Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report presented by Angela Smith, Neighbourhood Strategy Manager, which provided a summary of contextual information about the Gypsy and Traveller Community in Rotherham and the potential implications for the Council in meeting the needs of Gypsies and Travellers in the borough.

The Housing Act 1994 placed a legal duty on local authorities to assess the needs of Gypsies and Travellers.  Furthermore, the Housing Act 2004 required local authorities to include Gypsies and Travellers in their local housing needs assessments and to take a strategic approach, which included developing a strategy to demonstrate how the needs of this community would be met, as part of their wider housing strategies.

The Council was currently developing a baseline for the work that needed to be developed and implemented in order to allow compliance with these requirements. 

The absence of reliable local and national data on the size of the Gypsy and Traveller population was mirrored in the lack of information about their housing needs and aspirations and their access to wider services provided by statutory and non-statutory agencies.  Gypsies and Travellers were rarely included as separate racial groups in national, local or sector based monitoring systems, despite being recognised as separate racial groups within key legislation.  Subsequently, little information was known about their experiences or needs, which, therefore, tend to be overlooked. 

Rotherham had not offered any Traveller site provision since 1996, when the site at Dinnington was closed.  The site had existed for many years and was in an area that had a long tradition of Travellers settling in the community.  In addition, many Travellers who lived in settled accommodation in the borough were reluctant to declare themselves as Gypsies or Travellers and tended to indicate White British on any forms they completed for fear of harassment or discrimination.

To enable the Council to create and support sustainable, integrated communities where Gypsies and Travellers have equality of access to suitable accommodation, education, health and welfare provision and where there was mutual respect between all communities, there were some areas of work needing to be developed.  These included:-

·              Development of Gypsy and Traveller Strategy and Action Plan.

·              Raising awareness of Gypsies and Travellers to all employees in relation to cultural diversity.

·              Establishing a Forum with Gypsies and Travellers at borough and/or sub- regional level.

·              Making wider links with strategic authorities on the local travelling route(s)

·              Development, implementation, monitoring and review of accurate detailed monitoring information of all Gypsies and Travellers approaching any service area across the borough.

·              Undertaking of mapping exercise and full housing and support needs analysis.

·              Establishment of working group with corporate responsibility for Gypsies and Travellers.

·              Developing a protocol for the sharing of information at borough, sub-regional and wider levels.

·              Provision of a Floating Support Worker.

·              Drop-in advice service.

An updated copy of the Action Plan was circulated to all those present.

Members acknowledged the need for action to be taken and the difficulties associated with data collection.  However, to assist in progressing this issue it was suggested that a meeting be arranged with the relevant Cabinet Members for Community Cohesion, Neighbourhoods and Economic Regeneration and Development Services.

Members took account of the criticism Rotherham had received for not having an available site for the Gypsy and Traveller community, but would seek to rectify the problem rather than this be a Government Office directive once information for demand and suitable land availability had been identified.

Resolved:  (1)  That the content of this summary and the report be noted.

(2)  That the Action Plan, as set out in the full report, in order to achieve an accurate baseline be endorsed.

(3)  That a meeting be arranged with the Cabinet Members for Community Cohesion, Neighbourhoods and Economic Regeneration and Development Services at the earliest opportunity in order to progress this issue forward.