Developing Services for Gypsies and Travellers 2008

Accommodation is key to the well-being of Gypsies and Travellers – it provides access to local public services as well as helps in solving local tensions with the settled community. The need for more Gypsy and Traveller sites is now well documented, and is further backed up by data from the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments at sub-regional and district level.

Government recently introduced a policy framework to increase site provision to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers including legislation which placed a duty on local authorities to assess need and identify potential sites in development plan documents. The intention is to reduce the number of unauthorised sites and promote good race relations with the settled community. Government is now planning the Housing and Regeneration Bill which in particular, will address the 2004 European Court of Human Rights ruling on security of tenure for Gypsies and Travellers on council run-sites.

In its 6th year, this annual conference will look at progress to date – the pace of delivery under the new framework, implementation at local and regional level, security of tenure, using Accommodation Needs Assessments, overcoming objections to site provision, and how site management and design is improving under new government best practice guidelines.

Why attend?

• Assess the policy framework now in place to increase site provision to meet the accomodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers
• Explore the implications of the 2004 European Court of Human Rights ruling on security of tenure on council-run sites
• Hear about new guidance for councils on tackling anti-social behaviour
• Update local authorities on the bidding process for the Gypsy and Traveller Site Grant and consider how this can be used to support the increase the number of authorised sites
• Comment on the results emerging from Accommodation Needs Assessments
• Learn from the experiences of Gypsy and Traveller representatives

Who should attend?

Suitable for all those with responsibility for the formulation and implementation of Gypsy and Traveller policies including local authorities, Government Offices, Regional Assemblies, Regional Development Agencies, Registered Social Landlords, site providers, Gypsy and Traveller representative bodies, and consultants working for the public sector.

Housing Corporation Speaker:

Session 2: Deliverying within the policy framework - Provision by RSLs (Fiona Cruickshank)

For further information, please refer to the the organiser's website - Neil Stewart Associates or contact, laura.brownlee@neilstewartassociates.co.uk.