Cheshire Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment

Transcription

1 Cheshire Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment March 2014 Opinion Research Services The Strand Swansea SA1 1AF

2 Opinion Research Services The Strand, Swansea SA1 1AF Nigel Moore, Claire Thomas, Katie Amesbury and Matt Bradley enquiries: Copyright March

3 Contents Cheshire Introduction... 8 The Survey... 8 Definitions... 9 Legislation and Guidance for Gypsies and Travellers Planning Policy for Traveller Sites Tackling Inequalities for Gypsy and Traveller Communities Funding Methodology Stage 1: Background Stage 2: Household Survey Stage 3: Stakeholder Engagement Stage 4: Future Pitch and Plot Requirements Stage 5: Conclusions Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Sites and Population Sites in Cheshire Caravan Count Gypsy and Traveller Population Survey of the Gypsy and Traveller Population Length of Residence Connections with the Area Ethnic Background Age and Household Profile Employment Health Problems Existing Sites Type of Site Views of Sites Propensity to Travel Bricks and Mortar Moving to a New Permanent Base Travelling Showpeople Introduction

4 Travelling Showpeople Households in Cheshire Stakeholder Consultation Cheshire East Council Accommodation Community, Health and Education Issues Community Cohesion Health Education Cross Boundary Issues Consultation Activities Future Site Provision: Criteria, Management and Geographical Location Conclusions and Recommendations Cheshire West and Chester Council Accommodation Community, Health and Education Issues Community Cohesion Health Education Cross Boundary Issues Consultation Activities Future Site Provision: Criteria, Management and Geographical Location Conclusions and Recommendations Halton Borough Council Accommodation Community, Health and Education Issues Community Cohesion Health Education Cross Boundary Issues Consultation Activities Future Site Provision: Criteria, Management and Geographical Location Conclusions and Recommendations Warrington Borough Council Accommodation

5 Community, Health and Education Issues Community Cohesion Health Education Cross Boundary Issues Consultation Activities Future Site Provision: Criteria, Management and Geographical Location Conclusions and Recommendations Views of Wider Stakeholders Accommodation Community, Health and Education Issues Community Cohesion Health Education Cross Boundary Issues Consultation and Community Engagement Future Site Provision: Criteria, Management and Geographical Location Travelling Showpeople Neighbouring Authorities Main Policy Tools Accommodation Needs: Site Provision and Unauthorised Encampments Cross Boundary Issues Future Pitch Provision Pitch Provision Supply of Pitches Current Need Future Need Current Gypsy and Traveller Site Provision Additional Pitch Provision: Current Need Current Unauthorised Developments Concealed Households Bricks and Mortar Additional Pitch Provision: Future Need Temporary Planning Permissions

6 New Household Formation In-migration from Other Sources Overall Needs for Cheshire Overall Needs for Each Planning Authority Cheshire East Cheshire West and Chester Halton Warrington Split by Local Authority to 2028 in 5 year Time Period Transit/Emergency Stopping Site Provision Needs for Plots for Travelling Showpeople Additional Plot Provision: Current Need Current Unauthorised Developments Concealed Households Bricks and Mortar Additional Plot Provision: Future Need Temporary Planning Permissions In-migration from Other Sources New Household Formation Overall Needs for Cheshire for Travelling Showpeople Overall Needs for Each Planning Authority for Travelling Showpeople Cheshire East Cheshire West and Chester Halton Warrington Split by Local Authority to 2028 for Travelling Showpeople Conclusions Introduction Gypsy and Traveller Future Pitch Provision Transit Sites Travelling Showperson Requirements Appendices Appendix A: Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Cheshire (April 2013) Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Cheshire East

7 Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Cheshire West and Chester Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Halton Gypsy and Traveller Sites in Warrington Appendix B: Travelling Showpeople Yards in Cheshire (April 2013) Travelling Showpeople Yards in Cheshire East Travelling Showpeople Yards in Cheshire West and Chester Travelling Showpeople Yards in Halton Travelling Showpeople Yards in Warrington

8 1. Introduction The Survey 1.1 Opinion Research Services (ORS) was commissioned by the Local Authorities of Cheshire to undertake a Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment (GTTSAA). The authorities involved in this study are:» Cheshire West and Chester» Cheshire East» Halton» Warrington. 8

9 The study seeks to provide an evidence base to enable authorities to comply with their requirements towards Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople under the Housing Act 2004, the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and Planning Policy for Traveller Sites The main objective of this study is to provide the Local Authorities with robust, defensible and up-to-date evidence about the accommodation needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in the study area during the 15 year period until 2028 in 5 year sections, covering , and It seeks to identify whether or not any of the Local Authorities need to plan for the provision of permanent accommodation as well as transit sites or emergency stopping places. We would note at the outset that the study covers the needs of Gypsies (including English, Scottish, Welsh and Romany Gypsies), Irish Travellers, New Travellers, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople, but for ease of reference we have referred to the study as a Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment. This document is the main report and summarises the key findings of the study, in particular where they relate to existing policies, or have implications for future policy decisions across the study area. Definitions 1.5 For the purposes of the planning system, Gypsies and Travellers means: Persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family s or dependants educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excluding members of an organised group of Travelling Showpeople or circus people travelling together as such. (Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), March 2012) Within the main definition of Gypsies and Travellers, there are a number of main cultural groups which include:» Romany Gypsies» Irish Travellers» New Travellers. Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised in law as distinct ethnic groups and are legally protected from discrimination under the Equalities Act Alongside Gypsies and Travellers, a further group to be considered is Travelling Showpeople. They are defined as: Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes such persons who on the grounds of their family s or dependant s more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excludes Gypsies and Travellers as defined above. (Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, CLG, March 2012). 9

10 Legislation and Guidance for Gypsies and Travellers 1.9 Decision-making for policy concerning Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople sits within a complex legislative and national policy framework and this study must be viewed in the context of this legislation and guidance. For example, the following pieces of legislation and guidance are relevant when constructing policies relating to Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople:» Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2012» National Planning Policy Framework 2012» Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments Guidance October 2007» The Human Rights Act 1998 (when making decisions and welfare assessments)» The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as subsequently amended)» Homelessness Legislation and Allocation Policies» Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994» Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 (both as victims and perpetrators of anti-social behaviour)» Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004» Housing Act 2004 (which requires local housing authorities to assess the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and Showpeople as part of their housing needs assessments. This study complies with this element of government guidance)» Housing Act 1996 (in respect of homelessness) To focus on Gypsies and Travellers, the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is particularly important with regard to the issue of planning for Gypsy and Traveller site provision. This repealed the duty of Local Authorities from the Caravans Act 1968 to provide appropriate accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers. However, at this time Circular 1/94 did support maintaining existing sites and stated that appropriate future site provision should be considered For site provision, the previous Labour Government guidance focused on increasing site provision for Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople and encouraged Local Authorities to have a more inclusive approach to Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople within their Housing Needs Assessment. The Housing Act 2004 Section 225 requires Local Authorities to identify the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites, alongside the need for other types of housing, when conducting Housing Needs Surveys. Therefore, all Local Authorities were required to undertake accommodation assessments for Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople either as a separate study such as this one, or as part of their main Housing Needs Assessment Local Authorities were encouraged rather than compelled to provide new Gypsy and Traveller sites by central Government. Circular 1/06 Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites, released by the CLG in January 2006, replaced Circular 1/94 and suggested that the provision of authorised sites should be encouraged so that the number of unauthorised sites would be reduced The Coalition Government announced that the previous Government s guidance contained in Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites (Circular 01/06) and Planning for Travelling Showpeople (Circular 04/07) was to be repealed, along with the Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) which were used to allocate pitch 10

11 provision to Local Authorities. The CLG published Planning Policy for Traveller Sites in March 2012 which set out the Government s planning policy for Traveller sites. It should be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Framework. Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 1.14 The document Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, which came into force in March 2012, sets out the direction of Government policy. Among other objectives, the aims of the new policy in respect of Traveller sites are (Planning Policy for Traveller Sites Pages 1-2):» Local planning authorities should make their own assessment of need for the purposes of planning.» To ensure that local planning authorities, working collaboratively, develop fair and effective strategies to meet need through the identification of land for sites.» To encourage local planning authorities to plan for sites over a reasonable timescale.» That plan-making and decision-taking should protect Green Belt from inappropriate development.» To promote more private Traveller site provision while recognising that there will always be those Travellers who cannot provide their own sites.» That plan-making and decision-taking should aim to reduce the number of unauthorised developments and encampments and make enforcement more effective.» For local planning authorities to ensure that their Local Plan includes fair, realistic and inclusive policies.» To increase the number of Traveller sites in appropriate locations with planning permission, to address under provision and maintain an appropriate level of supply.» To reduce tensions between settled and Traveller communities in plan-making and planning decisions.» To enable provision of suitable accommodation from which Travellers can access education, health, welfare and employment infrastructure.» For local planning authorities to have due regard to the protection of local amenity and local environment In practice, the document states that (Planning Policy for Traveller Sites Page 3): Local planning authorities should set pitch targets for Gypsies and Travellers and plot targets for Travelling Showpeople, which address the likely permanent and transit site accommodation needs of Travellers in their area, working collaboratively with neighbouring local planning authorities In producing their Local Plan local planning authorities should:» Identify and annually update a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years worth of sites against their locally set targets. 11

12 » Identify a supply of specific, developable sites or broad locations for growth, for years 6-10 and, where possible, for years » Consider production of joint development plans that set targets on a cross-authority basis, to provide more flexibility in identifying sites, particularly if a local planning authority has special or strict planning constraints across its area (local planning authorities have a duty to cooperate on planning issues that cross administrative boundaries).» Relate the number of pitches or plots to the circumstances of the specific size and location of the site and the surrounding population s size and density.» Protect local amenity and environment A key element to the new policies is a continuation of previous Government policies. Local Authorities now have a duty to ensure a 5 year land supply to meet the identified needs for Traveller sites. However, Planning Policy for Traveller Sites also notes on Pages 3-4 that: Where there is no identified need, criteria-based policies should be included to provide a basis for decisions in case applications nevertheless come forward. Criteria-based policies should be fair and should facilitate the traditional and nomadic life of Travellers, while respecting the interests of the settled community Therefore, criteria-based planning policies sit at the heart of the new guidance, irrespective of whether need is identified or not. Tackling Inequalities for Gypsy and Traveller Communities 1.19 In April 2012 the Government issued a further document relating to Gypsies and Travellers titled Progress report by the ministerial working group on tackling inequalities experienced by Gypsies and Travellers (CLG April 2012) The aforementioned report contains 28 commitments to help improve the circumstances and outcomes for Gypsies and Travellers across a range of areas including:» Identifying ways of raising educational aspirations and attainment of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children.» Identifying ways to improve health outcomes for Gypsies and Travellers within the proposed new structures of the NHS.» Encouraging appropriate site provision; building on 60 million Traveller Pitch Funding and New Homes Bonus incentives.» Tackling hate crime against Gypsies and Travellers and improving their interaction with the criminal justice system.» Improving knowledge of how Gypsies and Travellers engage with services that provide a gateway to work opportunities, and working with the financial services industry to improve access to financial products and services. 12

13 Funding» Sharing good practice in engagement between Gypsies and Travellers and public service providers The Coalition Government policies also involve financial incentives for new affordable pitch provision in the form of the New Homes Bonus. All new pitches on Local Authority or Registered Provider-owned and managed sites, Local Authorities receive a New Homes Bonus equivalent to Council Tax (based on the national average for a Band A property), plus an additional 350 per annum for six years. This equates to around 8,000 pounds per pitch Direct grant funding is also available for Gypsy and Traveller sites. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) took over delivery of the Gypsy and Traveller Sites Grant programme from CLG in April Since then they have invested 16.3 million in 26 schemes across the country to provide 88 new or additional pitches and 179 improved pitches. The HCA welcomes bids from Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Traveller community groups working with Registered Providers The HCA has now confirmed allocations for all of its 60 million of future funding which will support 96 projects around the country for the provision of new Gypsy and Traveller sites and new pitches on existing sites, as well as the improvement of existing pitches. The table below shows the allocation outside of London. Figure 1 HCA Grant Allocations for New Pitches (Source: HCA) Local Authority Amount of money Number of new pitches East and South East 6,218, Midlands 14,126, North East, Yorkshire and The Humber 15,328, North West 3,850, South and South West 16,713, Total 56,238,368 1, While all HCA funds for Gypsy and Traveller pitches have now been allocated, further funding may become available as a result of slippage over the course of the programme. Providers are advised to continue to work closely with HCA area teams to develop their proposals should any funding become available. Methodology 1.25 This section sets out the methodology we have followed to deliver the outputs for this study. Over the past 10 years ORS has developed a methodology which provides the required outputs from a Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment and this has been updated in light of Planning Policy for Traveller Sites. 13

14 1.26 The stages below provide a summary of the process undertaken by ORS, with more information on each stage provided in the appropriate section of the report. Stage 1: Background 1.27 At the outset of the project ORS sought to understand the background to the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople population in the study area. The study sought to identify the location of all known sites in the study area and the number of pitches or plots on each one. The study also gathered information from recent caravan counts provided by each Local Authority, information held on unauthorised encampments in each area and also from those who have expressed an interest in public pitches. Stage 2: Household Survey 1.28 The research methodology for identifying the housing needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople adopted in this report was largely based upon face-to-face interviews with Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople across Cheshire. ORS sought to undertake a census of Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople households in April to June Interviews were sought with every known Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople household present during this time period and 131 interviews were achieved in total on Gypsy and Traveller sites, with a further three interviews in bricks and mortar and ten interviews on Travelling Showperson yards. Though only one member of each household was interviewed, the survey questions cover other members of the same household. We would note that a single Traveller household may occupy several caravans. Stage 3: Stakeholder Engagement 1.29 This study includes extensive stakeholder engagement with Council Officers and Elected Members from the Local Authorities of Cheshire, neighbouring Local Authorities and other stakeholders. Cheshire has a Gypsy and Traveller Strategic Partnership across the four Cheshire authorities which has been in existence since 2004, so the authorities have joint working relationships already. The aim of this engagement was to help understand the current situation in the study area, particularly in relation to households not on known existing sites, and also to discuss Duty to Cooperate issues with neighbouring Local Authorities, and any issues regarding education, health and community cohesion. Stage 4: Future Pitch and Plot Requirements 1.30 The methodology used by ORS to calculate future pitch and plot requirements has been developed over the past 10 years and has drawn on lessons from both traditional housing needs assessments and also best and worst practice from Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessments conducted across the country The overall principles behind assessing future needs are relatively simple. The model assesses the current backlog of need for pitches based upon unauthorised sites, concealed households and the net movement of households from bricks and mortar, as well as those on the site preference lists for public sites. It then adds in future arising need in the form of newly-forming households, households on sites with temporary planning permissions and net migration to the area. From this figure any empty or undeveloped pitches with planning permission are then subtracted to provide for a final net pitch requirement. The residential 14

15 and transit pitch requirements for Gypsies and Travellers are identified separately from those for Travelling Showpeople and for each group the requirements are identified in 5 year periods to Stage 5: Conclusions 1.32 This stage draws together the evidence from Stages 1 to 4 to provide an overall summary of the requirements for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople in Cheshire. 15

16 2. Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Sites and Population Sites in Cheshire A Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) focuses upon the number of dwellings required in an area, and how many of these should each be provided by the public and private sector. The central aim of this study was to follow a similar format for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople accommodation requirements. One of the main considerations of this study is the provision of pitches and sites for Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. A pitch is an area which is large enough for one household to occupy and typically contains enough space for one or two caravans, but can vary in size. A site is a collection of pitches which form a development exclusively for Gypsies and Travellers. For Travelling Showpeople, the most common descriptions used are a plot for the space occupied by one household and a yard for a collection of plots which are typically exclusively occupied by Travelling Showpeople. Throughout this study the main focus is upon how many extra pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and plots for Travelling Showpeople are required in Cheshire. The public and private provision of mainstream housing is also largely mirrored when considering Gypsy and Traveller accommodation. One common form of a Gypsy and Traveller site is the publicly-provided residential site, which is provided by the Local Authority or by a Registered Provider (usually a Housing Association). Pitches on public sites can be obtained through signing up to a site preference list, and the costs of running the sites are met from the rent paid by the licensees (similar to social housing). The alternative to public residential sites is private residential sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. These result from individuals or families buying areas of land and then obtaining planning permission to live on them. Households can also rent pitches on existing private sites. Therefore, these two forms of accommodation are the equivalent to private ownership and renting for those who live in bricks and mortar housing. The Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople population also has other forms of sites due to its mobile nature. Transit sites tend to contain many of the same facilities as a residential site, except that there is a maximum period of residence which can vary from a few days or weeks to a period of months. The only transit site in Cheshire is in Halton and it contains separate male, female and disabled shared bathrooms and has a maximum stay of 13 weeks. An alternative to transit sites is an emergency stopping place. This type of site also has restrictions on the length of time someone can stay on it, but has much more limited facilities. Both of these two types of site are designed to accommodate, for a temporary period, Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople whilst they travel. A number of authorities also operate an accepted encampments policy where short-term stopovers are tolerated without enforcement action. 16

17 Number of Caravans Opinion Research Services Cheshire Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment March Further considerations for the Gypsy and Traveller population are unauthorised developments and encampments. Unauthorised developments occur on land which is owned by the Gypsies and Travellers or with the approval of the land owner, but for which they do not have planning permission to use for residential purposes. Unauthorised encampments occur on land which is not owned by the Gypsies and Travellers. Caravan Count A source of information available on the Gypsy and Traveller population derives from a bi-annual survey of Gypsy and Traveller caravans, required by Government, conducted by each Local Authority in England on a specific date in January and July of each year, and reported to CLG. This count is of caravans and not households, which makes it more difficult to interpret for a study such as this because it does not count pitches or resident households. It must also be remembered that the count is merely a snapshot in time conducted by the Local Authority on a specific day, and that any unauthorised encampments which occur on other dates will not be recorded. Likewise any caravans that are away from authorised sites on the day of the count will not be included. The charts below show the cumulative number of unauthorised and authorised caravans in each Local Authority area at the time of the counts. Please note that the scale on each chart varies and that the charts are to be read cumulatively to give the total caravan count. Some data for Warrington are based on estimates because the count was not undertaken. They do not include any Showpeople caravans in the area. These are counted separately each January. We would also note the figures are provided for illustrative purposes to demonstrate the relative size of the populations and are not used in any modelling of future pitch requirements. Figure 2 Gypsy Caravan Count for Cheshire East: July 2008 January 2013 (Source: CLG Bi-annual Local Authority Caravan Count) Jul-08 Jul-09 Jul-10 Jul-11 Jul-12 Unauthorised Authorised 17

18 Number of Caravans Number of Caravans Number of Caravans Opinion Research Services Cheshire Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment March 2014 Figure 3 Gypsy Caravan Count for Cheshire West and Chester: July 2008 January 2013 (Source: CLG Bi-annual Local Authority Caravan Count) Jul-08 Jul-09 Jul-10 Jul-11 Jul-12 Unauthorised Authorised Figure 4 Gypsy Caravan Count for Halton: July 2008 January 2013 (Source: CLG Bi-annual Local Authority Caravan Count) Jul-08 Jul-09 Jul-10 Jul-11 Jul-12 Unauthorised Authorised Figure 5 Gypsy Caravan Count for Warrington: July 2008 January 2013 (Source: CLG Bi-annual Local Authority Caravan Count) Jul-08 Jul-09 Jul-10 Jul-11 Jul-12 Unauthorised Authorised 18

19 3. Gypsy and Traveller Population Survey of the Gypsy and Traveller Population 3.1 One of the major components of this assessment is a detailed survey of the Gypsy and Traveller population within the Cheshire authorities. This aims to identify current households with housing needs and to assess likely future household formation from within existing households, to help judge the need for future site provision. As noted in the introduction, Gypsy and Traveller refers to: Persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family s or dependants educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excluding members of an organised group of Travelling Showpeople or circus people travelling together as such (Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, CLG, March 2012) Interviews were attempted with every Gypsy and Traveller household in the area who were present during April to June Therefore, the base date for the findings of this study is April Throughout the survey period, interviewers from ORS worked from 9am to 7pm each day and made repeated visits to each household until a successful interview was concluded. In total, interviews were achieved on-site with 131 households. Throughout this study the person responding to the survey will be referred to as the respondent, and in questions which refer to all people in the household, they will be referred to as household members. Throughout the remainder of this report the majority of numbers which appear on the charts represent the percentage of respondents who appear in that category. The purpose of showing percentages is to allow the results of the survey to be extrapolated to the whole Gypsy and Traveller population of Cheshire. In a few cases, it is more appropriate to use the actual number of respondents, and these cases are clearly identified. In all charts, those respondents who answered don t know or did not answer the question, are omitted unless otherwise stated. 19

20 Length of Residence 3.4 Though more than half (53%) of those interviewed had lived on their current site for 5 years or more, a significant minority (30%) had been residing at their current site for less than 1 year. The vast majority (88.5%) described their current site as their permanent base, with only 15 respondents (11.5%) saying otherwise. Of these, only two respondents had permanent bases elsewhere (both outside of the study area). The remaining 13 had no permanent base, and while in many cases this appeared to be due to choice, six respondents stated they were on site because they had nowhere else to go. Figure 6 Length of Time Respondents Have Lived on Their Current Site, by all Respondents (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) 5 years or more 53% Less than a week 2% 3 years but less than 5 years 6% 1 week but less than 1 month 8% 1 month but less than 6 months 11% 6 months but less than 1 year 9% 1 year but less than 3 years 11% Connections with the Area 3.5 Respondents noted a variety of different connections to their local areas (see Figure 7), with the main links identified being that their family (57.3%) or friends (47.3%) were from the area, or that they had lived in the area for a long time (49.6%). The survey did not seek to identity what the population considered to be a long time. Figure 7 Nature of Local Connections in Cheshire, by all Respondents (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) Family are from this area Lived here a long time Friends are from this area Family members work here Always lived in this area Children go to school here Family members receive care/support from Council/other local services Have a tradition of travelling to/through this area Grew up in the area Own land in this area 3.1% 19.8% 16.0% 14.5% 14.5% 12.2% 29.8% 49.6% 47.3% 57.3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 20

21 Ethnic Background 3.6 Amongst those surveyed, the largest ethnic group was Romany Gypsies, with 45.4% identified themselves as such. A further 36.2% identified themselves as English Travellers, which is frequently used as an alternative to Romany Gypsy, and 15.4% as Irish Travellers. Figure 8 Ethnic Group by all Respondents (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) English Traveller 36.2% Welsh Gypsy 0.8% Other 0.8% Romany Gypsy 45.4% New Traveller 0.8% Scottish Gypsy or Traveller 0.8% Irish Traveller 15.4% Age and Household Profile 3.7 The households showed a mixed range of ages across their members, very much in line with the results of similar studies carried out by ORS elsewhere. Nearly 42% of household members were aged 16 or under, with nearly a quarter being of school age (i.e. between 5 and 16 years old). 9.6% of household members were aged 60 or more. However, it is typical for Gypsy and Traveller studies to record relatively few males aged years, many of who travel on an almost permanent basis. This is the case in Cheshire and in practice, the share of children in the total population is almost certainly lower, so less than 40% of the population will be children. Figure 9 Age of Household Members, by all Household Members (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) years 18.5% 60 years and over 9.6% 0-4 years 17.0% 5-11 years 13.9% years 19.2% years 11.3% years 10.6% 21

22 3.8 Only three respondents reported more than one household on their pitch. Of these, two respondents reported they were sharing their pitch with one other household, while one respondent reported they were sharing with two other households. 124 respondents (95%) reported just one household residing at their pitch. Employment 3.9 Respondents were asked to give the employment status of all members of their household aged 16 or over. Of those household members who had their employment status recorded, the largest group (37.8%) were looking after their home and/or family. 28.3% were in some form of employment (though only 15.2% working in a permanent job), while 7.8% were registered unemployed and 15.7% retired Amongst those working, a wide variety of jobs were reported, with the most common being gardening/landscaping/tree surgery (27 respondents) and building work (eight respondents). Figure 10 Employment Status of Household Members, by All Household Members Aged Over 16 Years (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) Student/full-time education Full-time carer 4.3% 0.9% Other 0.4% Working in a permanent job 15.2% Looking after home/family 37.8% Undertaking casual/temporary work 12.2% Undertaking seasonal work 0.9% Long-term sick/disabled 4.8% Retired 15.7% Registered unemployed 7.8% Health Problems 3.11 Over a third (34.4%) of respondents interviewed reported that their household contained at least one member with a long-term health problem. Of these, nearly three quarters (73.3%) said that their current pitch was able to meet the needs of those with long-term health problems. However, 26.7% (12 respondents) said that their existing pitch was not meeting the needs of those with health issues. 22

23 4. Existing Sites Type of Site % of interviews were carried out on authorised sites, with 62% on private sites, 20% on Council sites and 4% on transit sites. Only 12% of interviews were carried out on unauthorised sites. All respondents were asked if they required any additional caravans at their current pitch. Only 4.6% (six respondents) indicated that they would like additional residential caravans within their existing household. Most of these respondents stating that the additional caravans were for the use of older children. Figure 11 Type of Pitch, by all Respondents (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) Unauthorised encampment 3% Unauthorised development 9% Transit site 4% Other type of site 2% Owneroccupied pitch 22% 4.3 When asked how many additional caravans were required, two respondents said they needed just one additional caravan, one respondent needed two caravans, another respondent said they needed four caravans and two respondents said they needed five or more. However, only two of the six respondents felt that there was space for additional caravans on their current pitch. Authorised public site (Council) 20% Privatelyrented pitch 40% The phrasing of this question focused on a need rather than a demand for more caravans. Respondents were asked, irrespective of who was purchasing the caravans, whether they needed more caravans for household members. Therefore, this question simply reflected a perceived need for more caravans, rather than an ability to afford (demand for) more caravans. Only one respondent said that a member of their household would like to leave to live elsewhere in the next two years, while four households on the transit site in Halton wished to move on to a permanent pitch. 23

24 Views of Sites All respondents were asked if their current site was meeting their need in terms of accommodation quality, space, site facilities, location and management. Only 14.5% (19 respondents) felt that their site was not meeting their needs. The most common reasons given by respondents for their site not meeting their needs were: a lack of facilities (11 respondents), a lack of play areas for children and being too far from services (both five respondents). Other reasons included not enough space for visiting caravans (two respondents) and a lack of safety on site (two respondents). When asked what facilities they felt were needed at their sites, eight respondents felt that their sites needed permanent toilet facilities, and four felt their sites needed amenity blocks for washing and cooking or improvements to existing blocks. Interestingly, one respondent on the Runcorn transit site in Halton wanted additional education support. 15 of the 19 respondents whose current site/pitch was not meeting their needs felt that their needs could be met at their existing pitch. Many of these households were either on the transit site in Halton or an unauthorised site in Ellesmere Port, so there is little indication of problems on permanent sites. However, four respondents wanted to move to another site. Propensity to Travel % of those surveyed (69 respondents) reported that they had not travelled at all during the last 12 months, and of those who had travelled, more than half (53.3%) had travelled less than a month. Only 11.7% of those who had travelled in the last 12 months had travelled all year round (see Figure 12) Of those who had travelled in the past, but not in the last 12 months, 75.8% (25 respondents) reported that the change in their travelling habits was due to a desire for a more settled lifestyle, 39.4% (13 respondents) reported that they had stopped travelling so their children could receive education and 33.3% (11 respondents) said it was due to the ill health of family members. Other reasons given for not Figure 12 Time Spent Travelling in a Caravan or Trailer Away From Your Permanent Base in the Last 12 Months, by Respondents Who Took at Least One Trip in the Last 12 Months (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) 3 months but less than 6 months 3.3% 6 months but less than 12 months 10.0% 1 month but less than 3 months 21.7% Travelled all year round 11.7% Less than 1 month 53.3% travelling were increasing difficulties with camping at the roadside (30.3%, 10 respondents) and the old age of some family members (18.2%, six respondents). 24

25 Figure 13 Reasons for Not Travelling in the Last 12 Months (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) Want a more settled lifestyle 75.8% So children can receive education 39.4% Due to ill-health of some family members 33.3% No longer easy to camp on the side of the road when travelling 30.3% Due to old age of some family members 18.2% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 4.12 Amongst those respondents who had travelled, the main reasons given for travelling were: for a holiday (55.8%), for fairs (51.2%) and for family reasons (20.9%). (See Figure 14 below). Figure 14 Reasons for Travelling (Source: Survey of Gypsy and Traveller Population On-site 2013) For a holiday 55.8% Fairs 51.2% Family reasons 20.9% For work 9.3% Have nowhere else to go Church Missions 4.7% 4.7% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 25

26 Bricks and Mortar 4.13 Only 5.3% (seven respondents) reported that they had previously lived in bricks and mortar accommodation (i.e. a house, bungalow or flat). Of these, more than half (four respondents) had lived in such accommodation 10 years ago or longer Amongst the reasons given for leaving bricks and mortar accommodation were: marriage, being uncomfortable in bricks and mortar housing, and moving away from parents. Moving to a New Permanent Base % (seven respondents) indicated that they would want or need to move to a new permanent base, either now or in the next 15 years. Three of these respondents indicated that their main reason for wanting a new permanent base was to live a more settled lifestyle These respondents were asked to state where they would like to establish a new permanent base. Respondents were given the opportunity to pick as many areas as they liked, and many chose more than one area. Only one respondent expressed an interest in moving outside of the study are (i.e. Wrexham). Otherwise, the areas that respondents were interested in living in were as follows: five respondents wished to live in Runcorn and three in Widnes; Warrington North and Ellesmere Port both had two respondents; while one respondent wished to live in Warrington South All but one of the above respondents stated that that their main reason for moving to the specified location(s) was to be near family and/or friends (though one of these respondents also stated that they were already registered with schools and a GP in the area). The remaining respondent wanted to move in order to be able to take advantage of better facilities When asked what criteria they felt was important in determining the location(s) of new sites, two respondents specifically identified proximity to facilities (such as GPs and shops), while one respondent felt that any new sites should be located away from undesirable locations, such as Council waste facilities. Additional responses referred to a desire to be away from other populations (one respondent), and another respondent stated that they did not mind where sites are as long as it is permanent. 26

27 5. Travelling Showpeople Introduction 5.1 This section focuses on the needs and aspirations of Showpeople in Cheshire. As noted in the introduction, Travelling Showpeople are not a recognised ethnic group under the Equalities Act 2010, but within Planning Policy for Traveller Sites 2012 they are defined as: Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes such persons who on the grounds of their family s or dependant s more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excludes Gypsies and Travellers as defined above (Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, CLG, March 2012). Travelling Showpeople Households in Cheshire The population of Travelling Showpeople is typically smaller than that of Gypsies and Travellers and planning records also tend to be more disparate. Working with the respective authorities in Cheshire, with input from the Travelling Showpeople themselves, ORS was able to identify that there are the following number of Showpeople yards in the study area with their number of plots:» Cheshire East two yards» Cheshire West and Chester one yard» Halton no yards» Warrington one yard with permanent permission and one unauthorised yard. Therefore in total the study area contains five Travelling Showpeople yards. During the course of the household survey with Gypsies and Travellers interviews were attempted with all Showpeople households in the area. Contact was made with the residents of all known Travelling Showperson sites. In total, 10 interviews were carried out with Travelling Showpeople. Given the limited number of full interviews undertaken with Travelling Showpeople and also the less structured information gained from site visits, we have chosen not to provide detailed statistics on the population. However, we would note that all respondents apart from one were satisfied with their current sites and did not wish to move. The only respondent reporting any issues felt that access to the site was difficult and that they wished to move to a larger yard. This respondent was a resident on an unauthorised yard and so would have appeared as a need in calculations even if they did not want to move. However, ORS would note that a number of other Travelling Showpeople, who currently do not live in Cheshire, have expressed interested in living in Cheshire and these are documented in the next section. 27

28 6. Stakeholder Consultation Introduction In order to provide thoughtful consideration of the issues by a wide range of stakeholders involved with Gypsies and Travellers, ORS conducted 59 semi-structured interviews between May and July A list of stakeholders was compiled by the lead authorities at the outset of the project. ORS reviewed this list for consistency with other studies to ensure it was comprehensive and fair. Each stakeholder received an outlining the aims and objectives of the project and the interview timetable, which was followed up with a telephone call to arrange a suitable time to undertake the interview. The interviews were conducted via telephone and typically lasted between 30 and 90 minutes. Stakeholders included Council Officers, Council Partners (Health, Education and Police) and Elected Members representing the following areas:» Cheshire East Council (11 Council Officers, 2 Elected Members)» Cheshire West and Chester Council (13 Council Officers, 1 Elected Member, 1 Registered Provider)» Halton Borough Council (5 Council Officers, 0 Elected Members)» Warrington Borough Council (6 Council Officers, 1 Elected Member, 1 Council Partner). Wider stakeholders were also interviewed and included Cheshire Gypsy and Travellers Voice and Homespace; Irish Community Care Merseyside; a property developer; and a planning agent. ORS also invited the Gypsy Council to contribute to the study. Unfortunately, the Gypsy Council declined to take part in a telephone interview. In order to ascertain the views of Travelling Showpeople, ORS promoted and facilitated a forum in Knutsford on 3 May ORS advertised the Forum in the World Fair publication and invited Travelling Showpeople in the North West to come and talk about their accommodation needs. The Forum was well attended with around Travelling Showpeople contributing to the discussion. ORS also met with the North West representative of the Showmen s Guild of Great Britain, interviewed five Travelling Showmen and received a further 10 questionnaires from Travelling Showpeople, all 15 currently live outside of the Cheshire area. 1 A representative of the North West section of the Showmen s Guild advised ORS on the appropriateness of the date and venue which was chosen because of the Bank Holiday fair in Knutsford. The advert also gave Travelling Showpeople who could not attend the forum, the opportunity to contact ORS via or telephone. 28

29 As stated in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites, Local Authorities have a Duty to Cooperate (S.110 Localism Act 2011) on strategic planning issues that cross administrative boundaries. In order to explore cross-boundary issues, officers from the following six neighbouring Local Authorities took part in the study:» Flintshire County Council» Liverpool City Council» Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council» St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council» Wirral Borough Council» Wrexham County Borough Council. Themes covered in the interviews included: the need for additional accommodation provision and facilities; travelling patterns; the availability of land; accessing services; and work being done to meet the needs of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. Interviews allowed interested parties to reflect and feedback on the general situation, as well as how matters relating to Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople are currently handled and perceived within the study and surrounding areas. Qualitative research of this type attempts to gain a deeper understanding of the issues and is used to supplement the statistical information gathered through quantitative surveys of the Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople communities. Importantly, the stakeholder consultation provides an opportunity for the Research Team to speak to stakeholders who are likely to be in contact with housed Gypsy, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople, with the aim of including those in the study and identifying accommodation needs resulting from this group. Stakeholders likely to have these contacts are: representative and community groups, Elected Members and housing providers At the time of interview all stakeholders were asked if they would be happy to get in touch with this group on ORS behalf. For those who agreed to do this they were provided with an information sheet which explained the objectives of the study; the importance of their contribution to the study; confidentiality; and a free phone number they could use to get in touch with the ORS team. Of the 59 interviewed, four stakeholders (which included a community group) agreed to distribute the information sheet on ORS behalf. ORS also attempted to make contact with housed Travellers via an advert on the Facebook page of Friends, Families and Travellers and in the Travellers Times publication. Unfortunately, no bricks and mortar contacts were obtained as a result of both efforts The following section is broken down by area and summarises the overall findings from the interviews with stakeholders. Stakeholders had a lot of common ground but also diverged in considering a wide range of issues that are reported fully below Due to issues surrounding data protection, and in order to protect the anonymity of those who took part, this section is a summary of the views expressed by interviewees and few verbatim comments have been used. 29