is based on those households with the greatest need.

4.4 All applicants will have their housing needs assessed and be placed in one of five

housing needs bands according to their circumstances.

4.5 The Bands will be bands 1 to 5 with band 1 being the highest priority and band 5 the lowest priority.

Member Scrutiny:

Following presentation of the draft report by the Housing Strategy and Policy Officer, questions were asked by Members of the Select Committee:

The Chair asked if there will be a need to revisit the policy due to applicants from within the EU after Brexit.  It was explained that there is no information available at the current time so the Council will have to work within current rules.

Clarification was sought on the term “over a 5 year period”.  It was responded that the 5 year period referred to the needs assessment that ends in 2021 when a new needs assessment will be undertaken.

A Member stated that the Council is 3 years into the Local Development Plan and is without any pitches.  He questioned what sanctions might be applied.  It was explained that the Welsh Government have the power to force local authorities to act on their needs assessment.

A Member asked if there was a different issue in Monmouthshire as it does not have a typical seasonal horticultural/agricultural culture that travellers might follow noting that some Gypsies and Travellers live in the County.  It was queried if there were different criteria of need for a site (e.g. nomadic in summer and housed in winter).  It was explained many Gypsies and Travellers don’t want to live in houses, and would prefer a mobile home on a pitch to travel from and return to Monmouthshire.

A Member supported the eight pitches as a minimum.  In response to a question, it was confirmed that there is no site available in the county for a group moving through the county but a transit site is going to be provided on a regional basis. 

A Member urged that full support was given to support the education of Gypsy and Traveller children when a site is established.  It was confirmed that Gwent Education Minority Ethnic Service (GEMS) have appropriate education programmes and are represented on the Gypsy and Traveller Forum.  It was also added that the Council also works with the SE Wales Equalities Council work with them. 

It was commented that the eight pitches don’t have to be provided by the local authority and some Gypsies and Travellers wish to purchase land to establish their own pitches so would seek assistance with planning processes. 

The Chair recalled that a planning application was passed on appeal and queried if this would contribute to the required pitches.  There was no certainty that this was the case.  Welsh Government regularly enquire and will expect progress upon the availability of pitches.

Clarification was sought if the Council has a duty to provide a passing through site and responded that there is a need for public provision of eight pitches and also assistance with planning permission.  It was added that the transit issue is an all Wales issue that needs to be addressed.