An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers in West Central Scotland

Report

by

Craigforth

June 2007

Contents

1. SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS 1

2. INTRODUCTION 1 Background 1 National Context 1 Aims and Objectives of the Research 4 Research Methodology 5 Structure of this Report 12

3. GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND 13 Defining Gypsies/Travellers 13 Counting Gypsies/Travellers 15 Population Levels 16 Age and Gender Profile 19 Household Numbers 20 Emerging Households 25 Travelling Behaviour 27 Employment and Income 32 Illness and Disability 34 Harassment and Discrimination 34

4. OFFICIAL SITES 37 Introduction to Official Sites 37 Council and RSL Sites 38 Private Sites 66 The Need for Additional Official Site Provision 69

5. UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS 74 The Level of Encampment Activity 74 Reasons for Camping Illegally 77 Enforcement Procedures 79 Transit Sites 81

6. BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING 85 Introduction 85 Geography 85 Tenure 87 Push or Pull? – Factors that Lead to Living in a House 88

7. OTHER ISSUES: INFORMATION AND ADVICE, TENANCY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS 92 Information and Advice 92 Tenancy Rights and Responsibilities 94 Consultation Arrangements 96

8. OVERARCHING PRIORITIES 103 Overall Priorities for Site Investment 103 Allocations Policy on Council/RSL Sites 104 Private Sites 105 Holiday Sites 105 Equipment and Adaptations 105 Future Approaches to Consultation 106 Lessons for Future Research 106 Updating Evidence on Accommodations Needs and Preferences 107

9. LOCAL PRIORITIES 108 Argyll and Bute 108 West Dunbartonshire 108 East Dunbartonshire 108 Glasgow 108 East Renfrewshire 109 Renfrewshire 109 Inverclyde 109 South Lanarkshire 109 East Ayrshire 109 North Ayrshire 110 South Ayrshire 110

LOCAL AREA PROFILES 111

HOUSEHOLD SURVEY FORM 134

SUMMARY SURVEY FORM FOR UPDATING PURPOSES 146

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

1. SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

The Gypsies/Travellers Population

1.1. Nationally there are no estimates of the total Gypsies/Travellers population because it is difficult to quantify. The majority live in ordinary housing and are generally reluctant to self identify. What is available nationally are estimates of the population residing on official Gypsies/Travellers sites and on known unauthorised encampments. It is the latter which is measured by the Scottish Executive’s Twice Yearly Count.

1.2. The site and encampment based population in Scotland has grown over the last 5 years and now stands at 2400 people or 720 households in summer (July) and 1630 people or 530 households in winter (January) as at 2006. The summer population is therefore almost 50% greater in size than the winter one and this is accounted for by an incoming travelling population of largely English or Irish origin.

1.3. West Central Scotland (as defined by the boundaries of the 11 commissioning local authorities) has not seen the same trend and both summer and winter populations have actually declined since 2001. In 2006 the site or encampment based population stood at 610 people or 190 households and 470 people or 150 households in winter. The summer population is only 27% higher than the winter population – a difference of only around 40 households.

1.4. It is not clear whether the decline in summer population in particular is related to reduced opportunities for encampment based living or a reduction in the popularity of the area among Gypsies/Travellers e.g. as a result of fewer seasonal work opportunities.

1.5. Research evidence suggests that the Gypsies/Travellers population in West Central Scotland is younger in profile than that found nationally; in particular it has a higher proportion of under 16s (42% compared to 37% nationally). The proportion of under 16s in the general population stands at only 18% by comparison.

1.6. This research attempted to estimate the known Gypsies /Travellers winter population living in all forms of accommodation in West Central Scotland including those living on official sites, encampments and in ordinary housing. Due to the difficulty of estimating those in housing and the lack of robust information available the following are likely to be under estimates.

1.7. A total of 1290 people or 415 households were identified as living in West Central Scotland representing around 0.06% of the total population. It is estimated that around 60% of these live in ordinary housing and around 40% on Council/RSL or private sites or encampments.

1.8. The average household size of Gypsies/Travellers households in West Central Scotland is 3.2 persons compared to only 2.2 in the national population. 20% of households have 4 or more persons - almost 4 times the national level.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 1 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

1.9. The biggest concentrations of Gypsies/Travellers are in Argyll and Bute, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire. While West Dunbartonshire is likely to have the highest incidence as a proportion of the total population, numerically South Lanarkshire has the largest population in the region and probably nationally. These live on public and private official sites but the majority are reported to be living in housing. It is estimated that around 400- 450 people (130-150 households) live in (mostly private) housing in South Lanarkshire.

1.10. The Gypsies/Travellers population is not homogenous; it is culturally diverse. Among the winter site and encampment based population 1 in 2 classify themselves as Scottish Travellers and 1 in 5 as Roma/Romany – the 2 largest groups. Only 1 in 7 classify themselves using the generic term Gypsy/Traveller. These cultural differences have a significant influence on accommodation needs and preferences.

Travelling

1.11. Travelling is a much curtailed activity among the site and encampments based population in the region. Only 40% of households travel for significant periods of time (over 4 weeks per year). 30% travel for 2-4 weeks per year usually on holiday and/or visiting relatives, although in the case of the Roma/Romany population travel to Evangelical Christian conventions has become very popular. 30% do not travel at all mostly for health/disability reasons.

1.12. Other reported reasons for the reduction in travel include the reduction in seasonal work opportunities, the loss of traditional stopping places and tougher move on policies by local authorities. There is a perception that ‘the authorities’ are trying to destroy Gypsies/Travellers traditional way of life.

1.13. Private arrangements between Gypsies /Travellers and landowners for encampment purposes are also becoming less common. Gypsies/Travellers have difficulty accessing holiday sites for reasons of discrimination (not being allowed access) and not being able to afford them.

1.14. Among those who travel and are based in the region, travelling is usually beyond its boundaries for example to England, Wales and the north of Scotland although travel to Argyll and Bute, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire is common to some extent. In the case of the latter this is likely to be related to difficulties securing a pitch on an official site in the area.

Employment and Income

1.15. There is some reluctance among Gypsies/Traveller households to reveal details of their full employment and income status; non disclosure of male employment and earnings is common and few claim to be employed either full or part time.

1.16. Nevertheless it is likely that at least 1 in 7 households are dependent on income from self employment, 1 in 4 are retired and 1 in 5 are unemployed /looking for work. At least 7 in 10 households have someone in receipt of benefit.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 2 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

1.17. The majority of households report annual incomes of less than £7800 per year.

Illness and Disability

1.18. The majority of households (around 2 in 3) report someone with a long term limiting illness or disability – twice the national level. Arthritis, and to a lesser extent asthma and mobility problems are the most common conditions

1.19. There is very low awareness of equipment and adaptation services among those living on Council/RSL sites. While there is some evidence of adaptations having been made to amenity blocks to suit the needs of particular households this is not always the case where required. There is a tendency for Gypsies/Travellers to ‘make do’ and not to ask for these services and lack of knowledge as to how to access them. There are particular issues about securing adaptations within the home, improving access to the home and between the home and amenity blocks. There also appears to be a lack of clarity among local authorities/RSLs as to where such responsibilities lie.

Harassment and Discrimination

1.20. 1 in 4 households living on official sites report incidences of harassment or discrimination usually from local people or other Gypsies/Travellers. Family feuds within the Gypsies/Travellers population are quite common and are more likely to cause people to move on from their current accommodation.

1.21. Those living in housing or in encampments were more likely to report harassment or discrimination than those living on official sites.

1.22. There was little reported experience of feeling discriminated against in relation to use of public services among the site based population although being moved on by local authorities or the police when travelling/camping was widely regarded as a form of harassment.

1.23. Fear of intimidation from other Gypsies/Travellers families is a critical reason for not using some official sites and for leading to site closure or sites falling into disuse.

1.24. The discrimination operated by private holiday sites operating a de facto ‘no travellers’ policy is of considerable concern to the population and reported as a further barrier to travelling.

Official Sites

1.25. It is likely that only 33% of Gypsies/Travellers households in West Central Scotland live on official sites be them Council, RSL or privately owned. However they accounted for 70% of all households interviewed for the purposes of this research.

1.26. There are currently 12 official year round sites in the study area - 10 owned by Councils/RSLs and 2 owned privately. There is an additional privately owned seasonal site. All privately owned provision is to be found in South Lanarkshire where the year round sites cater for an almost exclusive Roma/Romany population.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 3 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

1.27. There are an estimated 190 lettable pitches on these sites – 127 on year round Council/RSL sites; 48 on year round private sites and 15 on the seasonal private site.

1.28. Only 7 of the 11 local authority areas in the study area have official site provision; there is no such provision in East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire or Inverclyde.

1.29. The current level of occupancy on Council/RSL sites is currently running at over 80% with only 22 pitches unlet – mostly on sites in Glasgow and Lennoxtown. Other sites are either fully occupied or have only 1 or 2 pitches vacant.

1.30. It is estimated that around 30 pitches are subject to new tenancies each year although the net contribution of these to meeting underlying need for year round site provision is unclear.

1.31. Waiting lists are generally low for official sites but are unlikely to reflect the true level of demand especially for settled popular sites such as Dumbarton and East Kilbride; there are 47 unique applicants currently recorded on lists across the study area, 33 of which are on the list for the Larkhall site.

1.32. 1 in 3 residents of Council/RSL sites rate their site as ‘good’ (few excellent) but 1 in 4 as ‘poor’. Key drivers of satisfaction in relation to the quality of sites are peace and quiet, family/good neighbours on site, good quality site facilities (amenity blocks in particular) and good location for accessing services.

1.33. Key drivers of dissatisfaction are poor quality site facilities (amenity blocks in particular), poor site layout and design, overcrowding and disruptive behaviour, problems with rats and drainage, arrangements for mail delivery and problems with electricity supply.

1.34. Allocation policy, site management and the settlement of disputes between Gypsies/Travellers are other areas of concern. Views of the role played by Site Managers are on the whole very positive and held by the majority of Gypsies/Travellers. However there are concerns in some instances regarding the transparency of pitch allocations which Site Managers are strongly associated with. The key issue here are the tensions between the dominant family on site and others, with the latter tending to see ‘the system’ as being unfair. On the other hand there is an element of practicality here.

1.35. There has been little progress in moving towards needs based allocation systems or requiring accommodation needs based information in terms of the application procedure in line with improvements previously suggested by Communities Scotland. However evidence from this research suggests that this is far from straightforward - without careful selection of new tenants sites could easily become ineffective and abandoned, therefore playing no role in meeting accommodation needs. They also potentially become loss making concerns for Councils/RSLs.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 4 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

1.36. Weekly pitch rents are highly variable across the region ranging from £32 per week to £71 per week – a variance of some 120%; this will to some extent reflect varying levels of service/facilities available. In 4 authorities site rents are higher than for a 3 and 4 apt house. However rent levels did not come out as a key driver of satisfaction in relation to Council/RSL sites and there is no clear relationship between rent levels and perceptions of value for money among Gypsies/Travellers.

1.37. Satisfaction with household accommodation, usually owned by Gypsies/ Travellers themselves, was generally higher than for sites with 1 in 2 rating their home as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’; 1 in 7 rated it as ‘poor’. Warmth and ease of heating was the most important driver of satisfaction followed by having a plumbing connection, space for appliances and being wind and watertight. Sources of dissatisfaction were of the same nature – not easy to heat, not being plumbed in etc.

1.38. Little is known about year round private sites and access could not be successfully negotiated for the purpose of this research. There were some reports of high costs and poor quality facilities from residents who had lived on one or more of these sites previously. There does not seem to be regular inspection arrangements in place by the local authority concerned (South Lanarkshire Council) to monitor the standards of provision on these sites.

Future Accommodation Preferences and Aspirations

1.39. The majority of Gypsies/Travellers taking part in this study favoured living on Council/RSL sites and wanted to continue to do so. Maintaining or improving the quality of site facilities and amenity blocks on a regular basis is regarded as a high priority. The maintenance of site harmony was also considered paramount.

1.40. In terms of household accommodation, preferences were split along ethnicity lines. Among Scottish and Irish Travellers the priority is for plumbed in static vans but there is also considerable interest in the development of chalets or group housing on or near existing sites. This is not the priority among the Roma/Romany population; here the priority is to be able to buy or rent a good quality tourer/trailer or indeed to live in bricks and mortar housing – some aspired to owning their own home.

1.41. 1 in 4 of those living on Council/RSL sites expressed a preference for living in housing, probably in the social rented sector but less than 1 in 3 of those interested had applied to a social landlord to do so.

1.42. The concept of private sites did not appeal among those who had awareness of them (mostly in South Lanarkshire). While there was interest in Gypsies/Travellers themselves developing new provision with the assistance of local authorities, people found it difficult to envisage how hurdles related to funding and planning consent could be overcome. Among Gypsies/Travellers there was a unanimous view that such arrangements would only potentially work if they were on the part of a single family – the concept of private sector provision for mixed ethnicities was anathema.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 5 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

The Need for Additional Year Round Site Provision

1.43. There is no agreed methodology for quantifying the need for different types of accommodation among the Gypsies/Travellers population and this is a very complex area. This includes issues such as the lack of visibility and information on much of this population particularly those living in housing. It also includes issues as to what constitutes accommodation ‘need’, the existence of unused or under used site provision, the fluctuating fortunes of sites etc.

1.44. However based on the research evidence, including the identification of emerging households, the best estimates is that there may be a need for additional provision of 50 pitches across West Central Scotland over the next 5-6 years. However the role of turnover (around 30 pitches per year) needs to be considered although this cannot be considered to wholly contribute to meeting underlying need.

1.45. The key question is where any new provision should be located and this is another complex area. Strong evidence of demand only exists in those authorities who already have settled popular sites and the larger Gypsies/Travellers populations in their area, namely West Dunbartonshire and South Lanarkshire. There is simply little evidence base in areas with little or no provision.

1.46. The evidence suggests that the priority areas for additional official site provision are the Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire areas. While West Dunbartonshire Council has already agreed in principle to examine the case for another site and has a particular site in mind, South Lanarkshire Council are understandably cautious given the already large concentration of site provision and population in their area. There is also a need to consider the situation in neighbouring North Lanarkshire where previous site provision has been unsuccessful or fallen into disuse.

1.47. There is potential interest among Gypsies/Travellers for new year round sites in locations in other local authorities in the study area but real evidence of demand is very limited. These locational preferences tend to be based on previous patterns of provision (closed sites) as in Renfrewshire and proximity to settled populations as in the case of the Ayrshires.

Unauthorised Encampments

1.48. In winter around 1 in 4 Gypsies/Traveller households (23%) live in unauthorised encampments in Scotland rising to over 2 in 5 (44%) in summer. In West Central Scotland the prevalence of summer camping is similar although the increase since 2001 is less consistent; there is little evidence of winter camping.

1.49. Over the last 6 years, there is evidence of unauthorised encampments in 9 of the 11 local authorities involved in this study. The Ayrshires, Argyll and Bute and to a lesser extent Renfrewshire and Inverclyde are the most common areas.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 6 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

1.50. Evidence suggests that evidence from the Twice Yearly Count is likely to be under estimating the true level of unauthorised camping in the region, not least because it only presents a snapshot of its occurrence. There are currently 59 known locations for illegal camping known by the 11 local authorities.

1.51. Unauthorised encampments are associated with a visiting summer population looking for work, holidaying or visiting family – largely of English or Irish origin. The limited incidence of winter camping is likely to be associated with overspill demand for official sites as in the case of Dumbarton.

1.52. Arrangements and responsibilities for managing unauthorised encampments vary between authorities although most have reviewed their procedures following 2004 guidance form the Scottish Executive. The Police have moved to a largely non interventionist role unless there is evidence of criminal activity.

1.53. There is a major transit route for visiting Gypsies/Travellers traversing Ayrshire associated with Irish ferry routes and travelling north and east in Scotland. Summer camping has become a growing and persistent problem for the Ayrshire authorities.

1.54. There is no official transit site provision in the study area. Gypsies/Travellers themselves have mixed views about whether these are likely to be successful and again it is highlighted that they are more likely to work if they are used on a family specific basis. There are fears over different families and ethnicities using such provision at the same time leading to some scepticism as to their chances of success.

1.55. Overall local authorities see the development of transit provision as much less a priority than investing in existing Council/RSL sites or developing new year round provision. This is largely because transit sites would cater for a visiting rather than an indigenous population. The exception is Ayrshire where the 3 authorities, potentially in conjunction with Dumfries and Galloway Council, have some interest in developing a network of transit sites in an effort to more effectively manage the local impact of summer camping.

1.56. There is evidence of other locations where there may be potential demand for transit provision – most notably the Oban area and the southern side of the Clyde estuary – but authorities largely share the view that illegal encampments are ‘manageable’ and see this as a relatively low priority.

Bricks and Mortar Housing

1.57. The majority of Gypsies/Travellers in West Central Scotland, probably at least 3 in 5, are likely to live in ordinary bricks and mortar housing. It is estimated that this accounts for at least 400 households (over 1200 people) but that this is likely to be an under estimate. However little is known about this population not least because of their reluctance to self identify as Gypsies/ Travellers.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 7 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

1.58. The majority of those living in housing are thought to be owner occupiers especially among the Roma/ Romany population. The remainder live in either social rented or private rented housing; use of the latter is often on a winter let only basis. There is a mistrust among those with families of social rented housing in ‘schemes’ which are widely regarded as a poor environment in which to bring up children.

1.59. Housed Gypsies/Travellers tend to cluster in areas traditionally popular and around site based populations – most notably in South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and to al lesser extent Argyll and Bute.

1.60. Other authorities in the study area report little or no knowledge of housed populations although evidence from this research suggests that they do exist. Evidence of housed Gypsies/Travellers families were identified in 10 of the 11 local authority areas.

1.61. Many of those living in housing continue to travel and indeed some find it easier to do so compared to site based living as they are not subject to the same restrictions.

1.62. There are a mix of push and pull factors at play in the choice made by some Gypsies/Travellers to live in housing. ‘Push’ factors include lack of space on existing official sites, disputes/difficulties with other families and official sites with unused capacity not being seen as an option for a variety of reasons, most significantly because of negative family associations and fear of intimidation. ‘Pull’ factors for moving to housing include wanting to improve health circumstances, looking for a change and to ‘have a break from relatives’.

1.63. One in four of those living on Council/RSL sites have an interest in living in housing. Those with experience of living in social rented or private rented housing are more likely to report experiencing harassment than those living on official sites.

Information and Advice

1.64. Gypsies/Travellers largely depend on family members and others within their population for information and advice. It is common for certain individuals to assume a lead role in this regard on official sites for example in an advocacy or consultative role in relation to statutory authorities.

1.65. Site Managers also play an important role in providing information and advice and acting as an intermediary with authorities although the extent of their involvement and range of services provided seems to vary across the study area.

1.66. Doctors play an important role and are seen as a reliable source including going beyond health matters. 1 in 10 have made use of Citizen’s Advice Services often related to welfare rights/benefits issues.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 8 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

Tenancy Rights and Responsibilities

1.67. Among those living on Council/RSL sites almost 1 in 3 claim to ‘know nothing’ or are ‘not sure’ about what their tenancy agreement says about landlord and tenant responsibilities. A substantial minority have no recall of seeing a tenancy agreement.

1.68. However awareness of key service areas is high including repairs responsibilities, how to report a repair, making a complaint, querying their rent and what to do in an emergency. 80-90% of those interviewed knew what to do in each of these situations although awareness of emergency arrangements and contact details could be improved on a few sites.

Consultation Arrangements

1.69. Views on being involved in consultation and what constitutes appropriate mechanisms and structures are mixed among Gypsies/Travellers in West Central Scotland. However views tend to be clear about what is not wanted. Patterns of kinship and fractious politics between different families have a considerable bearing on what is regarded as acceptable.

1.70. There is little appetite for national or regional associations representing Gypsies/Travellers or individual representatives at this level. There is considerable mistrust and scepticism about the ability of those who may chose to be involved at this level to speak collectively on behalf of individuals or particular families.

1.71. There is a strong preference for face to face communication and the preferred consultation mechanisms are a mix of site based meetings and individual consultation/communication. Formal structures such as Residents/Tenants Associations, which exist on some Council/RSL sites but not others are not necessarily required; regular site meetings can be just as effective as long as they seek to engage with all tenants e.g. not just the dominant family.

1.72. The majority of Gypsies/Travellers want to have their say in future consultations - over 3 in 5 were in favour of getting involved, although a sizeable minority do not. Among the latter are older people, including previous activists, who feel it is time for younger members of the community to play this role.

Overarching Priorities

1.73. This report identifies a number of overarching priorities for consideration and action by the commissioning authorities for this research. Some of these priorities are likely to require to be pursued at national level e.g. with the Scottish Executive, Communities Scotland or national good practice networks. The subjects of these priorities include:

Overall priorities for site investment – investing in existing sites as well as investing in new sites or new forms of provision

Allocations policy on Council/RSL sites

Private sites

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 9 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

Holiday sites

Equipments and adaptations

Future approaches to consultation

Lessons for future research

Updating evidence on accommodation needs and preferences.

Local Priorities

1.74. A number of priorities specific to each of the 11 commissioning authorities are also presented. These address issues in relation to existing official sites, additional year round site and/or transit site provision.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 10 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2. INTRODUCTION

Background

2.1. In August 2006 Craigforth was commissioned to conduct a wide-ranging accommodation needs assessment of Gypsies/Travellers in West Central Scotland. Recognising the potential for economies of scale and strategic oversight as well as the potential for maximising the sample population the research was jointly commissioned by the following 11 local authorities and Communities Scotland:

Argyll and Bute West Dunbartonshire East Dunbartonshire Glasgow East Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Inverclyde South Lanarkshire East Ayrshire North Ayrshire South Ayrshire

2.2. The research was commissioned specifically to assist the 11 local authorities in the development and updating of their local housing strategies (LHS). The commission originated through the joint working of the authorities under the umbrella of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley LHS Group.

2.3. It should be noted that although a member of that group North Lanarkshire Council decided not to take part in the study due to competing research priorities at the time of commissioning. The authority reports that it is exploring the issue of local accommodation and support needs through its Gypsies/Travellers Liaison Group. There are potentially some implications for the Council arising from the findings of this report.

2.4. Dumfries and Galloway Council is not a member of the group and therefore was not a commissioning partner of the research. However this Council has had a number of early discussions with the 3 Ayrshire Councils about working together on a joint strategy for the development of transit site provision for Gypsies/Travellers in the South West of Scotland.

National Context

2.5. Since the inception of devolved government in Scotland there has been considerable activity in policy and legislation focused on the Gypsies/Travellers population. The report of the Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee (EOC, June 2001) inquiry into Gypsies/Travellers and Public Sector Policies1 and the subsequent response from the Scottish Executive initiated an ongoing reassessment of policy related to Gypsies/Travellers.

1 Inquiry into Gypsy Travellers and Public Sector Policies, Equal Opportunities Committee’s 1st Report, The Scottish Parliament., 2001 An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 1 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.6. The EOC’s final report covered almost all aspects of government policy from education to healthcare, as well as covering site accommodation and housing. Specifically the report recommended that local needs assessments for Gypsies/Travellers accommodation be a component of LHS.

2.7. The report also recommended that the term ’Gypsy Traveller’ or ‘Gypsy and Traveller’ be capitalised and that they be officially recognised as a distinct ethnic and cultural minority and as ‘specific community of interest in the implementation of the Parliament’s equality strategy’.

2.8. While ‘Gypsies/Travellers’ (the contracted term now in official use) have still to be confirmed as a racial group, Scottish Executive guidance has required local authorities to treat them as a de facto ethnic group including a requirement to incorporate Gypsies/Travellers into their ethnic monitoring systems.

2.9. Published in October 2001, the Executive’s response to the EOC2 placed the regulation and inspection of the management and provision of Gypsies/Travellers sites within the remit of Communities Scotland (then Scottish Homes). The executive agency was also charged with working with local authorities to assess accommodation needs for both sites and housing and to work with social landlords to develop innovative models of housing provision, in consultation with Gypsies/Travellers.

2.10. The 2001 Housing (Scotland) Act requires local authorities to prepare LHS for their area and the majority of LHS were first produced in 2004. Communities Scotland guidance on developing LHS makes specific reference to assessing the accommodation needs of Gypsies/Travellers. This responsibility has been re-emphasised by a request for authorities to report on progress in assessing and meeting the needs of Gypsies/ Travellers in their LHS annual updates of 2006 and 2007. Revised LHS guidance due out later this year will contain updated and revised equalities sections including a focus on addressing the needs of Gypsies/Travellers.

2.11. In 2002, in line with its new responsibilities in relation to Gypsies/Travellers services and as part of its wider performance standards applied to social landlords, Communities Scotland has set the following standard against which local authorities performance will be assessed:

‘We plan and provide or arrange good quality serviced stopping places for Gypsies/Travellers. We let pitches in a way that ensures fair and open access for all. We take Gypsies/Travellers views into account in delivering our services, and we are responsive to their needs.’

2 Response to the Equal Opportunities Committee Report 2001, Scottish Executive, 2001 An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 2 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.12. To initially test performance against this standard and to inform future regulation and inspection practice the executive agency conducted a thematic study involving 8 local authorities which was published in 20023. Although it gave a positive assessment of Councils efforts to improve strategic planning, site facilities and to negotiate fair electricity tariffs it identified significant weaknesses in long-term planning for site improvements, financial planning, the cost of renting a pitch and a lack of robust information on what Gypsies/Travellers both needed and wanted. The report identified a number of ‘areas for improvement’ to be considered by all local authorities in Scotland.

2.13. A follow up thematic study was undertaken in 2005/06 involving a further 6 local authorities4. Communities Scotland found progress to have been intermittent and in some cases disappointing. The report recommended that councils should make improvements in the following specific areas:

Include Gypsies/Travellers as a specific group in ethnic monitoring processes

Review approach to consultation with Gypsies/Travellers on established sites and elsewhere in the community

Improve the handling and monitoring of satisfaction and complaints

Review site rents and service charges on a regular basis to ensure they are affordable and reasonable

Put in place and fund cyclical maintenance programmes to maintain and improve site amenities

Ensure Gypsies/Travellers needs and aspirations are properly reflected in strategic planning documents – specifically in LHS

Assess training needs for site managers – and ensure they attend courses.

2.14. In 2005 the Scottish Parliament’s EOC published a report reviewing progress since its first report in 2001 discussed above. Although final recommendations have yet to be made in relation to accommodation issues it was concluded that progress has been ‘inadequate’ and ‘disappointingly slow’. It was recognised that there remains a lack of accurate and up to date data on Gypsies/Travellers and their accommodation needs and that needs assessments should be undertaken across Scotland.

3 Of the commissioning authorities for this research study only Glasgow took part. 4 3 of the 6 authorities featured in this study are commissioning partners for this research – Argyll and Bute, East Dunbartonshire and North Ayrshire. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 3 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.15. The reason firm recommendations were not made was that the Scottish Executive had set up a short life Strategic Group on Gypsies/Travellers to examine issues highlighted by its recent Race Equality Review. This group aims to develop an action plan to improve services to Gypsies/Travellers and has considered accommodation issues as part of its remit. This group completed its work in June 2006 and a draft report has been submitted to the EOC for its consideration.

Aims and Objectives of the Research

2.16. The overall aim of this study is to identify and quantify Gypsies/Travellers accommodation needs over the next 5 years in West Central Scotland5 as well as providing some insight into likely longer term requirements. The research brief asked to identify the need for accommodation and services in relation to:

Private sites

Socially rented residential sites

Transit/short stay sites

Affordable bricks and mortar housing (short stay and permanent)

and where in broad geographical terms any identified needs might best be met.

2.17. A detailed specification for the scope of the study was provided as well as a range of anticipated outcomes and these can be summarised as follows:

To profile the population and household characteristics and existing accommodation circumstances of Gypsies/Travellers within the area

To explore key motivations, intentions and preferences regarding travel and lifestyle patterns and how these impact on accommodation requirements

To assess satisfaction with existing accommodation solutions and arrangements and whether they meet household needs (including any particular needs) and preferences

To profile and estimate households with identifiable accommodation needs (both current and emerging) that will require to be addressed within the next 5 years; this should include what types of accommodation should be provided and broadly where

To explore household intentions to move and whether this will free up spare accommodation capacity

To identify any wider support requirements and service needs

5 As defined by the 11 commissioning authorities boundaries i.e. excluding North Lanarkshire An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 4 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

To consider current provision in terms of its fitness for purpose, quality and management

To gather information on unauthorised sites

To gauge levels of awareness among Gypsies/Travellers of their rights and their experiences in exercising these.

2.18. In addition the study was asked to consider a means of annually updating its findings that would be cost and time effective, as well as more generally improving consultation with the Gypsies/Travellers population.

2.19. At the first Steering Group meeting it was agreed that the research was not to include Show Traveller or New (Age) traveller populations as these were not included in the official definition of the Gypsies/Travellers ethnic community and that these groups did not identify with that community.

Research Methodology

2.20. The research method used for this study had 4 key strands:

Stage 1 Collaborative Research Planning and Design Stage 2 Literature Review and Analysis of Existing Data Sources Stage 3 Household Survey of Gypsies/Travellers Stage 4 Assessment and Consultation on Research Findings and Emerging Priorities

2.21. The above strands were not sequential but overlapped to some extent especially in the study’s earlier stages. The study started in early September 2006 with a view to reporting by the end of March 2007. The timing of the study inevitably meant that the fieldwork would be focused on capturing the winter Gypsies/Travellers population.

Collaborative Research Planning and Design

2.22. This approach to planning and designing the research involved consultation with key stakeholder interests including local authority representatives, site managers, leading agencies with experience and knowledge of the Gypsies/Travellers population and Gypsies/Travellers themselves.

2.23. This stage of the research firstly involved a programme of key telephone interviews with individuals who represented a wide range of interests, responsibilities and perspectives including Strathclyde Police, COSLA, members of the Steering Group for the research, Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), Scottish Traveller Education Programme (STEP), Scottish Enterprise, a site manager, a Gypsies/Travellers education liaison officer and Lochaber Routes (a Gypsies/Travellers community development project operating on the North West coast)6

6 Towards the end of the research Craigforth were advised that the Lochaber Routes service had come to an end. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 5 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.24. These interviews explored participants’ knowledge and experience of the Gypsies/Travellers population and accommodation related issues including encampments. They were asked for any advice they may have in how best to access the research population and how best to ensure their participation as well as what they would like to see come out of the research.

2.25. The opportunity also arose at this stage to attend a meeting of the national Site Manager’s Association held in Girvan. This provided the opportunity to tap into current site management and related issues as well as an opportunity to meet many of those who would play a critical role in achieving maximum participation of the residents living on official sites.

2.26. Thereafter 2 focus groups were held – one with agency and local authority representatives and one with Gypsies/Travellers. The agency focus group included some of those who had taken part in the earlier key interviews but in addition included environmental health, housing management and community development representation from local authorities as well as representation from Communities Scotland and the Scottish Executive. The Communities Scotland representative had been involved in the most recent thematic study while the Executive’s representative had been the senior officer responsible for Gypsies/Travellers policy matters. The Gypsies/Travellers focus group brought together residents from 2 official sites – East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire and Dumbarton in West Dunbartonshire.

2.27. Discussion at all these groups was lively and focused on the proposed research approach, how best to approach Gypsies/Travellers and a draft list of topics that would form the basis of a questionnaire survey to be used in the fieldwork.

2.28. The key points that arose from the key interviews and the focus group discussions and informed the future direction of the research were:

The majority thought that only a face to face interview approach would work

There was some scepticism about the extent to which Gypsies/ Travellers would co-operate and a view that the scope of the questionnaire content was too ambitious and intrusive

The importance of using Gypsies/Travellers and site managers as intermediaries was emphasised

It was important to capture the views of young people which may be distinct from their parents

The principle of using ‘snowball sampling’ (using family networks to access people with a range of characteristics and accommodation circumstances) was endorsed

The importance of using plain language when speaking to Gypsies/ Travellers was emphasised and some detailed revisions to wording of proposed questions were recommended.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 6 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.29. Following on from the Gypsies/Travellers focus group another opportunity arose to consult with the Romany Youth Action Group which is based in Dumbarton and involves 10-18 year olds. This was a less structured discussion and focused mainly on accommodation issues and preferences.

2.30. These meetings had an important influence on the ultimate shape and direction of the fieldwork. This collaborative approach to research planning and design ensured that Gypsies/Travellers and those who worked with them could ‘buy into’ and invest in the research, as well as preparing the research team for the task of conducting what was to be an extensive programme of fieldwork.

Literature Review and Analysis of Existing Data Sources

2.31. This stage involved reviewing the content of recent research publications and government reports on Gypsies/Travellers focusing on findings in relation to how best to research this population and on identifying accommodation needs and preferences. Key publications reviewed included:

Twice Yearly Counts of Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland by the Scottish Executive

EOC reports and Scottish Executive responses

Communities Scotland Thematic Studies (2002 and 2005/06)

Department of Communities and Local Government draft practice guidance on Gypsies/Travellers accommodation assessments

A variety of recent relevant research studies.

2.32. The Twice Yearly Counts provided an essential framework for understanding the Gypsy/Traveller population in the study area and this was of great assistance in the early planning of the research. It also summarised current knowledge on site provision and recent encampment activity in the 11 local authority areas, which was then able to be tested through the research.

2.33. In addition to this a series of data requests were issued to each of the participating local authorities and these collected information on:

Key contacts among local authority staff to facilitate the research The range of information held and data sources Official sites – provision, amenities, occupancy, turnover, resident profile, waiting list etc Rents – for official sites and housing Unauthorised encampments – patterns of incidence Housing – evidence/estimates of those living in housing or homeless accommodation Social rented housing and homeless applications including applicant characteristics Any useful social work or education data that may be held.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 7 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.34. Information collected about official sites and rents was generally the most comprehensive and reliable. With a few exceptions local authorities and social landlords did not monitor housing and homeless applications from, or allocations made to, Gypsies/Travellers, although many had plans to do so in the future. This meant that information on those living in housing was generally poor/not officially held but anecdotal evidence was forthcoming in some instances. With the exception of school records in South Lanarkshire (which confirmed the likely scale of Gypsies/Travellers living in housing), education and social work services/records did not prove a useful source of data.

2.35. It should be noted at this stage that very little data evidence was available from 6 of the 11 commissioning authorities. This included 2 authorities who had official sites but which were empty and 4 authorities with no official sites, although the majority had some experience of unauthorised encampments. These authorities generally had little direct experience or knowledge of the Gypsies/Travellers population.

Household Survey of Gypsies/Travellers

2.36. The fieldwork stage of this study involved a large scale household survey based on a questionnaire covering a wide range of topics but focused largely on profiling households and identifying accommodation needs and preferences. In depth face to face interviews between the researchers and Gypsies/Travellers were used to complete the survey in the majority of cases although a number of housed travellers were interviewed by telephone.

2.37. The household survey involved 3 different questionnaires with common core questions for:

Those on official/private sites Those on encampments Those in housing.

2.38. The questionnaire used for those living on official/private sites was by far the most extensive and was used as a basis for developing the others. A copy of this questionnaire can be found as Appendix 1 to this report. As noted earlier some concerns had been voiced about the range of topics and the number of questions involved and the potential impact this may have on the willingness of participants to take part. The content however was largely determined by the scope of the research brief for the study and the stated requirements of the commissioning authorities.

2.39. It was also important that questions were asked that were consistent with more general housing needs assessments carried out by local authorities to ensure that results were to some extent compatible. When combined with researching what is a quite complex population (e.g. in terms of lifestyle and household arrangements) it became apparent that the questionnaire would necessarily be long and complex.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 8 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.40. Questionnaire design was very much an iterative process from the early consultation stage right through to finalisation. Various drafts of the questionnaire were prepared and circulated to all members of the Steering Group for comment and approval. The questionnaire content and design was also reviewed once it was piloted in the field before finalisation. The pilot took place on the Dumbarton (West Dunbartonshire) site where strong links with residents had been developed from the first stage of the research.

2.41. In the end the content consisted of a largely open ended interview schedule to reflect the great variety of potential responses that were anticipated in the case of the majority of questions. However for certain core questions answers were categorised at the time of interview or later where this proved feasible.

2.42. Following finalisation of the questionnaire to be used on official sites, alternative versions were developed and agreed for those on encampments and those living in housing. These were shorter questionnaires to reflect practical considerations in the case of encampments (e.g. the prospect of interviewing on a road side) and the fewer information requirements in the case of the housed population.

2.43. Interviews generally took between 30 and 50 minutes and were conducted on a face to face basis on sites, usually in the site office or in their own home. An advance publicity campaign using flyers delivered to each pitch was targeted at each site in turn one week before the planned visit by the research team. A few days nearer the time the site or service manager was contacted to check levels of interest and also to enlist their support in trying to raise these further.

2.44. Given the small numbers of this population present even at the regional level it was decided to aim for a 100% sampling of all households living on official sites i.e. every household would have the opportunity to take part in the research. For those harder-to-reach groups of Gypsies/Travellers living in encampments or in houses it was planned to access these through ‘snowball sampling’. In snowball sampling research participants are encouraged to identify family and friends who might be willing to take part in the research, and in some cases, might even make an initial introduction. The research proceeded on the basis that one person from each pitch/household on official sites would be interviewed, and to achieve whatever was possible with encampments, private sites and housed Gypsies/Travellers.

2.45. The sampling approach developed further once in the field and in consultation with the Steering Group it was decided to take more than one interview from a pitch if that participant was either an adult male under 50 or a young person – both groups that are traditionally difficult to reach in this kind of study. During the research the site at Lennoxtown in East Dunbartonshire was vacated and a short exit survey designed by Craigforth was completed for 3 households by the site manager. One household who moved on to the Glasgow site at the time of reporting was interviewed by an education liaison officer; this used the same full questionnaire used for other interviews on official sites.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 9 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.46. A provisional target of 100-150 interviews for the research was agreed with the Steering Group. A total of 107 interviews were achieved and a detailed breakdown by location and accommodation type is provided below. These 107 interviews represent a total of 97 households.

Table 1: Achieved Sample: Number of Interviews

Official Private Encamps House Total Sites Sites Argyll & Bute 23 - - 3 26 West Dunbartonshire 18 - 10 4 32 East Dunbartonshire 3 exit - - - 3 Glasgow 1 - - 1 2 East Renfrewshire - - - - 0 Renfrewshire - - - - 0 Inverclyde - - - - 0 South Lanarkshire 18 2 - 1 21 East Ayrshire - - - 1 1 North Ayrshire 7 - - 6 13 South Ayrshire 8 - - 1 9 TOTAL 78 2 10 17 107 Source: Craigforth 2007

2.47. On the official sites 78 interviews were achieved from 90 occupied pitches. While in a few cases more than one was interviewed from each household, this still represents an excellent response rate of well over 80%. It could potentially have been near 100% had it not been for factors such as recent bereavements and recent disputes between families.

2.48. Establishing a good rapport, building up trust and securing the co-operation of site managers, other service managers and members of the Gypsies/ Travellers community was very important and proved a critical success factor in achieving this high response.

2.49. However it was not always possible to secure co-operation within the study timescale and this was particularly true in relation to private sites in South Lanarkshire7. Only 2 interviews were achieved on a private seasonal site; in this case involving the site manager and family. On the 2 year round private sites access proved impossible.

2.50. The 10 interviews achieved in encampments were derived from an opportunity that arose when fieldwork was underway on the official Dumbarton site. The encampment had only recently arrived and many were related to those living on the official site and access to them was easily achieved. There were some reports of other encampments for example in Campbeltown and Mull but these were unable to be visited as part of the research due to the uncertainty as to whether they were occupied at the time as well as their physical remoteness.

7 While there were passing mentions by Gypsies/Travellers of private sites in other local authority areas these were not confirmed by the local authorities concerned. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 10 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

2.51. It was recognised from the outset that Gypsies/Travellers settled in bricks and mortar housing were something of an unknown – not included in the Twice Yearly Count and not usually captured through ethnic monitoring used in social housing and homelessness application and allocation processes. Furthermore, it was recognised that such individuals were often reluctant to identify themselves as Gypsies/Travellers.

2.52. The research team came across a number of housed Gypsies/Travellers who were identified not only by using snowball sampling but also with the assistance of local authorities, housing associations, site managers, community development workers and adult literacy tutors. A total of 17 interviews were achieved. Towards the end of the fieldwork period additional populations were identified that could have been contacted given more time.

2.53. The majority of survey respondents were female reflecting, in part, the matriarchal nature of Gypsies/Travellers society and the tendency for females to take the lead role in public life/dealings with non Gypsies/Travellers8. It also reflects the practicalities of who was available for interview at the time of visiting sites. 75% of interviewees were female and 25% male.

2.54. The 107 completed interviews provided a wealth of data on Gypsies/ Travellers households currently living in West Central Scotland. All details of completed questionnaires were data entered and tabulated into a spreadsheet form to aid interpretation of research results and cross referencing. Where possible information was quantified; where the information was clearly qualitative in nature it was analysed thematically.

Assessment and Consultation on Research Findings and Emerging Priorities

2.55. During this final stage the results of the fieldwork were triangulated with data and information gathered in the earlier stages of the research to build an overall picture of existing provision and possible future requirements. A presentation of interim findings was made to the Steering Group.

2.56. Following this there was a series of focus groups and workshops which discussed the key findings, issues arising and considered options for moving forward in addressing the emerging priorities. This began with an options workshop held with the whole Steering Group followed by 2 more detailed workshops organised on the basis of geographical groupings of authorities. These allowed more detailed consideration of the evidence of need and to identify possible solutions.

2.57. There were also 2 further focus groups held with Gypsies/Travellers organised on a geographical basis to discuss the research findings and options for addressing future accommodation needs. One group involved residents from the Dumbarton (West Dunbartonshire) and Dunoon (Argyll and Bute) official sites, the second residents from Larkhall (South Lanarkshire) and Girvan (South Ayrshire).

8 Gypsy Masculinities and the School-Hone Interface: Exploring Contradictions and Tensions, Martin P. Levinson and Andrew C Sparkes, British Journal of Sociology of Education, Vol. 24, No.5, November 2003. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 11 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 INTRODUCTION

Structure of this Report

2.58. The main body of this report is structures as follows:

Section 2 examines the Gypsies/Travellers population in West Central Scotland including cultural definitions, population/ household distribution and characteristics, emerging households etc. It also considers aspects of the population’s behaviour (e.g. travelling) and experience e.g. harassment and discrimination that can influence accommodation needs and preferences.

Section 3 considers existing provision of official sites, Gypsies/Travellers opinions of living on such official sites, key drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, evidence of demand and the need for additional provision.

Section 4 deals with unauthorised encampments – levels and patterns of activity, reasons for camping illegally, enforcement by statutory authorities, views on, and potential priorities for, the development of transit site provision.

Section 5 looks at the incidence and experience of those Gypsies/Travellers who have lived, or are living, in bricks and mortar housing; it identifies a range of push and pull factors that influence choices to live in housing.

Section 6 covers a range of related issues such as information and advice, tenancy rights and responsibilities and consultation arrangements; it looks at Gypsies/Travellers experience and awareness as well as preferences for future services, participation and being kept informed.

Sections 7 and 8 set out a range of overarching and local priorities for consideration and action arising from the research findings.

2.59. The report includes a number of appendices including:

Appendix 1 Local Area Profiles - a series of profiles for each local authority area covering existing provision, issues and future priorities for consideration

Appendix 2 Household Survey Form - used for surveying those Gypsies/ Travelers living on official sites (abridged versions of this form were used to survey those living in unauthorised encampments and in housing

Appendix 3 Summary Survey Form for Updating Purposes – an abridged version of the full survey form that can potentially be used for updating accommodation needs and preferences data on an ongoing basis.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 12 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3. GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Defining Gypsies/Travellers

3.1. The term Gypsies/Travellers embraces various sub groups within this population, reflecting diverse national and cultural origins including - Scottish Travellers, Irish Travellers, Roma/Romany, English or Welsh Travellers and those who identify as Gypsy Travellers/Scottish Gypsy Travellers. The latter term(s) can be interchangeable with Gypsies/Travellers, but can also relate more specifically to those who claim a mixed Romany/Scottish Traveller ancestry.

3.2. The definition of the Gypsies/Travellers population excludes Occupational Travellers (Travelling Show People/Show Travellers or Circus People) and New/New Age Travellers9.

3.3. Identities among the Gypsies/Travellers population can not only be fluid but they can also involve further distinctions among and between sub groups. Recognising that the term Gypsies/Travellers was not necessarily favoured (or recognised) by all the population, this research encouraged all interviewees to self-identify. A list of known definitions were supplied, but respondents were not limited to these choices.

3.4. The table below shows the breakdown of respondents by identity. In this West Central Scotland research Scottish travellers are by far the biggest group representing over 1 in 2 (53%) of the Gypsies/Travellers population. The next biggest groups were Roma/Romany, around 1 in 6 of the total followed by Gypsy Traveller accounting for around another 1 in 8.

Table 2: Identity of Interview Respondents

Identity Number % Scottish Traveller 57 53% Roma/Romany 18 17% Gypsy Traveller 14 13% Irish Traveller 7 7% English Traveller 3 3% Scottish Gypsy Traveller 2 2% Romany Traveller 1 <1% Gypsy 1 <1% British Citizen 1 <1% Unknown (not asked) 3 3% TOTAL 107 100% Source: Craigforth 2007

9 This is the definition advocated by the Scottish Executive and supported by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 13 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.5. Very few respondents – only 5 of 104 – chose not to use the main known definitions. In 3 of these 5 cases hybrid terms were used combining either Scottish or Romany with Traveller. One respondent preferred the term ‘gypsy’ while the remaining interviewee asked to be identified as a ‘British citizen’ and resented the notion that they were in any way ‘ethnic’.

3.6. Among those of English origin the term Romany was to some extent interchangeable with English Traveller especially in the South Lanarkshire area. One family who were interviewed and later took part in a focus group discussion asked for their identity to be corrected from Scottish Traveller to Romany. There were also evidence of some ‘fluidity’ between the Gypsy Traveller category and both Scottish Traveller or Romany depending on context.

3.7. Some respondents having followed the annual route of fairs across Scotland and England identified themselves in part with the Show Traveller community.

3.8. Overall the term ‘Traveller’ was used frequently by almost all respondents although one Scottish Traveller felt that the apparently defunct term ‘tinker’ had always been ‘good enough for him’.

3.9. Based on household interview evidence the research was able to confirm the identity of around 306 Gypsies/Travellers living in West Central Scotland, 225 of which were based on Council sites. This is likely to represent only around 24% of the total population (discussed later) but over 80% of the site based population. The table below shows the distribution of this population by identity for each of the local authority areas. Key points to note are:

The vast majority of Scottish Travellers are to be found in the adjoining authorities of West Dunbartonshire and Argyll and Bute

The majority of Roma/Romany are to be found in South Lanarkshire

The small number of Irish Travellers are to be found largely in Ayrshire and North Ayrshire in particular

Those identifying themselves as Gypsies/Travellers are spread across the region.

Table 3: Identity by Local Authority Area (inc. Housed Gypsies/Travellers)

Scottish Irish Roma/ Gypsy Other/ Local Authority Traveller Traveller Romany Traveller Unknown No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Argyll and Bute 43 27% 0 0% 9 17% 14 25% 5 17% West Dunbartonshire 91 58% 0 0% 0 0% 3 5% 6 20% East Dunbartonshire 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 10 33% Glasgow 4 3% 0 0% 2 4% 0 0% 0 0% South Lanarkshire 8 5% 3 15% 29 54% 11 20% 8 27% East Ayrshire 0 0% 4 20% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% North Ayrshire 5 3% 13 65% 6 11% 8 33% 0 0% South Ayrshire 6 4% 0 0% 8 15% 9 16% 1 3% TOTAL 157 100% 20 100% 54 100% 45 100% 30 100% Source: Craigforth 2007; percentages may not sum due to rounding An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 14 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Counting Gypsies/Travellers

3.10. The Gypsies/Travellers population is notoriously difficult to quantify. While the level of travelling activity partly accounts for this, many Gypsies/Travellers (especially those in bricks and mortar housing) are themselves resistant to being counted or identified as such and accordingly slip through the ‘net’ of many surveys and studies, including the Census.

3.11. Published by the Scottish Executive, the Twice Yearly Count of Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland10 (undertaken by local authorities) is the single most important source of available information on the Gypsies/Traveller population. The Count takes place in January and July of each year and has been running since July 1998.

3.12. It amounts largely to a count of pitches on sites (on official sites) and trailers (on encampments). Generally a pitch or trailer is assumed to represent one household unless there is information to suggest otherwise (which can be the case on official sites where more detail tends to be known about household structures and relationships). Estimates of total population are based on actual population and household counts on official sites and the application of an average household size (based on data from official sites) to the number of pitches/trailers in private sites and encampments.

3.13. The average household size assumption has varied quite considerably since the count began and a small degree of change in this assumption e.g. from 3.0 to 3.4 can mean a relatively large change in estimated population levels. It has to be recognised that the Count is more an estimate of households based on a count of pitches/trailers than it is an estimate of the population.

3.14. The count does not extend to Gypsies/ Travellers who are living in housing and is therefore essentially a count of the site/encampment based population only.

3.15. The Twice Yearly Counts in England and Wales have been subject to some criticism about their accuracy and it is a commonly held view that they underestimate the level of the Gypsies/Travellers population11. Identified issues include inconsistency in data gathering and recording, underestimating unauthorised encampments etc and the count system there has recently been the subject of review12.

3.16. In terms of the Scottish count it is acknowledged that similar underestimation is likely to be occurring for example due to a lack of detailed knowledge of private sites and the true extent of unauthorised encampment activity (e.g. outside of the count dates13.

10 Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland: The Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive Social Research, 1998- 2006 (ongoing) 11 The UK Parliament: Select Committee on ODPM: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions, Thirteenth Report, 2004 12 Gypsies Travellers in West Midlands, Pat Niner, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, 2005 13 Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland: The Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive Social Research, July 2006 p.15

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 15 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.17. Through this research some minor discrepancies with the count were identified. This included instances of both over and under estimation of provision/population in relation to private sites. It also seems likely that the recording of unauthorised encampment activity/population may be being underestimated.

3.18. One particular issue arose in relation to a private site in East Renfrewshire (Barrhead) which has consistently featured in the count as a Gypsies/ Travellers site (16 pitches/households). The guidance notes for the count have not been specific about the definition of Gypsies/Travellers in line with other Scottish Executive guidance i.e. they have not specifically stated that Occupational/ Show Travellers and New (Age) Travellers should be excluded although in practice this is what other local authorities have been doing e.g. Glasgow City has not been reporting its quite substantial site based Show Travellers population.

3.19. The Barrhead site is currently a Show Travellers site and therefore should not be included in the count although it may have been more mixed in ethnicity in previous years14. For the purposes of this research estimates of households/population from the count have been adjusted to take the site’s exclusion into account when comparison is being made with the findings of this research.

3.20. However this research attempts to go beyond the scope of the Count and estimate not only the site based population but also numbers living in ordinary housing providing total population estimates for the West Central Scotland area.

Population Levels

Based on the Twice Yearly Count

3.21. The most recent national estimate of July 2006 reported that there were just over 2400 Gypsies/Travellers living on sites in Scotland. This compared with a January 2006 population of 1630. This suggests that the summer population is almost 50% greater than the winter one and that there are almost 800 more Gypsies/Travellers on sites/encampments at that time of year.

3.22. This higher summer population is likely to be associated with families from other parts of the UK, most notably Ireland and England, coming to Scotland to seek work, to go on holiday and/or visit family. However it should also be noted at this time of year many of those resident in Scotland will also be travelling outside Scotland.

3.23. At national level both the summer and winter populations have fluctuated year on year since 2002 but the overall trend is one of increasing population levels15.

14 This is the view of East Renfrewshire Council 15 The earlier Twice Yearly Counts of 2002 and 2003 did not provide total site based population estimates. For the purposes of this research the same method of estimating population as adopted in later studies has been applied. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 16 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.24. This has been much less consistently the case with the winter population which fluctuated between 1300 and 1370 between 2002 and 2005. However 2006 saw a quite significant increase of 19% over the previous year to reach a recent peak of 1630. The average over the 5 year period was 1390.

3.25. The summer population has seen a more consistent increase year on year since 2002 but also saw a large increase of 16% between 2005 and 2006 reaching a total of 2400 (although this may be an overestimate)16. The 5 year average was 1990.

3.26. At the West Central Scotland level (i.e. the study area for this research) the count suggests that the summer population has fluctuated between 500 and 700 since 2002 and averaged around 610. The winter population on the other hand has fluctuated less ranging between 380 and 470 and averaging 430. This suggests that on average the summer population is just over 40% higher than the winter one; while this is a substantial difference it is less so than at the national level where the equivalent differential was nearer 50%.

3.27. West Central Scotland did not see the substantial increase in both summer and winter populations between 2005 and 2006 experienced nationally. The winter population increased by 10%, around half the national rate, although it still reached a 5 year peak of 470. The summer population on the other hand rose by only 4% to 610 but was down on the 2004 level by some 13%.

3.28. The table below shows the estimated site based population at both national and West Central Scotland levels derived from the count over the last 5 years.

Table 4: Total Site Based Population 2002-2006

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 SCOTLAND January 1350 1290 1310 1370 1630 July 1730 1800 1960 2080 2400 WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND January 390 380 460 430 470 July 640 520 700 590 610 Source: Twice Yearly Count (adjusted) Scottish Executive

3.29. The summer and winter site based populations in West Central Scotland have both accounted for an average 31% of the national population since 2002 but in 2006 this had dropped to 29% for the winter population and only 25% of the summer population. As a comparator the 11 local authorities account for 37% of Scotland’s general population.

16 The 2006 summer estimate was based on an average household size of 3.3 compared to only 3.0 used in summer 2005. If the latter had been applied this year it would have suggested a similar population level to the previous year. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 17 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Based on the Research Findings

3.30. As noted earlier the fieldwork for the research took place in November and early December and therefore represents a count of the winter/year round population rather than summer population. Due to the inclusion of many housed travellers the following population estimates are not comparable with those of the Twice Yearly Count.

3.31. The following population estimates are derived from a mix of (a) actual population recorded among households taking part in the research and (b) estimated population for other households identified through the research but who did not directly take part. Estimating population for the latter group involved the application of an average household size of 3.2 identified through this research to the number of identified households.

3.32. It is estimated that there are at least 1290 Gypsies/Travellers living in West Central Scotland although this is likely to be a conservative estimate. This represents around 0.06% of the study area’s total population and the distribution and prevalence of Gypsies/Travellers is shown in the table below.

Table 5: Gypsies/Travellers Population – December 2006

Gypsies/Travellers % of Population Local Authority Total % of Number Population WC Scotland Argyll and Bute 160 12% 0.17% West Dunbartonshire 267 21% 0.29% East Dunbartonshire 22 2% 0.02% Glasgow 14 1% 0.00% East Renfrewshire 14 1% 0.01% Renfrewshire 34 3% 0.01% Inverclyde 0 0% 0.00% South Lanarkshire 635 49% 0.21% East Ayrshire 36 3% 0.03% North Ayrshire 53 4% 0.03% South Ayrshire 57 4% 0.05% TOTAL 1,292 100% 0.06% Source: Craigforth 2007

3.33. At a count of over 630 around half of the Gypsies/Travellers population is to be found in South Lanarkshire, clustered mostly in the Larkhall area, the bulk of whom appear to live in private housing17. A further 260 are to be found in West Dunbartonshire and 160 in Argyll and Bute. These 3 authorities together account for over 4 in 5 (82%) of the identifiable population.

3.34. The incidence of Gypsies/Travellers (as a % of the overall population) follows a similar pattern but is higher in West Dunbartonshire (largely in the Dumbarton/Renton/ Alexandria area) than in South Lanarkshire although clearly here the Larkhall area has the highest incidence of anywhere in the study area.

17 In the case of South Lanarkshire these estimates were largely derived from the local knowledge of officials and education records. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 18 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.35. At best this calculation can only be considered a ‘guesstimate’ for a variety of reasons including:

The general lack of information available on housed Gypsies/ Travellers The difficulties of estimating real total population on authorised and unauthorised sites due to issues such as periodic absence/presence, non disclosure of overcrowding The lack of almost any information in local authority areas where there is no site provision or known Gypsies/Travellers networks The lack of ethnic monitoring among local authority and other services The risks associated with applying an average household size to a household estimate to produce a population estimate.

3.36. It is quite likely that the total Gypsies/Travellers population is well in excess of the 1,292 identified above.

Age and Gender Profile

3.37. Through the research it was possible to identify a summary age profile for a population of 306 living in West Central Scotland – representing 24% of the total population estimate (i.e. 1,292). More detailed data on age was identified for the 107 interviewees. The Twice Yearly Count on the other hand collects age data for all the population living on official sites (only) and therefore data is not directly comparable.

3.38. However bearing this in mind, the results of the research suggest that West Central Scotland is likely to have a slightly younger population profile with 42% of Gypsies/Travellers under the age of 16 compared to 37% nationally. Among the total Scottish population under 16s account for only 18% of the population, underlining that children are well over twice as prevalent among Gypsies/ Travellers and a key feature of their very particular population profile.

3.39. Overall the estimated average age for all Gypsies/ Travellers in West Central Scotland is 38 years although among those living in encampments or housing tended to be significantly younger with an average age of 28-29 years.

3.40. The January 2005 Count estimated the gender split among the winter population at national level and found that the proportion of males (53% of the total) was higher than the proportion of females (47%). This research found quite a different picture in West Central Scotland with an estimated split of 41% male/59% female. While this suggests a much more female dominated local population these figures should be treated with caution given the tendency to underestimate adult males among this population through this type of survey based research18.

18 The Marginalisation of Gypsies, Helen O'Nions LL.M. Journal of Current Legal Issues, Blackstone Press, 1995; Hawes and Perez (1995) The Gypsy and the State: the Ethnic Cleansing of British Society (Bristol: SAUS). An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 19 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Household Numbers

Based on the Twice Yearly Count

3.41. The most recent estimate of the number of Gypsies/Travellers households in Scotland is again based on the July 2006 count when it was estimated that there were 720 households. This compares to only 530 households in the January 2006 count suggesting that the number of households increase by some 36% in the summer.

3.42. This is less the case in West Central Scotland where the number of households in summer exceed those in winter by 27% but representing a difference of only 40 households. The estimated number of households in July 2006 was 190 and 150 in January 2006.

3.43. The year on year trends in number of site/encampment based households is shown in the table and set of figures below for both Scotland and West Central Scotland. These cover the period from 2001 through to 2006 and cover both the winter and summer populations. Key points to note are:

Nationally the number of winter and summer households have increased over the period but this is not true of West Central Scotland where they have remained relatively stable

The national growth rate in winter households has averaged 1.3% per year and 3.7% per year for summer households; in West Central Scotland there has actually been a decline of -2.9% per year in winter and of -0.8% per year in summer in the number of households

In Scotland as a whole there was a substantial increase in the number of summer households in both 2005 and 2006 and in winter households in 2006 (most likely a knock on effect from the summer increase the year before); this was not the case in West Central Scotland

There is an increasing divergence in trends in household numbers between Scotland and West Central Scotland.

Table 6: Estimated Total Households 2002-2006

Change 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2002-2006 SCOTLAND January 490 440 390 420 430 530 +8% July 590 520 560 580 690 720 +22% WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND January 180 130 120 150 130 150 -17% July 200 190 160 210 200 190 -5% Source: Twice Yearly Count (adjusted), Scottish Executive

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 20 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Figure 1: Winter and Summer Population: Number of Households

Gypsies/ Travellers Households (Winter)

800 700 600 Scotland 500

400 W. Central 300 Scotland

200 No of Households of No 100 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Year

Gypsies/ Travellers Households (Summer)

800 700 600 500 Scotland

400 W. Central 300 Scotland

200 No. of Households of No. 100 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Year

Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 21 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.44. The recent divergence in summer trends in household numbers is largely a result of large increases in the amount of encampment activity in north and eastern parts of Scotland. For example in 2006 the number of vans found in encampments included 79 in West Lothian, 43 in Fife and 41 in Moray – representing a substantial increase on previous years.

3.45. Estimates of average household size have fluctuated between 3.0 and 3.4 in the Twice Yearly Counts in recent years. Generally speaking household sizes tend to be larger in the summer than winter population. In January 2006 the average was estimated at 3.1 persons per household and in July 2006 at 3.3 persons per household.

Based on the Research

3.46. It was understood from the beginning of this study that in relation to the site based population the units of ‘pitch’ or even ‘trailer’/’caravan’ may not necessarily correspond to a single household. The research found that there were some cases where family were spread between two trailers, or in some, between two pitches. These were noted during the survey, but in the majority of cases the unit of household corresponded fairly accurately to pitch. In the one encampment visited it was also found that trailer/caravan also equated to household. Therefore, in estimating households for those sites not accessed directly through this research, it was generally assumed that pitch or trailer/caravan correlated to household unless there was strong evidence to suggest otherwise.

3.47. This research estimates that there are almost 420 Gypsies/Travellers households living in West Central Scotland as at winter 2006. This is likely to include largely those who have their main residential base in the study area.

3.48. The majority of these, around 245 households, are living in ordinary housing and 171 on official sites/encampments as shown in the table below. This means that the winter site/encampment based population as captured through the Count is likely to represent at best only around 40% of all known Gypsies/Travellers households living in the study area. The current distribution of households by accommodation type is set out in the table below.

Table 7: Households by Accommodation Type

Gypsies/Travellers Type Number % Council site 93 22% Private site 48 12% Encampments 30 7% Housing 245 59% TOTAL 416 100% Source: Craigforth 2007

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 22 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.49. The figure of 171 households living on sites/encampments compares to (an adjusted) 150 recorded by the last national winter count19. This suggests that the Twice Yearly Count may be underestimating the true number of households in winter, although it is only a snapshot and true comparison will need to await the results of the January 2007 count.

3.50. The locational distribution of these households, as far as can be known, is shown below. The distribution is identical to that shown for the population in Table 5 above as estimates of population are derived from the number of households and average household size.

Table 8: Gypsies/Travellers Households – December 2006

Gypsies/Travellers Households % of Local Authority % of All Households Number WC Scotland Argyll and Bute 51 12% 0.13% West Dunbartonshire 80 19% 0.21% East Dunbartonshire 9 2% 0.01% Glasgow 4 1% 0.00% East Renfrewshire 4 1% 0.01% Renfrewshire 11 3% 0.01% Inverclyde 0 0% 0.00% South Lanarkshire 202 48% 0.15% East Ayrshire 11 3% 0.02% North Ayrshire 24 6% 0.03% South Ayrshire 20 5% 0.03% TOTAL 416 100% 0.05% Source: Craigforth 2007

3.51. The incidence of Gypsies/Travellers households is low across most local authority areas. It is again highest in West Dunbartonshire (an estimated 0.21% of all households), followed by South Lanarkshire (0.15%) and Argyll and Bute (0.13%). Gypsies/Travellers account for a slightly lower proportion of the total number of households than they do in the case of population; this is because the average number of people in each household is considerably greater than for all households.

3.52. This research found that the average household size in West Central Scotland was 3.2 persons per household (including those living in housing) but 3.1 persons when only the site/encampment based population is considered. This latter figure is identical to the estimate of the January 2006 count which covers the site based population only. This compares with a current average household size of only 2.2 in the general population20.

19 This figure of 150 from the Twice Yearly Count has been adjusted to account for the wrongful inclusion of the Show Travellers site at Barrhead (East Renfrewshire); the actual figure recorded was 166. 20 2004 Based Household Projection, Scottish Executive 2004. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 23 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.53. A breakdown of the overall household size profile is shown below. It is interesting to note that in line with the general population one person households are now the most common accounting for 1 in 4 of all Gypsies/ Travellers households. Many of these households are living as part of a larger family group that often extended across a number of pitches. The average age of these one person households ranged from 46 for female to 58 for male headed households.

3.54. Only 1 in 7 households have 2 persons (much lower than in the general population), 1 in 5 have 3 persons and 1 in 6 have 4 persons. As many as 1 in 5 households (19%) have more than 4 persons – almost 4 times the level among the general population where such large households account for only 5% of the total.

Table 9: Household Size

All Gypsies/Travellers Persons Households Number % % 1 23 24% 32% 2 15 15% 35% 3 20 21% 15% 4 16 16% 13% 5 9 9% 6 7 7% 5% 7 2 2% 8 1 1% Unknown 4 4% 0% TOTAL 97 100% 100% Source: Craigforth, 2007; Scottish Household Survey 2005

3.55. Household relationships and living arrangements among Gypsies/Travellers households can be quite complex and are not always fully disclosed. A particular feature of Gypsies/Travellers society is the tendency to live as part of family units that are multi generational and/or extended across a number of related families and this was confirmed by the findings of this research.

3.56. On the majority of sites visited for this research one large extended family tended to occupy the majority of pitches with siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins living beside each other. There was also evidence of members of a site based family (e.g. older children) living with other relatives off site in housing or ‘on the road’ and this applied in particular to young women

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 24 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.57. Bearing these qualifying factors in mind the following table shows the household type profile for those who took part in the research.

Table 10: Household Type

Gypsies/Travellers Type Number % Single 21 22% Couple 11 11% 2 parent family 22 23% 1 parent family 17 18% Extended/complex family 12 12% Unknown 14 14% TOTAL 97 100% Source: Craigforth, 2007

3.58. Over 40% of households are 1 or 2 parent families although the proportion of single parents at 16% of the total may well be an overestimate due to non disclosure of adult males/partners. While non disclosure could be verified in some cases through site records, there was no means to ascertain the full extent of this practice. However it should be noted that the proportion of single parent households is likely to be artificially high. In comparison only 6% of households nationally are single parents.

3.59. At a single pitch/tenancy level a fairly modest 12% were found to be complex households but at a site level the multi-generational character of Gypsy/Traveller families is readily apparent.

3.60. At least 33% of households are singles or couples. Household type could not be accurately identified for around 1 in 7 households (14%).

Emerging Households

3.61. In trying to identify future accommodation requirements it is important to consider the likely future demand from emerging (newly forming) households. This is never straightforward to quantify as future household formation rates are dependent on so many different factors, not least the formation of new relationships and the availability of accommodation. It is even more difficult to predict household formation rates among this West Central Scotland sub sample of what we have already seen is a small and demographically distinct population.

3.62. Having said that, this research identified just over 70 individuals who could be looking to form independent households and/or looking for their own independent accommodation over the next 6 years. However a substantial proportion of these are likely to form households together, some will leave the area and some will continue to live in accommodation as part of another household. In addition some new households may migrate into the area.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 25 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.63. While it is impossible to translate this into an actual number of additional future households (and the associated number of accommodation units that may be required as a result) it would seem reasonable to assume that at a maximum the number of additional households would be 50% of this figure. A growth of 35 households over the next 6 years would represent an annual household growth of 1.4%.

3.64. This compares with average annual growth rates nationally of 1.3% (winter) and 3.7% (summer) in the number of site /encampment based households evidenced by the Scottish Twice Yearly Count. As noted previously in West Central Scotland household numbers have remained more stable and actually declined slightly. This situation of course will in part (and possibly in large part) reflect the current level of ‘useable’ site based accommodation that exists and the general shift to there being more restricted opportunities for encampments.

3.65. Considering the research evidence with that from the Twice Yearly Count would suggest that the recent pattern of relatively stability in household numbers in West Central Scotland in recent years is not a situation that is likely to continue. Indeed it is possible that the lack of accommodation opportunities in parts of the study area may well have been restricting household growth to some extent.

3.66. It would therefore seem appropriate to plan for say a 1.3-1.5% annual growth in Gypsies/Travellers households looking for year round accommodation provision over the next 5-6 years (based on winter population levels). This also translates into around 35 households over the period.

3.67. Given the focus of this research (and the Twice Yearly Count) on the official site based population, the majority of this additional need is likely to be for official site based accommodation. Among those who may form part of such new households the vast majority expressed a preference for living on official sites.

3.68. Nor is it surprising that the pattern of emerging households largely reflects the current pattern of site based accommodation provision. A breakdown by location and by current accommodation type for the 73 individuals concerned is provided in the table below.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 26 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Table 10: Number of Individuals Likely to Form New Households 2007-2013

Official Sites Local Authority Encampments Housed Total (inc Private) Argyll and Bute 11 0 1 12 West Dunbartonshire 14 3 4 21 East Dunbartonshire 0 0 0 0 Glasgow 0 0 1 1 East Renfrewshire 0 0 0 0 Renfrewshire 0 0 0 0 Inverclyde 0 0 0 0 South Lanarkshire 25 0 0 25 East Ayrshire 0 0 0 0 North Ayrshire 4 0 0 4 South Ayrshire 2 0 3 5 TOTAL 61 3 9 73 Source: Craigforth, 2007

3.69. The greatest potential for emerging households was reported in the areas with the higher levels of Gypsies/ Travellers population and official site provision – i.e. South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and to a lesser extent Argyll and Bute. However even among the smaller populations recorded at North and South Ayrshire evidence of emerging households was identified.

Travelling Behaviour

Travelling patterns

3.70. It emerged that travelling – arguably the defining behaviour of this group – is now a much curtailed activity. Only 40% of those interviewed travelled regularly for significant periods of time. A further 30% travelled for short periods of 2-4 weeks per year usually associated with holidaying and 30% did not travel at all. A significant proportion of the latter group do not travel for health or disability related reasons.

3.71. In short, for 60% of this population (3 in every 5 people) patterns of travel are very limited.

3.72. This was reported to be in part due to changes in the amount of appropriate seasonal work available, but was also regarded as being linked to the dual effect of tougher Council policies for moving families on, and the loss of traditional stopping places:

„It used to be that every town had its village green, and its common land where we could stop. It's almost all gone‟.

"It is very bad for travelling now as there are no camps left, so hardly ever travel now. We phone up family and try and sit beside them. You get bored staying in one place…… you like the hustle and bustle of being on the road…….. it's like another life and I don't want the kids to forget what they have come off……… I don't want them to forget."

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 27 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.73. Many Gypsies/Travellers perceive the way that Councils deal with encampments and regulate land use as a deliberate effort to prevent the continuation of their way of life:

„They've killed it [the Government, Councils]…… traditional places we used for many years have been annexed by Councils or blocked. It could be vindictive - sometimes a place with no commercial use suddenly becomes a 'must have' once travellers become involved. We're now funnelled into corners to become a high profile eyesore‟.'

3.74. In the past, many Gypsies/Travellers came to arrangements with farmers and other local landowners to rent space on fields for short periods during the summer. Several respondents referred to such arrangements as being largely in the past, and there was little evidence to suggest that such arrangements had recently been used to any great extent. As an alternative to such arrangements holiday sites were used by a number of respondents, although many reported instances of discrimination when trying to access this provision.

3.75. Others said that the main reason for not using holiday sites was that they simply couldn’t afford to. As a result, illegal camping was still prevalent among all those respondents who still travelled, and the majority of these would camp illegally on a lay-by, Council or private ground at some point during the season.

3.76. With traditional stopping places less available, Gypsies/Travellers are presented with three basic choices; to use authorised campsites either on a private or public basis, to camp on Council or private property without authorisation or not to travel at all.

3.77. Among those who still travel (both for short and longer periods) most leave the West Central Scotland region during the travelling season, visiting England, Wales and the north of Scotland. Popular destinations include Inverness-shire, Dumfries and Galloway, Highland and the North East of Scotland.

3.78. Generally few of the resident population travel within the West Central Scotland area itself, although some do. The reported destinations of those both living and travelling within the region are shown in the figure below.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 28 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Figure 2: Travel Destinations in West Central Scotland (among locally based population)

Argyll & Bute North Ayrshire West Dunbartonshire Glasgow East Renfrewshire East Dunbartonshire South Lanarkshire South Ayrshire Renfrewshire Inverclyde East Ayrshire

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Number of Respondents Mentioning

Source: Craigforth, 2007

3.79. Although numbers are small, it would seem that locations such as North Ayrshire (including Arran) - known to be popular with the incoming summer population that originates from outside the region - is also a fairly popular destination among Gypsies/Travellers resident in West Central Scotland (mentioned by over10% of respondents). Argyll and Bute (including Mull) is also popular (again mentioned by over 10% of respondents), especially among those living in the Ayrshires.

3.80. West Dunbartonshire also features as a popular area for travelling but this is in part related to an overspill population associated with the official site at Dumbarton. This situation results in a number of families travelling the area because they have no permanent accommodation.

3.81. It is interesting to note that all 11 local authorities were mentioned by 2 or more respondents as locations they would travel to.

Travelling as a tradition

3.82. Evidence from those working with local Gypsies/Travellers e.g. site managers and the Police suggest that work continues to be an important reason behind many of the ‘summer influx’ encampments recorded in West Central Scotland each year. There are nevertheless, indications of a general decline in the traditional occupations followed by Gypsies/Travellers, such as agricultural labour, hawking goods and potato picking, and many interviewees reported that work is less of a motivation behind travel than was the case previously.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 29 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.83. Many do however continue to seek out work opportunities through travel as an integral part of their way of life:

„Still travel for work - go with whoever's going! Go to England, Ireland and Wales‟

„Tree felling, cutting grass mostly in Ayrshire…more permanent sites might be useful to them in that part of the world.‟

„Would seek out work in Northern Ireland………..‟

„Mainly in Scotland for work purposes - family travel as a group‟

„Summer times for work reasons (manual labour). We stay on Council ground because it takes weeks to move you on compared with private sites.‟

3.84. A number of respondents lamented that there simply is not the economic base to support travel for work purposes. Those areas of work where Gypsies/Travellers formed an essential part of the seasonal economy – mostly in agriculture, such as potato and fruit picking – no longer exist:

„Another change is lack of work - there used to be work to be found in Dunbartonshire and Argyll, can't be found now.‟

3.85. It is not clear whether such job opportunities have indeed contracted or whether increased competition from other populations such as Eastern Europeans have had an impact.

3.86. Site managers also suggest that some areas with larger Gypsies/Travellers populations, such as South Lanarkshire, are ‘saturated’ by those looking for casual work, and that this deters populations from outside the region from travelling to that particular area.

3.87. Some of the comments showed that some Gypsies/Travellers were still involved in traditional pursuits such as race meets, fairs and hawking:

„Appleby, Musselburgh races. Travel in Galloway in the summer. Travel for hawking/work and to get away. Do it much less than I used to.‟

„Occasionally travel to Appleby and visit daughters…...I was born and bred in a barrel top. We hawked every day - my daddy was never on the broo. Used to ducker (tell fortunes) on fairgrounds until a few years ago (religion now forbids it). Travelled Scotland mostly, as far north as Gleneagles.

3.88. What emerged most strongly was that travel patterns – and reasons behind travel – have changed a great deal. The July 2006 Twice Yearly Count notes that increasing levels of long-term tenancy on Council sites have reduced the scope for short term stays. In West Dunbartonshire this has resulted in a long established practice of families ‘doubling up’ on pitches.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 30 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.89. Similarly, the Twice Yearly Count states that as the number of private sites decline, owners can become increasingly reluctant to take Gypsies/ Travellers for short stays. This did not seem to be the case in the seasonal site at Crawford (South Lanarkshire) visited during this research with reports of a stable Gypsies/Travellers clientele of mixed ethnicity who return each year.

3.90. Among certain Roma/Romanies living in South Lanarkshire and South Ayrshire, Evangelical Christianity has had a direct impact on travel patterns, which in some families has replaced all other reasons for travelling; many report that Christian Conventions now constitute the whole extent of their travel, thereby limiting it to 2-3 weeks in any year. Others have combined it with economically motivated travel:

“In summer travel down to England and go to Christian conventions in Norwich, Cromer. Then usually up to Ledaig to a private run site about 6 or 7 miles out of Ledaig run by a guy called ….. Go to a fair near Stowe - a traveller site - the bays are immaculate, it is beautiful. We travel for work too and my husband does PVC roof cladding and other roofing work.”

3.91. Visiting family has long played a part in Gypsies/Travellers’ migration patterns. The survey findings suggest that travelling to visit family or ‘take a holiday’ may have superceded economic reasons as the main reason for travel. Respondents commonly visit family in other parts of Scotland and in some cases, elsewhere in the UK, usually for short periods.

3.92. The benefits of visiting family include the advantage of having a place to camp – perhaps on an official site, or on property owned by relatives. There was also evidence however, that relatives would meet up while on the road and proceed from camp to camp together.

3.93. The Twice Yearly count also notes that there are individuals and groups within the Gypsy/Traveller community who will not use an official site under any circumstances. In the case of a housed respondent interviewed in South Lanarkshire, this was because that household clung much more avidly to their traditions than others. The family still travelled in a horse-drawn wagon and refused to enter council sites because these did not allow campfires.

Travelling due to lack of site accommodation

3.94. Due to the time of year the research was undertaken there were very few Gypsies/Travellers on the road. Those encountered were camping around the Dumbarton area and travelling between a number of fairly established unauthorised locations in the same local authority area (West Dunbartonshire). There were also reports of previous camping by members of this group and others related to it in the Renfrewshire and Inverclyde areas.

3.95. The respondents here were examples of those who travelled because they could not find a site on which to settle. By all accounts this group travelled in close proximity to the Council site, where they could benefit from health visits, pick up mail and use the site address for correspondence purposes.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 31 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Employment and Income

Employment status

3.96. There was some scepticism among agency representatives involved in the early stages of the research about whether any useful information on the subjects of employment and income could be gathered through the survey. Indeed it was felt by some that including questions on these topics would lead to mistrust and affect survey participation rates. On balance, and to be consistent with other accommodation needs assessments, the Steering Group decided that such questions should be included.

3.97. While the information below cannot be considered wholly reliable it does provide some insight to the likely employment and income profile of at least some of this population. There was no evidence to suggest that asking questions on these topics engendered any serious mistrust or willingness to take part. However it should be borne in mind that 3 in 4 interviewees were female and there was a reluctance among many to provide information about their spouses work or income situation. Questions on income and benefits were the least likely to be answered during the survey with around 1 in 4 refusing to answer.

3.98. Information on employment status was provided by 89 households for 112 adults. Only 5 households refused to answer the question completely; 3 were not asked (site exit interviews). In brief the results suggest that :

Over 1 in 10 are self employed Very few claim to be employed full or part time 1 in 4 are retired 2 in 5 look after the home/family 1 in 5 are unemployed/looking for work.

3.99. Based on other evidence collected through the research and from a range of sources it is likely that the above figures are likely to under estimate the number of self employed and employed. For example detailed analysis suggests that at least 1 in 7 households may be dependent on self employment as the main source of household income.

3.100. Despite the relatively high incidence of illness and disability reported among the population as a whole (discussed further below) few report this as a reason for not working, although a relatively high proportion are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance.

Income and Benefits

3.101. Evidence from the survey suggests that employment in traditional occupations are in decline and that dependence on benefits has increased.

3.102. Information on receipt of benefits was provided by 72 households; 22 households refused to answer; 3 were not asked (site exit interviews). The results suggest:

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 32 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

7 in 10 households report at least one person in receipt of one or more benefit

Housing Benefit, Income Support and Council Tax Benefit are the most commonly claimed, followed by State Pension

1 in 5 households report being in receipt of state pension

As many as 1 in 5 households may contain someone in receipt of Disability Living Allowance.

3.103. On no site/encampment did the level of claimants among those individuals interviewed drop to below 50%. The level of households in receipt of state pension is significant.21

3.104. It should be noted that there were a couple of instances where respondents who were potentially eligible for benefits were not claiming. In these cases, the respondent either expected to get a job or was receiving financial support from their family.

3.105. Over half of all households (52) provided an estimate of their total household weekly income and the profile is shown in the table below. People were asked to estimate their income including benefits but because of complexities about some benefit payments (e.g. direct payment of Housing and Council Tax Benefit) these estimates are unlikely to be wholly accurate but they do give an indication of the range of incomes received. Key points to note:

3 in 5 (60%) of households report an annual income of less than £7800 per year with half of these receiving less than £5200 (£100 per week)

1 in 7 (15%) report annual incomes of between £7800 and £10400 per year (up to £200 per week)

1 in 4 (25%) report annual incomes of more than £10400 (over £200 per week).

Table 11: Weekly Household Income

Gypsies/Travellers Per Week Number % Under £100 16 31% £101-149 15 29% £150-199 8 15% £200-299 9 17% Over £300 4 8% BASE 52 100% Source: Craigforth, 2007

21 This challenges the Twice Yearly Count’s assertion that few Gypsies/Travellers are likely to qualify for this benefit. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 33 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Illness and Disability

3.106. Of the households surveyed living on official sites and encampments, 2 in 3 (65%) reported containing someone with a long-term limiting illness or disability. This is twice the national rate of 33%22.

3.107. The most common conditions reported were arthritis (21% of households), asthma (10%) and mobility problems (10%). The next most common conditions included chest problems, kidney problems and diabetes. There was one case each of learning difficulties, autism and cerebral palsy reported.

3.108. As noted earlier health considerations altered or curtailed a significant proportion of Gypsies/Travellers’ travel patterns - specifically, the need to be near a doctor, or in the case of a number of older people a simple inability to take to the road.

3.109. Accommodation needs relating to health and mobility problems are addressed later including the need for equipment and adaptations.

Harassment and Discrimination

3.110. Harassment proved to be a complex issue, based in some cases, on strong perceptions of hostility or vindictive behaviour rather than specific incidents. Harassment was defined in a number of different ways including for example overt harassment by neighbouring Gypsies/Travellers and local populations stoning trailers. However perceived poor relationships with the landlord or other public services and the encroachment of sites by other land uses (e.g. new housing, a new airport etc) was also regarded by some as a form of harassment.

3.111. Of those living on Council/RSL sites, over 1 in 4 respondents (27% of the total) reported recent cases of harassment. Reports of harassment were relatively much higher among those living in encampments and those in housing. In the encampment at Dumbarton 7 of 10 interviewees reported incidences of harassment, mostly from locals. Among housed Gypsies/Travellers 7 of 17 reported harassment from local people. The following example of verbal abuse came from a young Gypsy/Traveller who had previously lived in housing near Kilmarnock, but had since moved to Argyll and Bute:

"I was walking home from school with the kids and they were calling me gypsy this, tinky that.‟‟

3.112. Populations currently living in South Ayrshire, West Dunbartonshire and to a lesser extent Argyll and Bute were more likely to report experience of harassment than those living in other areas.

22 Scottish Household Survey 2003/04. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 34 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.113. Most respondents could relate some experience, direct or indirect, of feuding among Gypsies/Travellers and it is clear that family feuds and politics play a role in many cases of reported harassment. Family feuds were much more likely to cause Gypsies/Travellers to move from a site than harassment from locals, which was largely taken as unavoidable given their lifestyle.

3.114. Indeed as discussed later under official sites, family associations with particular sites can result in intimidation and harassment if other families move on to a site even if it has been lying empty for a long period of time.

3.115. There were relatively few reports of experiencing actual discrimination in the use of public services – for the most part respondents perceive themselves to have experienced fair treatment from schools, Police, health and Council services.

3.116. However where a poor service relationship does develop (as in the case of landlord services at the official site at Ledaig (Argyll and Bute)) this can develop into a perception that local authorities/landlords are prejudiced in their dealings with Gypsies/Travellers. A small number of similar accusations were made of Police in relation to handling incidents involving conflict in local bars.

Discrimination and harassment on Official Sites

3.117. A large number of survey respondents relayed tales of knowing people subjected to harassment and/or direct intimidation from other Gypsies/ Travellers on certain official sites. Such behaviour can effectively lead to the sterilisation (non use) of some sites for considerable periods of time (as discussed in the following section).

3.118. In terms of directly experiencing such behaviour, reports focused on 3 sites in particular although in most cases these reported incidents seem to have taken place several years ago.

3.119. Reports often focused on the behaviour of the dominant family on site including in some instances the way incidents between residents were managed by the site manager at the time. Concerns were also expressed about the abuse of pitch allocation policy/procedure to favour allocations to other members of the dominant family and the use of bay blocking to exclude certain new residents from entering the site. These reports came from a range of households from a number of different families who are now living on a range of official sites and by some now living in housing.

Discrimination and harassment on the road

3.120. The majority of respondents (many who have travelled more in the past than they do now) report having been moved on by Police or Council officials at some point when travelling; they also report experiencing varying degrees of harassment from local communities. Respondents from the encampment at Dumbarton (West Dunbartonshire) had very recent experience of the latter:

"Where ever you go you get telt to move, or you get young boys coming and trying to rock your caravans…’

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 35 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 GYPSIES/TRAVELLERS IN WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND

3.121. This was, for the most part, taken as a ‘given’ of the Gypsies/Travellers lifestyle although as noted earlier some feel it is an official attempt to do away with their lifestyle. It is interesting to note that those interviewed tended to have stronger views on discriminatory practices in relation to holiday sites.

3.122. Instances of where Gypsies/Travellers were refused access to holiday sites were reported from a number of respondents. It appears that it is common for many of these sites to operate a ‘no travellers’ policy, refusing to admit Gypsies/Travellers and even removing them if guests are revealed to have such a connection. A number simply did not consider using such sites assuming the discrimination will take place. Others spoke of various means of trying to get around restrictions placed on Gypsies/Travellers, such as avoiding taking a van onto a site with their trailer, or using a caravanette/ camper van instead:

„There is a real difficulty finding stopping places. She has been refused into holiday sites because of the van, which identifies her as a traveller. Tends to camp as a result. She would use stopping places if provided.

"I think travelling has finished because there are not many places that will have you. …"

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 36 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4. OFFICIAL SITES

Introduction to Official Sites

4.1. Official sites for Gypsies/Travellers are those that have approved planning status and are either owned by, or known to, local authorities. Official sites fall into the broad categories of Council/Registered Social Landlord (RSL) sites and private owned sites; they can be ‘year round’ or ‘seasonal’. During the fieldwork stage of this research, access was achieved on all the then- occupied Council/RSL sites, but only one of the private sites, which was run on a seasonal basis.

4.2. As noted earlier those living on official sites are likely to account for only around 1 in 3 of the total number of Gypsies/Travellers households in West Central Scotland. 22% are thought to live on Council/RSL official sites and a further 12% on private sites. However of the site based population 2 in 3 live on Council sites and 1 in 3 on private sites, the latter to be found exclusively in South Lanarkshire.

4.3. Those living in Council/ RSL owned official sites were by far the easiest to engage in this research accounting for over 70% of all interviewees. Over 80% of all households living on these sites took part. Private sites on the other hand accounted for only 2% of interviewees and ultimately proved more difficult to access than either those living on encampments and those living in housing.

4.4. Council sites were built to provide places where Gypsies/Travellers could stay legally with access to services. After studying transit patterns and conducting a count of vans over two years the then Scottish Office issued in 1985 specific pitch targets for each local authority in order to meet the perceived demands from Gypsies/Travellers for site based accommodation. Grant funding was made available to local authorities to fund the upgrading of existing sites and building of new sites. The grant scheme closed to applications in December 1998.

4.5. The original pitch target for the study area was 265 pitches, including provision on privately owned sites. Taking the latter into account provision reached 174 pitches by the end of 1998 a shortfall of some 91 pitches at that point in time based on recorded figures23. However at that stage 3 local authorities had pending applications for additional new/upgraded provision.

4.6. However it is believed that the true level of combined Council and private owned provision on official sites did not exceed this and indeed continued to peak at around that level in the late 1990s/early 2000s24. Council provision is estimated to have peaked at 138 pitches around this time.

23 Scottish Executive, Advisory Committee on Scotland’s Travelling People, 1998 24 This figure is based on the exclusion of a 16 pitch private site at Barrhead (East Renfrewshire) which houses Show Travellers and the inclusion of new site opened at Lennoxtown (East Dunbartonshire) in 2002. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 37 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.7. More recently the Scottish Executive has operated a Site Development Fund, administered by Communities Scotland, which made available grant assistance for upgrading sites, building of new sites including transit provision. The total amount available was £2 million nationally over the period 2005/06 - 2007/08. 7 of the 11 local authorities involved in this study received funding largely for site upgrading and the provision of community /play facilities. There were no applications for the funding of new site provision.

4.8. Whether there is likely to be future grant funding available from the Executive is not clear as this awaits the outcome of the next spending review which follows a change in government.

4.9. The majority of this section deals with current Council/RSL sites in West Central Scotland followed by a short section on official private sites.

Council and RSL Sites

Provision

4.10. The table below shows details of current Council/RSL site provision for the 11 local authorities involved in this study. In total there are 10 sites (7 Council and 3 RSL) and provision is to be found in 7 of the 11 local authority areas.

4.11. In Argyll and Bute a new dimension to official site provision was added when the Council transferred control of its 3 sites to the Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) in the autumn of 2006 – the first such transfer of ownership and management of Gypsies/Travellers sites in Scotland. These sites are run and staffed by the housing association with the Council retaining a strategic role in relation to overall accommodation provision and need among the Gypsies/Travellers population.

4.12. The oldest Council/RSL site is in Lochgilphead in Argyll and Bute (opened in 1978 but since re-provisioned on an adjacent site), the newest is at Lennoxtown in East Dunbartonshire (opened in 2002). Seven of the sites were built in the 1980s.

4.13. While some local authorities question the appropriateness of the original pitch targets set, these combined with the associated availability of grant funding, has had a significant impact on how the pattern of Council/RSL site provision has developed. There are currently no Council/RSL sites in East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde or East Ayrshire. Among these only Inverclyde had no pitch targets originally set.

4.14. Since 1998 2 Council owned sites providing 24 pitches have closed in the area – at Paisley (16 pitches) in 1998 and at Arran (8 places) in 2006 (at the start of the research). It should also be noted at this point that 2 sites (36 pitches) have closed at Motherwell and Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire (a neighbouring authority but outside the study area); these sites closed in 1996 and 2003 respectively. A third site at Airdrie (16 pitches) is currently lying empty and has been for 2 years.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 38 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.15. At the time of reporting the impact of the closure of these sites is still difficult to pinpoint – very few ex-residents of these sites were identified in the survey although there were respondents in South Lanarkshire who were connected to the North Lanarkshire housed community.

4.16. The current level of provision across the 10 Council/RSL sites in the study area totals 129 pitches of which 127 are usable; the remaining 2 pitches are being used as portakabin based community facilities. A detailed breakdown of both provision and occupancy is shown in the table below. Provision in the study area accounts for 32% of the national total.

Table 12: Council/RSL Site Provision in West Central Scotland

Total Number of Occupancy Date Number Currently Local Authority Sites at time of Opened of Usable Research Pitches Pitches Dunoon (Torlochan) 1996 10 10 9 Argyll & Bute (ACHA) Lochgilphead (Duncholgan) 1978 14 13 12 Ledaig 1991 8 8 7 West Dunbartonshire Dumbarton (Dennystoun Forge) 1981 20 20 20 East Dunbartonshire Lennoxtown (Redhills) 2002 15 15 0 (+7)25 Glasgow Maryhill (Rodney Street) 1990 10 10 1 East Renfrewshire 0 0 0 Renfrewshire 0 0 0 Inverclyde 0 0 0 Larkhall (Swinhill) 1987 22 21 19 South Lanarkshire East Kilbride (Springbank) 1990 6 6 6 East Ayrshire 0 0 0 North Ayrshire Irvine (Redburn) 1989 16 16 8 (+8)26 South Ayrshire Girvan (Houdston) 1989 8 8 8

WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND 129 127 90 (+15) Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive; Craigforth, 2007

4.17. At the time of the main fieldwork stage of the research 90 of the 127 pitches were occupied giving an overall occupancy rate of 70%. During the reporting stage of this research this had increased to 105 occupied pitches giving an occupancy rate of 83%.

4.18. Occupancy levels are currently high overall and have generally been so in recent years on the majority of sites with most either full or having only 1 or 2 pitches lying empty at any given time. However there is an established history of lower occupancy on some sites – most notably Dunoon, Glasgow, Lennoxtown and the recently closed site at Arran.

25 Site occupied by 7 families during the reporting stage of the research. 26 8 pitches re-let during the reporting stage of the research following site improvements. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 39 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.19. Over the last 18 months the Dunoon site has been re-populated and is an example of how a site’s fortune can change. This resulted from a single extended family looking for a place to settle. During the fieldwork stage of the study the sites in both Glasgow and Lennoxtown (East Dunbartonshire) were empty and both are characterised by generally low occupancy levels. The Glasgow site has lain empty for a number of years although one family did move on to the site at the end of the fieldwork stage (and was interviewed by a Council employee).

4.20. The Lennoxtown site usually operates at around 33% capacity and was vacated by 3 families at the start of the research (although residents were able to complete a short exit survey). After a few months lying empty at the reporting stage of the research 7 families from outside the West of Scotland area moved on to the site – its highest occupancy level over the last few years.

4.21. The Irvine (North Ayrshire) site was operating at 50% capacity during the fieldwork as it was undergoing refurbishment but was fully occupied by the end of the research. Although it tends to have higher turnover than other sites it is usually well occupied.

Turnover, Turned Away and Waiting Lists

4.22. Over the years the Twice Yearly Count has observed that generally speaking site based populations are becoming increasingly sedentary and that as a result, site turnover is decreasing. Although data on turnover (tenancy change) is collected every 6 months it is not published regularly, therefore consistent annual data on turnover over time is not readily available.

4.23. However the previous two July editions of the counts provide recent information on turnover for currently active sites over the preceding six months (January-July 2005 and January-July 2006). Data from 2003 offers a year round perspective (mid year to mid year) while no data was published for 200427. It is interesting to note that turnover in 2003 was considerably higher in the July to January period than in the January to July period; for other years data is provided only for the latter period when turnover is likely to be lower. The table below shows these recent trends.

27 The published versions of the January and July 2004 counts do not contain data on site turnover although this data will have been collected. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 40 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Table 13: Site Turnover (Tenancy Changes) 2003-2006

July 02- Jan-July Jan-July Jan July Local Authority/ Site Jan 2003 2003 2005 2006 Dunoon 3 0 0 0 Argyll & Bute Lochgilphead 3 3 5 2 Ledaig 1 0 1 1 West Dunbartonshire Dumbarton 0 0 0 428 East Dunbartonshire Lennoxtown 5 0 2 2 Glasgow Maryhill 1 0 0 0 Larkhall 10 7 1 1 South Lanarkshire East Kilbride 0 0 1 0 Irvine 4 3 4 3 North Ayrshire Arran 0 1 2 0 South Ayrshire Girvan 0 0 1 1

WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND 27 14 17 14 Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive

4.24. It is impossible to say exactly what the overall turnover of pitches is likely to be but based on the most recent evidence it would seem that around 30 pitches are the subject of new tenancies each year, representing an annual turnover rate of just over 20%. However this may well be an over estimate; for example West Dunbartonshire Council highlight that the 4 tenancy changes recorded between January and July 2006 were in fact changes from single to joint tenancies and did not involve any turnover of pitches.

4.25. However the meaning of turnover/tenancy change on Gypsies/Travellers sites is not the same as in conventional social rented housing. While the proportion of households travelling for substantial periods of time has declined, there are still many who do, and this can involve a change of tenancy and a return to the same site at a later date. Those that want to travel away from a site for anything more than 12 weeks are likely to be required to give up their tenancy and apply for a new tenancy if they return.

4.26. Patterns of turnover on a site by site basis vary widely. To some extent they go through cyclical patterns and depend very much on occupancy levels and how settled a site becomes. Put simply if a site is empty or largely empty it records low turnover and this applies to sites for example at Lennoxtown, Glasgow and formerly at Dunoon (now more settled). It also applied to the former site on Arran.

4.27. The limited data available does suggest very low turnover and very settled communities at Dumbarton and Larkhall and this was very much confirmed by the findings of this research. However it is important to note that although the Larkhall site is now probably in greatest demand of any site only 3 or 4 years ago it was quite a different picture with high turnover and reported difficulties in letting pitches. This is another example of how the fortunes of particular sites can radically change.

28 These 4 cases involve changes from single to joint tenancies and not turnover. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 41 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.28. Sites at Lochgilphead and Irvine have experienced higher levels of turnover in recent years than other sites. However on each of these sites there tends to be a settled majority group of tenants with the remaining few pitches being subject to relatively high turnover. At Lochgilphead there is evidence that people travel more than most but this is not the case in Irvine.

4.29. Data on Gypsies/Travellers households that have been unable to access particular sites includes those turned away from a particular site and those who have their name on a waiting list for a particular site. These indicators provide some insight into the pattern of demand amongst existing sites and locations. As in the case of turnover information, data is not regularly published; what is available covers a similar timeframe to the turnover information presented above. Data on waiting lists is supplemented by the most recent data collected during the research.

4.30. On the basis of the available recorded data the majority of sites in West Central Scotland do not appear to experience a high level of demand pressure. It is really only the Larkhall site in South Lanarkshire which could be considered to be in considerable demand based on this evidence; it now has a waiting list of over 30 applicants. The waiting list comprises applicants from a wide range of locations and accommodation circumstances including people living on other sites and in housing. The majority of applicants come from either the immediate local area or from wider Central Scotland with a few coming from the Carlisle area as a result of family links with residents on the Larkhall site. The site also regularly turns away households trying to gain access to it; in the January-July 2006 period it recorded the highest number of households being turned away of any Council/RSL site in Scotland29.

Table 14: Turned Away

Jan-July Jan-July Jan July Local Authority/ Site 2003 2005 2006 Dunoon 0 0 0 Argyll & Bute Lochgilphead 0 0 1 Ledaig 0 0 0 West Dunbartonshire Dumbarton 1 0 4 East Dunbartonshire Lennoxtown 0 0 0 Glasgow Maryhill 0 0 0 Larkhall 8 9 7 South Lanarkshire East Kilbride 0 1 2 Irvine 2 5 1 North Ayrshire Arran 0 0 0 South Ayrshire Girvan 3 3 3 Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive

29 In the period January-July 2006 sites in the study area accounted for over 50% of all recorded turned aways on Council/RSL sites in Scotland while accounting for only 32% of the total pitch provision. This was largely because of turn aways at the Larkhall and Dumbarton sites. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 42 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Table 15: Waiting Lists

Jan-July Jan-July Jan July Dec Local Authority/ Site 2003 2005 2006 2006 Dunoon 0 1 0 1 Argyll & Bute Lochgilphead 0 0 2 0 Ledaig 2 1 0 0 West Dunbartonshire Dumbarton 1 5 3 6 East Dunbartonshire Lennoxtown 0 0 0 0 Glasgow Maryhill 0 0 0 0 Larkhall 7 17 31 33 South Lanarkshire East Kilbride 4 1 0 2 Irvine 2 4 2 8 North Ayrshire Arran 2 0 0 0 South Ayrshire Girvan 2 3 2 1 Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive; Craigforth, 2007

4.31. The increasing demand for the Larkhall site in recent years is likely to be related at least in part to the expansion of the settled Gypsies/Travellers population in the surrounding area who largely live in ordinary housing.

4.32. The next largest waiting list recorded was at Irvine but since re-opening at full capacity this has reduced to 4 applicants at the time of reporting. There is a history of small waiting lists at Girvan and East Kilbride but usually no more than a few households waiting at any one time.

4.33. However the case of Dumbarton highlights the limitations of waiting list figures in relation to Gypsies/Travellers sites. There are currently only 6 applicants on the list but research evidence from this study suggests that this is likely to considerably underestimate the true level of demand in this location. The combination of an encampment population in the local area connected to the Dumbarton site as well as reported overcrowding on the site itself suggest that the likely demand is at least 2-3 times higher than the waiting list suggests. It is clear that there is usually such low turnover on the Dumbarton site (in most years no pitches become available to let) that many people do not bother to apply.

4.34. There are likely to be some other sites too where the waiting list is unlikely to reflect true demand, for example East Kilbride which not only has low turnover but is also small in size.

4.35. On the other hand some Council/RSL sites have little waiting list demand while sites at Lennoxtown and Glasgow have never been known to have a waiting list since they opened.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 43 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Anatomy of a Site

4.36. The average Council/RSL site is divided into a number of pitches or bays, each of which is let to a single tenant (or joint tenants). The tenant(s) may place usually up to two mobile homes (or a static and a mobile) on their pitch, plus any additional vehicles they might own. Most sites have specific rules about number and type of vehicles permitted on these pitches. The space available on a pitch can vary from site to site, and some have fencing around them to demarcate territory between different families.

4.37. Each pitch is serviced by an amenity block/utility hut (sometimes referred to as chalets or sheds). An amenity block will typically contain a toilet/bathroom area, kitchen, space for laundry facilities and some storage capacity. Very few Gypsies/Travellers have toilet facilities inside their mobile home, in large part due to strict cultural taboos connected to cleanliness and hygiene.

4.38. Most sites have a small internal road system that permits access to residents, services and visitors, usually surfaced with tarmac. Many have traffic calming measures, such as road humps to prevent speeding and to protect residents. Access to the site is usually achieved through a gate, which may lead to a small feeder road to the main street. There will generally be a utility block for electricity. In almost all cases, Gypsies/Travellers use bottled gas for heating and cooking.

4.39. Sites will generally have an office where the site manager or other public services can work when on site. These are important areas for Gypsies/Travellers to speak with their site manager, make queries and pick up information. The office is usually located by the site gate, or in a central position.

4.40. These facilities could be understood as typical of any site. Extra features can also include enclosed play areas for children, and a community facility. Community facilities tend to be Portakabins, but in the case of one site (at Irvine) a purpose built community facility has been built adjoining the Site Manager’s office while another (Glasgow) is considering converting two amenity blocks to house such a facility. In most cases the provision of a Portakabin generally requires a pitch be given up.

Opinions on Council/RSL sites

4.41. Respondents were asked to rate their levels of satisfaction with their sites:

1 in 3 respondents rated their site as good (very few as excellent) Over 1 in 3 rated it as OK 1 in 4 rated it as poor or very poor.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 44 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.42. It proved difficult to separate out those discrete issues that relate to a positive or negative experience of living on a site such as facilities, maintenance, other residents and site management. In some cases the facilities were felt to be good but improperly maintained or resourced. In others, a well maintained and provisioned site was felt to be marred by issues around style/quality of management and poor relations between neighbours. Opinions on sites as facilities could be coloured by a number of factors, such as relationship with the site manager, condition or upkeep of the site, and concerns about its future or viability.

4.43. Common themes that emerged included a desire for peace and quiet, the importance of good facilities, good location and of being near family. This last theme was arguably the strongest to emerge, and more important even than the right to travel. Gypsies/Travellers travel much less than they used to but see site-dwelling as integral to the preservation of their culture;

“The thing is you want to stay with your own kind, just like the Pakistanis, and integrating with your own kind of people and our children have their own ways…..we are a proud people, the thing is we keep the lassies until they are married. This is what we like in the family, that‟s our way.”

4.44. For many of those long term residents on site, a high value was set on there being an option to travel but above all, being able to live together with extended family and friends. There is a ‘site experience’ or atmosphere that affects the accommodation choices of many Gypsies/Travellers – factors such as sense of community, togetherness, safety, trust and caring are all important.

4.45. Problems reported at sites centred around the poor quality and maintenance of amenity blocks, overcrowding, poor drainage and rats. Previous problems with rats were reported at 2 of the sites and alluded to in a third (then unoccupied). Common problems included interruptions to the electricity supply, the lack of mail boxes on some sites, issues over the design and build of site facilities particularly amenity blocks and the length of time taken to carry out repairs to the latter.

4.46. In short there emerged from the survey responses a clear set of common indicators of what Gypsies/Travellers looked for in a good site (key drivers of satisfaction) and what they disliked about sites (key drivers of dissatisfaction).

4.47. The key drivers of satisfaction were:

1. Peace and quiet 2. Family/neighbours on site 3. Good quality site facilities – amenity blocks in particular 4. Good location and ease of access to services.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 45 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.48. The key drivers of dissatisfaction proved to be:

1. Poor quality of site facilities – amenity blocks (heating) 2. Poor site layout and design – including safety issues 3. Overcrowding/influx of disruptive behaviour 4. Problems with rats and drainage 5. Arrangements for mail delivery 6. Problems with electricity supply 7. Allocation policy/management and settlement of disputes.

Drivers of satisfaction

Peace and quiet

4.49. Peace and quiet, privacy and security were important to respondents across all 9 surveyed sites. Some respondents felt that sites should not be too close to towns and that staying away from local concentrations of population was a priority. A number reported friendly relations with townspeople as being an important factor in their positive feelings about a site:

„It‟s quiet and peaceful here and nobody bothers me……it‟s not to close too town and that‟s the way I like it‟.

„I‟ve got peace now to sit on my pitch………..I was here 15 years ago and the younger boys came in and it was rough…….we left and went on the road staying here, there and everywhere‟.

Family/neighbours

4.50. Living next to family - especially elderly relatives - was clearly important for a number of respondents. This was often linked to issues of care and support provided through extended family.

„We applied for a joint tenancy so I could come here to stay and look after my mum…….I gave up my own pitch in Aberdeen so this way I won‟t need to move on.‟

4.51. Family was also important to the atmosphere of a site, in socialising and in providing childcare. There were mentions of family being together as neighbours providing a good environment for the upbringing of children and young people. A strong sense of family and good neighbours also seemed to contribute to site harmony and created a stronger sense of security onsite.

Quality of site facilities

4.52. For some Gypsies/Travellers, simply having amenities such as hot water, showers, toilets or just somewhere to pick up letters contributed to overall satisfaction with a site. Nevertheless, as Gypsies/Travellers have become used to the provision of on site facilities, there are increased expectations about levels of quality of service:

'I know there's a lot more could be done. Years ago, this was luxury for us - but of a lot us now realise it could be a lot better.'

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 46 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.53. Longer term residents in particular regarded the regular upgrading of amenity blocks as important. Space for a washing machine and was also appreciated as was discrete storage space separate from the other areas of the block.

4.54. There was some preference for an end to amenity blocks to be replaced by plumbed in static vans or new build ‘chalets’. However this was a preference largely restricted to Scottish Traveller populations most notably in West Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Bute and South Ayrshire. The interest in chalets has in part been stimulated by their development in Perth and Kinross. Recently static vans on the Dumbarton site have been plumbed in by West Dunbartonshire Council.

4.55. The size of a pitch was mentioned by a few respondents as being important – the more generous the size the better. Some respondents also appreciated some space between pitches including fencing between pitches, but views on the desirability of the latter were divided (as noted below).

4.56. Other facilities appreciated by respondents were portakabins for community and educational activities and play facilities for younger children. Hard surfacing on the road and pitches as opposed to gravel/chips was also mentioned as a desirable feature.

4.57. The site at Larkhall has installed CCTV and it was being installed as part of the site upgrading at Irvine during the research. While viewed positively by some residents, this was a far from unanimous point of view:

„CCTV is a good idea……..it will stop people wrecking it (the site) and prevents harassment.‟

„I don‟t want to be in Big Brother…they would never dream of doing this to people living in houses‟.

Location and access to services

4.58. Gypsies/Travellers seem to prefer sites that strike a balance between access to local urban centres and some degree of seclusion. Perceptions of ‘remoteness’ can be a contributory factor to the low level of use of a site or the lack of a settled population developing. However other factors are more important.

4.59. For example the sites at Lennoxtown and Glasgow are interesting examples. Lennoxtown is perceived by many Gypsies/Travellers as being ‘remote’ but this is not primarily about access to services and public transport this is because it is not on a route or location used or favoured by Gypsies/ Travellers living in West Central Scotland. It does however usually attract a small summer population. The site at Maryhill in Glasgow is very well located in a mixed inner urban neighbourhood with a wide range of facilities on its doorstep but the site is rarely used and is usually empty. In both cases the limited use of the site is more associated with other factors such as family associations and fear of intimidation and harassment from other Gypsies/ Travellers.

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4.60. Residents on the Dunoon and Lochgilphead sites felt in the main that their sites were well located for access to the town while not being too close. Conversely, residents at the Dumbarton site seemed to appreciate its proximity to the centre of town, although this site is also offset from the rest of the town next to a railway line. Residents here were generally very happy that all local amenities and services such as schools were easily reached by foot or by car. This was also the case at Irvine which is also centrally located.

4.61. The key services which can influence satisfaction with a site’s location include access to:

public transport shops health services education (in particular primary schooling).

4.62. The issues of access to public transport and shops are related. The extent to which these were perceived to be an issue very much depended on whether households had access to a car and/or lifts from relatives. Residents at Ledaig had split views about the location which is some 7 miles outside of Oban on the road north of Connel. Those with ease of access to a car viewed the location positively while for those dependent on public transport the location was problematic due to the limited service. There were similar split views among residents on the Council site at Larkhall.

4.63. Access to health was also a high priority – although there was evidence that many Gypsies/Travellers are willing to travel some distance to visit those GPs they particularly like or trust. The development of on site visits by health visitors held in portakabins or community facilities were generally viewed very positively although were not welcomed by all with some seeing them as another example of them being treated differently from the rest of the population (as in the case of CCTV).

4.64. Finally access to good quality primary schools which are accepting of Gypsies/Travellers was rated very highly and indeed for families with young children can lead to a decision to remain in an area and to settle down on a particular site. No particular problems or difficulties were reported in relation to primary school services and very few reports of discrimination or conflict with the schools. Indeed there were glowing reports of local schools in many instances.

4.65. It was almost entirely the case that older children – especially females – were not being sent to secondary school. On some sites education facilities were provided on site usually in the portakabin or community facility or in the case of Larkhall at a nearby learning centre (Universal Connections). On other sites where such services were limited there was a strong desire to see more on site educational provision.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 48 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Drivers of dissatisfaction

Poor quality of site facilities

4.66. To a large extent key drivers of dissatisfaction are a mirror image of what satisfied some residents about sites30.

4.67. Complaints about the length of time taken to effect repairs were common among those interviewed although views varied from site to site. The length of time taken, and, what was perceived to be poor workmanship, were the most common themes.

4.68. Dissatisfaction with the condition of amenity blocks were mentioned on a number of sites – e.g. Dunoon, East Kilbride, Ledaig and Larkhall. There were reports of rusted doorjambs, broken windows going unrepaired, and damp, cold toilets and showers. Some respondents felt that they were difficult to heat, that they had to spend too much on electricity to keep them warm; there were also concerns about the impact of these factors on their health.

4.69. Sites at Dunoon and East Kilbride have not seen any recent investment in their amenity blocks while at Ledaig they have very recently been upgraded through a mix of SE Site Development Fund and Council investment31 and phased improvements at Larkhall have also been ongoing.

4.70. It is interesting to note that in terms of reporting repairs and site improvements the site manager can be regarded as a ‘go between’ between Gypsies/Travellers and their landlord and statutory services more generally. While this is an overwhelmingly positive and valuable aspect of the service provided it can lead to the site manager being considered to be somewhat apart from the landlord rather than an essential and integral part of the service provided:

„The warden (site manager) is a good man…he gets things done…….. but at times his hands are tied …….. we are hidden away here and we never see anyone from the Council‟.

„Things on site seem to be deteriorating, everything generally getting old and worn.....there is a lack of communication from the Council...the site manager takes complaints and passes them on but there never appears to be any response from the Council‟.

4.71. A lack of play facilities and activities for children came up on those sites that lacked such facilities. For example on the Dunoon site it was felt that children and young people had very little to do. Child safety issues came up with regards to gates, fences near rivers/streams, and road bumps, some of which overlap with site layout and design issues discussed below.

30 It should be borne in mind that any criticisms of the quality of site facilities are based on Gypsies/Travellers perceptions and have not been validated with landlords. 31 The largely negative views expressed by residents of the site at Ledaig in this research must be considered in the context of site improvements not having taken place by the time of the research fieldwork . The improvements took place shortly after. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 49 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Poor site layout and design

4.72. Site layout emerged as a source of dissatisfaction for some respondents who felt that sites had been laid out without any knowledge or consideration of Gypsies/Travellers way of life. This included for example the arrangement of space and the lack of space and facilities for visiting family:

„The site is set out without taking into account the gypsy way of life - 'It's set out to what they know, not what we know'. No room for visitors when there's an illness or bereavement.‟

4.73. Among some respondents this sense of misunderstanding the way of life extended to the notion of fencing being put around pitches but as noted earlier this was seen as a positive thing by others. There was criticism of gravel being used around some pitches which when disturbed by vehicles has caused damage to trailers and vans.

4.74. Many respondents commented on where sites were located – many of them being built on old waste facilities, near railways, rivers or flood plains. At the Lochgilphead site proximity to a river combined with concerns about the condition of the perimeter fence were a source of worry to residents with young children. Another cause for concern for parents on this site was the lack of speed ramps. In Ledaig, where speed ramps were in place, these were criticised for being too high and perceived to limit on site access for service and emergency vehicles.

Overcrowding/disruptive behaviour

4.75. This was an issue on the Council site at Dumbarton, where residents were generally content with facilities but concerned over growing families, extended families visiting and a lack of space. ‘Doubling up’ on pitches (where additional ‘visiting’ relatives or family members park their trailers on a pitch for a period, usually in winter) was reportedly quite common particularly in the winter. This raised particular health and safety concerns among residents who also reported increased risk of conflict and disruptive behaviour due to the pressures caused by overcrowding.

4.76. On a number of sites families reported difficulties when older children – especially girls - reached the age of 16 and could not be mixed in terms of accommodation with others of a different sex. This can contribute to the ‘cross-generational’ phenomenon found across pitches/sites and also leads to a demand for pitches for young single women. In some cases this leads to the development of joint tenancies or family living arrangements which cut across a number of pitches. Of those interviewed, 2 in 3 were the tenant of the pitch, 1 in 5 were joint tenants. Another 5% were family members who were not the actual tenant.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 50 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Rats and Drainage

4.77. Rats were reported as a problem on 3 Council/RSL sites by a number of residents although it is clear that such problems are not necessarily current. The incidence of rats was disputed by some local authorities where a problem was reported. Rats however are an enduring fear among some residents on some sites and are perceived to be associated with incidences of fly-tipping by locals and/or Gypsies/Travellers themselves. The history of some sites being located on ex refuse sites also leads to some residents assuming this to be a contributory factor.

4.78. There were also concerns over drains getting blocked or being left uncleaned on some sites – again, claims that have been disputed by Councils/RSLs. The site at Girvan, built on a flood plain but otherwise highly rated by residents, experienced extreme flooding around the time of the fieldwork in what were quite exceptional weather conditions in West Central Scotland. Despite these conditions being very rare there was serious concern among residents of this happening again. The Council has introduced revised inspection regimes to ensure that pumps and drains are cleaned/serviced regularly.

Mail Delivery

4.79. Residents on 2 sites reported being dissatisfied with current arrangements for dealing with mail. This stemmed from a lack of direct delivery of mail to each pitch. Where there were individual mail boxes for each pitch these were not always used by the post service. Reports included mail being left with one of the other families (delivered to the first mail box on site) meaning that other residents were reliant on this family to distribute letters; alternatively mail was left on the counter in the site office for pick up. In both cases the main issue here was privacy – other tenants knowing their business and experience/fears of mail being ‘held up’ by others.

Problems with electricity supply

4.80. At the time of the research sites were still largely operating a power card/ticket scheme which involved purchasing electricity credits from the site or Council office. While many residents had no particular issue with this arrangement, there were those who felt that this was an expensive system that did not provide value for money for the tenant.

4.81. There were also issues reported on some sites about arrangements for handling interruptions to the power supply when this occurred outside the site manager’s normal office hours. Residents reported having to wait for Council officers to resolve these issues, rather than being able to approach the power company directly. In an extreme case, a resident reports being asked to turn off the power supply to the whole site:

„We phoned the emergency services 10 times………..we were told to go and turn off the electricity off ourselves……..I had to use a crow bar and was knee deep in water….‟

4.82. A number of sites were in the process of switching over to a ‘dry meter/direct billing’ system which many felt would be more advantageous.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 51 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Allocations, site management and disputes

4.83. Dissatisfaction could often be unconnected to the actual physical amenities or condition of a site. Views of a site were often coloured by interpersonal relations with neighbours and the role of site management in dealing with these when issues of conflict arise.

4.84. The role of the site manager can be pivotal to the success and stability of a site. This role extends well beyond site management and includes for example providing information and advocacy support to Gypsies/Travellers and acting as a liaison with a wide range of public services. Among the majority of Gypsies/Travellers living on Council/RSL sites views of site managers were generally very positive with many individuals highly rated.

4.85. Site managers can also play a key role in allocating pitches and dealing with applications and in this area they came in for some criticism. On some sites it was felt quite strongly that pitches were allocated on grounds of expediency rather than need. In relation to at least 2 local authorities there were strong perceptions among some of those who lived or had lived on Council sites in these areas that pitches were being selectively allocated to those with a connection to certain families (usually the dominant family) on a site. In some instances there were also related reports of site managers ‘turning a blind eye’ to ‘bay blocking’ activity (i.e. the placing of a trailer or other vehicle on an empty pitch to suggest a pitch is let and occupied when it is not).

„The people that live on this site decide who gets on and who does not and it should be the site manager that does that………….‟

„An elderly couple came for a pitch and there was a pitch but they couldn‟t get on…‟

„I had friends on the side of the road and two men pushed a van on to the bay to make it look as if it was occupied.‟

4.86. The issue of allocations also arose where residents were looking to transfer within a site with reports of pitches becoming available being allocated to new incoming applicants over existing residents without explanation (transparency).

4.87. This is one of the most controversial areas of policy and procedure which arose during the research. Communities Scotland has recommended that allocation policies and procedures in relation to the letting of pitches should follow the requirements of those applied to social rented housing32. It is recommended In particular that information required of applicants should be similar to those required for housing while priority for allocation of pitches should be ‘needs based’.

32 Thematic Regulation Studies, Services for Gypsies/Travellers, Communities Scotland 2002 and Follow Up Study, Communities Scotland, 2005/06 An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 52 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.88. Views on this issue were very strong both among local authorities and Gypsies/Travellers themselves and it is fair to say there was little common ground. While some local authorities agreed that there should be a clear needs based approach (and some had developed policies and procedures in this regard) this was largely the view among those who either did not have sites or those who had no recent experience of competition for pitches on their sites.

4.89. When questioned on the issue, some local authorities were candid about employing some degree of selection in allocating pitches and there was considerable support for continuing this approach. It was fundamentally questioned why allocation policies and procedures should be the same as for social rented housing on the basis that it is not housing that is being let, that Gypsies/Travellers own their accommodation.

4.90. The majority of Gypsies/Travellers were not dissatisfied with this approach – in some cases they felt that in favouring applicants linked to existing tenants and trying to maintain site cohesion were better served this way than in adopting a purely needs-based approach. As noted having family on the same site is a key driver of satisfaction with official sites and in most cases critical to their success or otherwise. There is a clear tension between Gypsies/Travellers who are settled on a site and are concerned with retaining tenancies and providing for family and on the other hand those seeking a more open policy of allocations and access.

4.91. For some local authorities there are real concerns that any move to a strictly needs based policy has considerable implications for site harmony, effectiveness of provision and indeed whether a site remains financially viable for a Council/RSL to continue to operate. There are real fears that inappropriate allocations will lead to a substantial emptying of a site, whereby no one would want to live on it due to associations with particular families/disputes. In extreme cases this can render a site ineffective in the longer term:

„We are not talking about houses here……….if we allocate to the wrong people there is the obvious risk of a family feud which can ultimately lead to people leaving the site and others not wanting to come on to it………..they just get up and go ‟

4.92. Experience in West Central Scotland does suggest that there is some basis for such concerns. Sites at Glasgow, Irvine and (previously) Paisley have all suffered as a result of family feuds/connections in some cases making sites ineffective for long periods of time33. In such cases this has ultimately led to them running at a considerable financial loss or investment being lost once and for all through site closure.

33 Anecdotal evidence is that at least one of the former sites in neighbouring North Lanarkshire experienced similar problems. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 53 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.93. However during discussions of these research findings there was an alternative view expressed that such management problems are not too dissimilar to those experienced in social housing more generally - the challenge to create balanced and sustainable communities while addressing priority housing needs. However this was not the majority view.

4.94. One response to fears and concerns over long term security, future allocation of pitches and in some cases site overcrowding, has been the increasing use of joint tenancies. There is also evidence of the use of such tenancies by some Gypsies/Travellers to ensure a ‘legacy’ for their children and to ensure a pitch stays within the family. However this is not always an easy decision to make:

„I had to pick one daughter who could stay with me on the pitch as joint tenant…….. the other one had to go and stay with relatives because of lack of space.‟

„Worst thing is having a share-tenancy… I had to do the shared tenancy or else I would have been moved on. Me having a space to rest my van causes a bad atmosphere because my sister doesn't, so I move my van out occasionally to let her van in.

4.95. Joint tenancies were most common on sites in West Dunbartonshire an Argyll and Bute.

Rents and value for money

Rents

4.96. Rents for pitches on Council/RSL sites are charged on a per week basis and are likely to vary in part dependent on the services provided on each site. A site pitch generally consists of an amenity block and power hook-up with Gypsies/Travellers providing their own actual accommodation in the form of a trailer or static. Most trailers can sleep 3-5 people, and on the sites surveyed up to two trailers (or static and trailer) could occupy a pitch. Statics tend to have 2-3 bedrooms. In effect Gypsies/Travellers can expect provision to stop short at the step into the trailer or static although a few households taking part in this research were living in accommodation provided by the landlord.

4.97. Rent levels vary considerably between sites/local authority areas and in the case of South Lanarkshire also between different sites within the same authority. Pitch rents vary considerably ranging from a minimum of £32 per week on all 3 sites in Argyll and Bute to a maximum of £71 per week in East Dunbartonshire (Lennoxtown) – a variation of some 120%. Most rents typically fall into the range of £45-55 per week.

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Table 16: Weekly Rents for Council/RSL Sites

Weekly Rent Local Authority (single pitch) East Dunbartonshire £70.64 South Lanarkshire £61.55 (East Kilbride) North Ayrshire £54.10 South Ayrshire £53.98 Glasgow £49.07 South Lanarkshire £46.55 (Larkhall) West Dunbartonshire £44.41 Argyll & Bute £31.60 Source: Craigforth 2007

4.98. While comparative information was gathered on average weekly rents for 3 and 4 apartment housing this data was not wholly consistent between authorities as the length of rent year varied (e.g. 48, 50 and 52 weeks). However some illustrative comparisons are given in the following paragraphs.

4.99. In East Dunbartonshire for example pitch rents are over £20 per week higher than in the case of a 3 apartment house and over £16 more than a 4 apartment. A Gypsy/ Traveller tenant on a single pitch will pay £990 more over the course of a 48-week rent cycle than a tenant living in a 3 apartment house. By contrast, on any of the Argyll and Bute sites they will pay £910 less than those living in housing.

4.100. Some landlords report that such differentials between pitch and house rents are longstanding and in part reflect differences in rent charging structures and practice. In particular Gypsies/Travellers sites often have higher or relatively high rents in order to cover service charges e.g. associated with site management and maintenance.

4.101. In all local authority areas rents charged for temporary homeless accommodation were substantially in excess of those charged for a pitch on a site - usually 3-4 times greater with rents of over £200 per week being common.

4.102. Communities Scotland has recommended that rents and service charges in relation to Gypsies/Travellers sites should be reviewed regularly to ensure that these can be considered reasonable and affordable34.

4.103. Rent levels did not emerge as a key issue among Gypsies/Travellers households in relation to satisfaction with living on Council/RSL sites, likely in part because of dependence on Housing Benefit among the majority of tenants. However there were a variety of views expressed as to whether rents represented value for money

34 Services for Gypsies/Travellers, A Follow Up Study, Communities Scotland, 2005/06 An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 55 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.104. Among those who expressed a view over half felt that their site did offer value for money, while one third disagreed with this. Among those who had a positive view this related to what they perceived to be a fairly priced rent in relation to the quality of facilities such as amenity blocks and communal facilities (including recent upgrades). Others with less positive views qualified their views on similar terms – citing changes that they felt should be made to bring the site to an acceptable standard. The poor condition of the site was a common thread among those who felt they did not receive value for money.

4.105. There was a strong perception (not always accurate) that Gypsies/Travellers on sites paid the same as housed tenants for far fewer amenities. In this respect Argyll and Bute presents the most interesting perceptions of value for money where tenants pay appreciably less than a mainstream tenant and have the lowest rent levels charged in the study area.

4.106. At the time of the fieldwork it was only on the Lochgilphead site where all residents felt that the site was good value for money. In Ledaig this was not the case with no residents feeling that they got value for money. The majority of residents on this site feel they have had a poor relationship with the Council (the former landlord) for a number of years. As noted earlier, site improvements have been undertaken since the site was visited for the purposes of this research and the landlord has also changed (to ACHA).

4.107. Residents on the Dunoon site had mixed views although some felt that hopes had been raised unfairly by the Council over a proposed upgrade to the site that had not taken place. They generally felt that their rent was high for what they perceived to be currently very basic facilities. The previously proposed improvements at the Dunoon site is still an outstanding issue to be addressed35.

4.108. Despite having rent levels towards the top end of the range and some concerns regarding aspects of site management, the majority of residents at Irvine and Girvan (North and South Ayrshire respectively) were satisfied with the value for money offered.

4.109. On the Larkhall site (South Lanarkshire) residents’ views were equally split between positive and negative despite the site being one of the most popular and having recent upgrades of amenity blocks and plans for ongoing repair and maintenance. Furthermore this site has one of the lower rents charged in the study area. Frustration with the repairs service (quality and length of time taken) seemed to be a particularly influential factor in shaping views.

35 All 3 sites in Argyll and Bute were the subject of an application to the SE Site Development Fund to improve facilities; only 2 sites have been improved to date due to higher than anticipated costs including higher than expected financial contributions required from the Council; all 3 sites are now in the ownership of a housing association as part of stock transfer to Argyll Community HA (ACHA); there is currently no identified or planned funding to effect these improvements at the Dunoon site. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 56 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Household accommodation

Introduction

4.110. One of the obvious differences between Gypsies/Travellers sites and mainstream housing is that the Council/RSL provides only part of the tenants’ accommodation. The majority own their own accommodation, whether it is a touring trailer or a static caravan. These two types of accommodation were predominant on sites, although occasionally some had opted for a caravanette/camper van, or in one case a showman’s wagon.

4.111. Most families keep more than one trailer on a pitch, or a static and a trailer, between which different family members might be distributed – it seems a common practice to put children into a separate trailer from adults where this option is available. There were some instances where a third smaller trailer was used for storage.

4.112. Typically, a touring trailer will sleep up to 6 people, although few were occupied to such a level. Static caravans generally have 2 (or in some cases 3) bedrooms, although in some cases a family member would use the living room space to sleep in.

Choice of accommodation

4.113. While static vans were generally found on settled sites where residents had held a tenancy over a number of years, this was not necessarily a given. The preference for static vans seemed to be most related to cultural identity. In general those giving Scottish Traveller as an identity were more likely to opt for static vans for example residents on sites at Dumbarton, Lochgilphead and to a lesser extent Ledaig, as did the Irish Travellers at Irvine. Families with static vans often retain a touring trailer on their pitch, usually for children or relatives within cross-generational households or for use in the summer.

4.114. However neither site in South Lanarkshire – where the majority of residents are Romany - had any static vans on site, despite a number of long-term tenancies and no actual prohibition against them - the preference being exclusively for touring vehicles on both sites. (However it is interesting to note that many more of this population have opted for living in ordinary housing in the Larkhall area).

4.115. Potential interest in chalet accommodation, the profile of which has been raised by developments in Perth and Kinross, follows a similar pattern as preferences for statics over tourers and largely stems from Scottish Travellers on sites such as Dumbarton, Dunoon and Ledaig. Overall 1 in 4 respondents expressed an interest in chalets. There were some Gypsies/Travellers who had attempted to buy chalet homes for their site, but could not secure permission to place it on their pitch.

4.116. Interest in chalets is particularly strong in Dumbarton where long term residents have begun to apply consistent pressure on the Council for this form of accommodation. Respondents feel that chalets could offer many benefits such as being plumbed in, the provision of indoor toilets (yet at a suitable distance from living quarters) as well as more comfort/ease of heating. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 57 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.117. The median age of household accommodation found on sites was around 10 years old. Statics tended to be older than touring trailers – linked perhaps, to the need for the latter to be roadworthy. The median age for static homes was 17 years, compared to 8.5 for touring trailers. There were concerns expressed by older residents over their ability to replace their accommodation once it had reached the end of its useful life and some interest in Councils/ RSLs becoming more involved in the direct provision of such accommodation.

Impact of household composition/extended family

4.118. As noted earlier ‘multi/cross generational’ households can be quite common and these can have a significant impact on the use of accommodation. An interesting finding was that young people – often females – can live with relatives on an on-off basis whether on site or living in housing. This is in part due to cultural norms where younger Gypsies/Travellers might live and work with other branches of their family, but in some cases it was a symptom of overcrowding - on sites such as Dumbarton. Multi/cross generational households were also most common on this site followed by sites in the Argyll and Bute area.

Views on household accommodation

4.119. Respondents had generally more favourable opinions on their touring trailers and statics than they did have of the Council/RSL sites on which they were pitched. In summary:

1 in 2 described their home as good or excellent 1 in 3 just OK 1 in 7 considered their home to be poor or very poor (compared to 1 in 4 in the case of sites).

4.120. Ratings given depended to some extent on the type of accommodation lived in but perhaps not in the way that might be expected. Interestingly those living in statics (which are usually more spacious, often plumbed in etc) were on the whole less content than those living in touring trailers although there may be an element of lobbying for replacement by chalets on some sites disguised within these results.

4.121. Despite mixed views on the site itself, the highest levels of satisfaction with accommodation were found at the Larkhall site, where 4 in 5 respondents rated their home as good or better (with 1 in 5 as excellent). Residents at Ledaig (Argyll and Bute), as in the case of views on sites, were again the least satisfied with 4 out of the 5 respondents rating their accommodation as just OK or poor.

4.122. Respondents generally displayed considerable pride over their homes and accordingly, had less to say over any possible problems. There was a clear understanding among almost all respondents that their trailer or static was their responsibility and generally few expectations that local authorities had a role to play in their upkeep or improvement. Some families did nevertheless report some problems with their homes.

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4.123. Generally, any negative views on accommodation were centred on relatively simple factors of warmth, physical condition and space. The key drivers of satisfaction were:

1. Warm and easy to heat 2. Plumbed in 3. Space for/availability of good household appliances 4. Watertight and physically sound

4.124. The drivers of dissatisfaction proved to be:

1. Amount of space (too much or too little) 2. Difficult to heat/ condensation 3. Lack of plumbing/indoor toilet 4. Leaks

Drivers of satisfaction

Warm and easy to heat

4.125. Having a warm, dry home was one of the most common factors behind a ‘good’ accommodation rating. Being able to afford to heat the home was a particular issue for some linked to the common perception that rates for electricity payments were high. Homes that were quick or easy to heat up were especially valued:

„As long as the fire works it's great…………close my door, it‟s warm and comfy and it‟s home ….‟

„It takes less to heat a tourer than a static…………‟

4.126. The availability of central heating (whether gas or electric) was a notable driver of satisfaction in both statics and trailers where it was installed.

Plumbed in

4.127. Having a plumbed in water supply was rated very highly among the minority of Gypsies/Travellers which had this amenity – mostly those living in statics on sites such as Dumbarton where there had been a recent installation programme. Indeed there was some criticism of being only allowed to plumb in one van per pitch and that this facility had only been made available to statics and not tourers.

4.128. In only a few cases did indoor plumbing extend to having an indoor toilet or shower (in statics) and while this was rated highly by most who had such facilities, there are likely to be cultural differences in attitudes towards having such facilities. Again Scottish Travellers were more interested in having such facilities than others (e.g. in statics and/or new chalets) but even among this group there were differences of view:

„We don‟t use the bathroom in the van…………it‟s not our tradition…….toilet is something you don‟t do in the van even if you have a bathroom‟.

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Household appliances

4.129. Some household appliances, such as washing machines were more likely to be found in amenity blocks rather than in the household accommodation, but the availability of a „good‟ cooker, fire and fridge were highly valued. Some statics also had telephones installed.

Watertight and physically sound

4.130. A static or trailer in good physical condition was highly valued by respondents offering resistance to leaks and condensation. One respondent who lived in a show wagon noted that it was „solid against the wind‟. No one made any particular comment about the issue of whether their home was roadworthy, although concerns about road worthiness were implied in the case of some who were looking to buy more recent models. As noted earlier the ability to replace vans as they become subject of wear and tear was of particular concern to some of the older residents.

Drivers of dissatisfaction

Amount of space

4.131. The majority of respondents were happy with the amount of space that they had – clearly, Gypsies/Travellers are used to what non-Travellers might see as living in quite cramped conditions.

4.132. A small number of older respondents felt they had too much space that their trailer was too large to handle and that they needed something more compact.

4.133. For the substantial minority who did voice concerns about lack of space this did tend to focus on bedrooms and sleeping arrangements;

„The children have no privacy and the daughter has to lie beside her mother. It is overcrowded….‟.

„We are sleeping 3 to a bed at the moment and that can‟t continue………‟

Heating/condensation

4.134. A common complaint among owners of both trailers and statics was that homes could be expensive to keep warm and/or dry. This often seemed to be linked to homes that experienced damp, leaks and condensation.

4.135. Condensation seemed to affect static caravans particularly badly, while in trailers, the skylight seemed to be the most vulnerable spot for letting in water. In statics, damp seemed to accumulate over the winter, and there were respondents who noted that their static was not really designed as a winter residence.

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Lack of plumbing/indoor toilet

4.136. When asked what they would change, a considerable number of respondents felt that a plumbed in mobile home would be highly desirable. The possibility of an inside toilet was a decisive factor for those who wanted chalets, especially among older people and mothers with ill or disabled children, thereby removing the need to go outside to an amenity block to wash, shower or use the toilet.

„You might not get any snow in Girvan but I still hate going out side to go to the toilet……….I would prefer a chalet with bathroom and toilet all plumbed in….but then again I would probably prefer to live in a house‟.

Leaks

4.137. The corollary of a watertight home being a priority is that the existence of leaks can lead to considerable dissatisfaction with accommodation although such leaks were not only to be found in statics and trailers but also in amenity blocks. Leaks were a particular problem for those who suffered from poor health including mothers of disabled children.

4.138. There was an extreme case where gas leaks were reported both at the fire and gas bottle and where the van was so damp children had to wear wellies inside. The trailer had been ‘condemned’ by the Council and the tenant advised by an advice agency to declare themselves homeless and be re- housed, although living in a house was not what they wanted having never lived in one previously.

Particular needs and support needs

4.139. As noted earlier in the report the level of long term limiting illness and disability among the official site population is high with 2 in 3 households reporting at least one family member falling into this category – twice the national average.

4.140. This suggests a potentially much higher need for particular needs accommodation, equipment and adaptations and support needs among Gypsies/Travellers than the general population. However it is clear from the research evidence that the incidence of informal care and support provided by family members and extended family is considerable and that this is an integral part of their culture.

Equipment and Adaptations

4.141. Around 1 in 7 households reported that adaptations had been made largely to facilities contained in amenity blocks including for example hand and grab rails as well as walk in showers. There was one instance where a special disabled amenity block had been built at Ledaig (plus a special ramp for access to a static caravan). Where adaptations were made these were generally viewed positively although not in all cases:

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 61 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

„My toilet has a grab rail and a walk in shower……it got done very quickly‟

„We did have hand rails in the chalet but they were taken down by workmen when they were re-tiling in August and haven‟t been replaced….I have asked many times to have them back…..‟.

4.142. Gypsies/Travellers were not always well-informed as to the possibility of having adaptations made, or had experienced trouble in getting their facilities adapted. There was generally very little awareness of Occupational Therapist (OT) services and no reported awareness of Care and Repair services.

4.143. Notwithstanding some successful adaptations to amenity blocks, there was a tendency among many to ‘make do’ or to make their own arrangements for example by putting stools in showers to kneel or sit on while bathing/ showering. An elderly man with emphysema, arthritis and a heart condition with very poor mobility had clearly never received an OT assessment:

„My husband‟s disabled and needs a machine to breathe…I‟ve got back problems and arthritis………I‟ve never asked for any help………..I‟ve put my own stool into the shower ...it would be useful if they could put in hand rails a walk in shower and a seat hinged to the wall in the chalet …….but I would very much like to move to a plumbed in static‟.

4.144. In total around 1 in 5 households interviewed (22%) had an unmet potential need for adaptations or additional facilities identified directly related to health and mobility needs. This ranged from a need for walk in showers through to extra laundry facilities and hoist equipment. Access difficulties between static or tourer and the amenity blocks was commonly reported with evidence of unmet demand for handrails and ramps. Steps into trailers were a problem for older and/or disabled residents and there were a few examples of Gypsies/Travellers installing their own handrail as an aid to getting in or out of their mobile home:

„My son-in-law is putting up a hand rail for me……………‟

4.145. There was almost no evidence of public sector provision of equipment or adaptations within statics or tourers, although some residents had ‘made do’ with their own arrangements. There was one reported case of an assessment being made for internal equipment and adaptations but Social Work refusing to proceed with installation due to the poor internal condition of the tourer involved.

4.146. For the majority of landlords who own sites this seemed to be a grey area. Difficulties seem to stem in part from the mixed tenure nature of sites and accommodation – i.e. the pitches and amenity blocks being owned by the Council and the accommodation being usually privately owned by Gypsies/Travellers and ‘mobile’ in character. Some officers and site managers confirmed that arrangements were far from clear and there were reports of disputes over responsibilities:

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 62 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

„We needed to try and make access easier to the door of the trailer but Social Work refused and said it was Housing‟s responsibility because we owned the site.‟‟

4.147. There was also confusion about eligibility for certain services such as Care and Repair, Disabled Adaptation Grants etc.

4.148. In short there was little evidence to suggest that Gypsies/ Travellers living on Council/RSL sites receive the same services as other owner occupiers in relation to equipment and adaptations to household accommodation. There was also evidence of considerable unmet need among households for further adaptations to facilities within amenity blocks. These are both issues that need to be addressed particularly given the low awareness of equipment and adaptation services.

Particular needs housing

4.149. Despite high levels of illness and disability there was no evidence of demand for special forms of accommodation such as amenity, sheltered or supported housing. These were options that Gypsies/Travellers just did not consider or see as relevant to them. Continuing to live near family support was paramount, preferably on site. However there were some cases where people wanted to move into ordinary housing that was near a site where they could continue to receive support from other family living on site.

4.150. The only interest shown in specialist forms of accommodation was in the idea of ‘group housing’ specifically for Gypsies/Travellers. This option is discussed later in this section.

Support needs

Personal/social care

4.151. Gypsies/Travellers tend to provide support to older or disabled members of their community through extended family networks. Of those who had identifiable support needs due to age, illness or disability, the majority view was that family members provided all the support and care they needed

4.152. Informal care was generally given by parents to children or vice versa; there was also evidence of aunts, nephews and grandchildren (some quite young) taking part in care arrangements. There was also a great deal of wider community support with other Gypsies/Travellers keeping watch over more the community’s more vulnerable members.

4.153. There were nevertheless, examples of forms of care and support being delivered by statutory services. There were 2 reports of site visits by GPs and nurses and visits to individuals by health visitors. Two respondents received regular visits from physiotherapists and another was visited every month by a clinical psychologist.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 63 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Other support needs

4.154. Some site managers provide a wide range of housing and other support to residents of Council/RSL sites. Despite this there was evidence that a substantial minority of Gypsies/Travellers felt uninformed in some areas of housing/ tenancy support including for example tenancy rights and responsibilities (of both landlord and tenant), understanding of rent charges and making rent enquiries, reporting of emergency repairs etc.

4.155. As noted in the previous section there was also a lack of knowledge of equipment and adaptations services and responsibilities.

4.156. Another potential area where there may be a support requirement is in relation to the handling of family feuds/disputes or generally disruptive behaviour on sites. Such incidents can have a huge impact on people’s satisfaction with their living arrangements and their general happiness and well being. They can also lead to people moving off site and sites becoming ineffective.

4.157. There is a reluctance among the community to get site managers or police involved in such incidents and where they do become involved the outcome is not always regarded as successful. However this is not the kind of support that would be easy to provide and site managers are sceptical as to whether this form of support would be effective or accepted by the community.

4.158. Until recently, Lochaber Routes was a community development /support project for Gypsy/Travellers living within Lochaber (Fort William area) in the Highland Council area although it seemed to extend its area of operation into Argyll and Bute within this study area. The project supported Gypsies/Travellers on official sites, roadside encampments or housing through 3 Support Workers and a Development Worker. Its primary role was to offer support on a range of issues including:

welfare rights managing tenancies health and education coping with life on the road. encouraging dialogue and consultation.

4.159. Although discontinued as a formal project, anecdotal evidence suggests that Lochaber Routes continues to work amongst Gypsies/Travellers in a reduced fashion, though their premises have since been vacated.

4.160. While there are a number of specific education and health initiatives aimed at Gypsies/Travellers operating throughout West Central Scotland, there is a lack of generic support/liaison services that are not site or service specific.

Future accommodation preferences and aspirations

4.161. The majority of Gypsies/Travellers consulted in the study favoured living on official sites and wanted to continue to do so. This included most, but not all, older people and those with an illness or disability. It also included 5 of the 17 interviewees who lived in ordinary housing (around 2 in 5) who wanted to return to site living.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 64 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.162. In relation to site based accommodation the most common aspiration among Gypsies/Travellers was for plumbed in mobile homes – possibly static caravans, as at Dumbarton, but in many cases, the larger chalet homes being piloted in Perth and Kinross. The desire for plumbed in toilets – but in a space ‘large enough’ to maintain cleanliness taboos – was also common.

4.163. The desire for statics or chalets was not universally shared and as noted previously was largely a Scottish/Irish Traveller phenomenon. Residents on the Larkhall site were much less enamoured of the idea, nor was there much enthusiasm on the Girvan site. More common on these sites was a desire for newer trailers or even bricks and mortar housing.

4.164. Among those currently living on official sites 1 in 4 (26%) were interested in moving to ordinary housing. The most common reasons for this were either because of health considerations or being fed up with living on site/other travellers or the travelling lifestyle more generally. Among these social rented housing was the most popular option but many were concerned about being housed in ‘schemes’. Particularly for those with children concerns about drugs and anti social behaviour were commonly mentioned. A number of interviewees stipulated that they would want to look for a house in a more rural setting – some saying that they would not move to a town or city if that was the only option:

„I would consider my own house but I would never live in a scheme……they don‟t want us there and we would only get hassle all the time‟ „I don‟t lie towns……can‟t sit in a town…a small group of housing put in the country just for us…..so we can do our own thing‟.

4.165. It should be noted that of 23 households wanting to move into ordinary housing only 7 (less than 1 in 3) had their name on a social landlord housing list despite this being the preferred tenure of the majority. This may in part reflect a perception that they have little chance of being housed or that likely available housing/neighbourhood options are unlikely to be of interest to them.

4.166. There was evidence among interviewees in South Lanarkshire of a preference for privately rented/owned housing which was also an aspiration for many. As noted earlier a population of around 600 people are thought to be living in the area largely in private sector housing. One interviewee was currently building a house and was waiting for it to be completed before moving in.

4.167. For a small number of interviewees there was not an interest in permanent housing but in temporary housing for the winter period only seeking a more secure healthier place to spend the harsher months of the year.

4.168. Around 1 in 10 expressed an interest in the concept of group housing whereby Gypsies/Travellers can live together as a group or small community. Some were aware of examples of such developments in Northern and Southern Ireland but not particularly the detail. In some cases sites had been redeveloped as small housing areas arranged much as a site would be with access only for Gypsies/Travellers:

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 65 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

„I would only consider housing with other travellers and if it was in the right place‟

„Only if we could get houses together and there was a place to park the van.‟

4.169. Leaving issues about security of tenure and associated issues such as Right to Buy aside, it is not clear how the development of this model of accommodation sits within the equalities agenda and social landlords regulatory framework/performance standards in relation to housing where the focus is on ensuring fair and open access to social housing for all. Developing such segregated provision for Gypsies/Travellers would have potentially wider implications for other ethnic groups who may also have an interest in such segregated developments.

4.170. The limited provision of existing private sites is discussed in the following section but it should be noted at this point that they were not favoured by those currently living on Council sites in South Lanarkshire. Yet the notion of assisting Gypsies/Travellers themselves to expand the provision of privately owned or Gypsy/Traveller run sites was popular, although the common perception was that there were too many barriers to successfully buying and developing land. However it was felt that such an approach would only work on a one family per site basis.

4.171. While there was also some interest in Gypsies/Travellers run housing associations or trusts it was recognised that managing family loyalties and divisions were likely to be a factor in whether they would be successful.

Private Sites

4.172. Private provision relates to privately owned sites for Gypsies/Travellers, residential caravan sites and small scale lets between groups of Gypsies/Travellers and landowners, often farmers.

4.173. There are only 3 ‘official’ private sites in the study area and these are all based in South Lanarkshire; 2 of these are year round sites and 1 seasonal (summer only). As noted earlier a fourth site regularly included in the Twice Yearly Count at Barrhead in East Renfrewshire has been confirmed as a Show Traveller site.

4.174. Details of existing provision in the study area is provided in the tables below. Existing year round provision totals 48 pitches on 2 sites – one at Larkhall and the other at Ravenstruther, near Lanark. This is more than twice the level of Council provision in South Lanarkshire. The local authority reports that this provision is also the current level of occupancy36.

36 The site at Ravenstruther is believed to have considerable additional pitch capacity if it remains open to Gypsies/Travellers. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 66 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

Table 17:Privately Owned Sites: Year Round Provision

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Shaws Road, Larkhall 20 20? 100%?. Ravenstruther 28 28? 100%? TOTAL 48 48? 100%? Source: Craigforth 2007

4.175. There is a discrepancy between these figures and those of the Twice Yearly Count which records provision at 38 pitches, 10 less than the figures provided for this study.

4.176. During the study it was reported by the owner that the site at Ravenstruther was to close, constituting a loss of 28 pitches as the site was being converted to holiday use. At the time of reporting this has not come to fruition and the site remains open37.

4.177. A further 15 pitches are on a site at Crawford which is seasonally occupied and located in Southern Clydesdale also in South Lanarkshire. The latter is not strictly occupied only in summer months but tends to be used through an extended season stretching from March to November each year. 8 of the pitches were occupied at the time of the fieldwork stage of the research.

Table 18: Privately Owned Sites: Seasonal Provision

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Crawford 15 8 53% TOTAL 15 8 53%

4.178. Other private sites were referred to during the research by Gypsies/Travellers but their existence could not really be confirmed; these are not identified by the local authorities as official sites. These were all in Ayrshire the most confirmed being a small site at Hurlford outside Kilmarnock in East Ayrshire – a local authority area where there are no official sites – but a site which was reportedly empty at the time of the research. The local authority did not confirm the existence of this site. The others alluded to were in North and South Ayrshire but may refer to residential holiday sites.

4.179. A great deal is still unknown about private sites. For the purposes of this research access could not be successfully negotiated to either of the 2 year round sites. Discussions with owners suggested a reluctance to get involved in the research and a desire for non-interference.

37 Since then South Lanarkshire Council report that an application to change to holiday use has been refused planning permission. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 67 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.180. As a result, feedback on private sites has come through second parties – ex residents, or friends/relatives of current residents. Former residents involved in the study had lived on some of these sites for between 1 week and 3 years. The limited views expressed were generally quite negative with reports for example of poor quality facilities, high rents and selective admission practices, although such criticisms cannot be assumed to apply to each and all of them:

„The site was disgusting………I left because the facilities were so poor‟

„It cost £100 per week and £3 to have a shower….I just couldn‟t afford it‟

„If there‟s a vacancy and your face fits you get on………‟.

4.181. However they are likely to be popular for many partly because they cater for particular ethnicities within the Gypsies/Travellers population. The 2 year round official private sites were reported as being largely exclusive to a Roma/Romany population, although there was at least one reported case of an Irish Traveller household living on the Larkhall site. South Lanarkshire Council confirmed that there were no Housing Benefit claimants living on these sites site which suggests a largely employed or retired population. Being Romany the sites are largely for tourers/trailers.

4.182. Little was known about the small site at Hurlford except that it was long established – built on the site of an Atchin Tan (stopping place) that had existed for centuries. There were reports at a focus group towards the end of the research that families had recently moved back onto the site, although it was not possible to confirm this. The site reportedly has 5 bays, a shared portakabin for toilets and no separate shower block.

4.183. The only private site to which the research team was able to gain access was the seasonal site near Crawford where 2 members of the owning family were interviewed as part of the research. It was reported that none of the other residents were willing to participate. The site is owned by a family which runs similar facilities elsewhere in Scotland and the North of England and who live in housing in England when the site is closed. In terms of facilities the site has a joint amenity block with toilets and showers. It seems to have a regular clientele which returns each year mainly for work purposes but is also used for short stay transit purposes.

4.184. There was also some evidence of previous ad hoc private arrangements between Gypsies/Travellers and landowners – usually to rent a field or a plot for a set period of time to a particular family or group of families. References to these were historical – no-one interviewed was currently undertaking this sort of arrangement (although one family were reported to be living in a builder’s yard). This form of provision seems to have fallen out of use as legislation and the nature of land-use has changed. Among those who travelled to Christian conventions in Montrose, Edinburgh or England (outside the study area) it was common to share the cost of renting land for the duration of these events – rarely longer than two weeks.

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4.185. Residential caravan sites rarely attract Gypsies/Travellers except when travelling in the summer and where no alternative provision is available. As discussed earlier it can be difficult for them to gain access and discrimination (in terms of refusing entry) does take place. There was no concrete evidence of such sites being used as a form of year round or semi-permanent provision in the study area, although there were some accounts of using this as a temporary measure. However the use of residential sites is still an unknown quantity and difficult to verify.

The Need for Additional Official Site Provision

4.186. There is no agreed methodology for estimating the need for additional provision of year round site based accommodation for Gypsies/Travellers but the identification of need for this type of accommodation is an important element of an accommodation needs assessment. Put simply if sufficient year round site based provision does not exist Gypsies/Travellers do not have the option of site living which is an integral part of their culture as well as the ability to move on and off sites and travel.

4.187. New draft guidance on conducting Gypsies/Travellers Accommodation Needs Assessments was developed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) (now the Department OF Communities and Local Government (DCLG)) and was published in February 2006 and is due to be finalised and published later this year38. This guidance, includes a suggested model calculation for estimating the need for additional residential pitches on sites based on evidence from an accommodation needs assessment such as this study.

4.188. However this is not a straightforward matter not least because of the fluctuating fortunes of official sites in terms of occupancy and effectiveness and the fact that some sites in the study area remain under occupied and in a few cases largely unused. The reasons why sites are not well used are also complex and the findings of this research suggest that those sites which are least effective in contributing to meeting the accommodation needs of Gypsies/Travellers are in this position more because of stigma, family association and fear of intimidation rather than factors such as location and quality of facilities.

4.189. Furthermore there is no agreement as to what constitutes ‘need’ in a Gypsies/Travellers context. This is particularly important when trying to place in context needs arising from a Gypsies/Travellers accommodation needs assessment and those arising from such assessments among the wider population. For illustration ‘is a Gypsy/Traveller who is adequately housed in a social rented or private tenancy wanting to return to site living ‘in need’?.

38 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessments; Draft Practice Guidance, Gypsy and Traveller Unit , Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2006. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 69 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.190. As far as the guidance goes it suggests that the potential for people to be re- housed from sites to housing and vice versa should be considered in an assessment of the need for further site based accommodation. It suggests that those in need might include:

those who have no authorised site on which to live those whose existing accommodation is overcrowded or does not meet their needs those suppressed or emerging households living on site or in housing who cannot set up as a separate unit due to lack of provision those living in housing which is overcrowded or unsuitable to their needs and/or have a psychological aversion to housing (the severity of the latter to be assessed by the local authority/RSL).

4.191. While some of these elements can be quantified through the results of this research e.g. the number living on site wanting housing and vice versa, other elements are not - even given the wide scope of this study and its success in achieving interviews with Gypsies/Travellers. This would tend to call into question the practicality of being able to follow the above approach in full. For example there is a fundamental problem assessing the need for accommodation arising from overcrowding if Gypsies/Travellers households chose not to disclose exact details of current living arrangements and relationships.

4.192. The following key evidence in relation to the need for year round site based provision has been gleaned from the findings of this research:

The year round site based population of Gypsies/Travellers households has been increasing nationally but not in West Central Scotland; it is unclear the extent to which this is related to restricted opportunities for site or encampment based living

There are 127 pitches for letting provided on Council/RSL sites and a turnover of 30 pitches per year; the net contribution of turnover to meeting underlying need for year round site provision is not known

There are 48 pitches on private sites all in one local authority area - occupancy is thought to be high but turnover is unknown

Waiting lists for Council/RSL sites are generally low – there is currently around 47 applicants with over two thirds of these being for one site; in some instances waiting lists are unlikely to reflect the true level of demand39

More generally evidence of need for additional provision is only readily apparent in local authority areas with larger successful settled sites as in the case of South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire

39 There are 50 applicants recorded at Table 15 in Section 3 of this report; this includes an estimated 3 cases (only) identified on more than one list. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 70 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.193. In addition based on a combination of the research findings triangulated with national estimates of Gypsies/Travellers household growth it is estimated that there are likely to be at least 35 newly emerging households from the existing site based population in West Central Scotland over the next 5-6 years.

4.194. Estimates are also provided of numbers of existing site based residents who wish to live in bricks and mortar housing and vice versa.

4.195. The table below summarises the findings of this research using this approach at West Central Scotland level.

Table 19: Estimate of Need for Year Round Site Provision: West Central Scotland 2007-2012

Supply Baseline position - current supply of pitch provision (occupied) 153 Existing pitch provision (unoccupied) +22 Wanting to move from sites to housing +23 TOTAL +45 Need Seeking pitch -47 Wanting to move from housing to pitch -7 On encampments but wanting official site living -9 Future household formation over next 5 years -35 TOTAL -98 Shortfall Need for new pitches 53

4.196. This suggests that there is a need for an additional 50 pitches on official sites across West Central Scotland. However the challenge is where such provision should be provided and this is another very complex area.

4.197. Those authorities with the most effective and popular provision are (not surprisingly) where there is evidence of demand – e.g. West Dunbartonshire and South Lanarkshire. While there are other potential locations where site based provision might work e.g. in local authority areas where there is no existing official site based provision, the research evidence is insufficient to guarantee that these would be successful if developed. This is partly because of the mixed fortunes of sites in West Central Scotland for reasons largely unrelated to quality or locational factors and but due to family associations and fear of intimidation.

4.198. The evidence suggests that the potential key locations for additional provision on official sites are in the Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire areas. Based on a mix of previous encampment activity and Gypsies/Travellers’ views there is some potential that new sites in Renfrewshire and/or East Ayrshire and/or possibly South West Glasgow might also work although here the evidence is far from clear40. For example additional provision in West Dunbartonshire may negate the need for provision in Renfrewshire while in East Ayrshire developing pan Ayrshire transit provision is likely to be a higher priority.

40 Consideration of any new site in Glasgow would need to address the future of the existing under used site at Maryhill in the north west of the city. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 71 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.199. Taking into account the pattern of long term emerging households there is also likely to be a requirement for additional year round provision in South Ayrshire in the medium to longer term.

4.200. A key question is where additional official sites may be successful and this is not straightforward given the history of official sites in the study area. In terms of preferred locational criteria Gypsies/Travellers identify the following:

Near/on the edge of towns – near enough to the main population but far enough away to offer some seclusion Good access to roads and public transport Good access to health and education services On flat ground without risk of flooding Near to related Gypsies/Travellers populations living in housing.

4.201. There is the option of working with Gypsies/Travellers themselves or the private sector to develop new provision but the evidence here suggests that such provision would be likely to be exclusive to particular family groups and ethnicities.

4.202. A further key question in terms of new official site provision is where the balance should be between siting them in those local authority areas with existing provision and those with none.

4.203. The priority locations for new provision based on existing evidence are the Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire areas but there are already known to be significant Gypsies/Travellers populations in these areas. South Lanarkshire Council’s view is that additional provision in that particular local authority area does not necessarily make sense given that it is based on the successful development of provision in recent years and the development of a settled community. It is questioned whether for example the Larkhall area could successfully absorb any more provision and concerns that existing services to the current Gypsies/Travellers population could be diluted as a result.

4.204. It is not clear to what extent potential demand is transferable but limited evidence from neighbouring North Lanarkshire which has run sites at Plains (Airdrie) , Glenboig (Coatbridge) and Mossend (Motherwell) is not encouraging – 2 of these sites are now closed and the other out of action.

4.205. In West Dunbartonshire there is agreement in principle from the Council to explore the possibility of a further site at Dumbarton and a potential site has been identified, although progress much depends on the identification of public sector funding to progress it.

4.206. In Renfrewshire a previous site at Paisley ultimately had to close due to extensive vandalism and also became ineffective due to family associations and fear of intimidation. However Gypsies/Travellers involved in this research showed an interest in this location although this very much came from West Dunbartonshire and it may be that if new provision was developed at Dumbarton there would not be the same degree of interest.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 72 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OFFICIAL SITES

4.207. Glasgow has a site which is usually unoccupied but which has again suffered from stigma and is largely ineffective in contributing to meeting accommodation need. While there is some evidence that a site in South West Glasgow might work based on Gypsies/Travellers perceptions and the pattern of recent unauthorised encampment activity, there is insufficient evidence to guarantee this. The issue of an authority investing in more provision while its current provision is run at a considerable financial deficit would also need to be addressed.

4.208. Finally East Ayrshire has never had official site provision although was allocated pitch targets in the past. Research evidence suggests that a site in the Kilmarnock area might work but again there is insufficient evidence to guarantee this and the extent to which demand would be transferable from other parts of Ayrshire.

4.209. In summary the case for new sites in the Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire areas is the only one that can be made to any great extent.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 73 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5. UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

The Level of Encampment Activity

5.1. An unauthorised encampment is any illegal Gypsy/Traveller site whether on Council or private land. Such encampments are much more a summer than a winter phenomenon.

5.2. The figures below show the trends in the number of summer and winter encampments at national level including a comparison with trends in all site based Gypsies/Travellers households. Between 2001 and 2006 the number of vans in such encampments has almost doubled in both winter and summer. The 2006 Twice Yearly Counts record that in January there were around 120 vans in encampments and 325 in July. This accounted for 23% of all site/ encampment based Gypsies/Travellers households in Scotland in winter and as much as 44% in summer. The 2006 encampment figures are the highest since the counts began.

Figure 3: Vans in Encampments in Scotland: Winter and Summer

Scotland

350 300 250 200 Summer 150 Winter 100 50 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Scotland - Summer

800 700 600 500 All 400 Unauthorised 300 200 100 0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 74 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.3. The further set of figures below show the trends for West Central Scotland which again differ slightly from the national picture. In summer the number living in encampments has also increased over the last 5 years but less consistently. In July 2006 there were 83 households recorded accounting for 44% of all site based households – identical to the national level. Despite significant increases in the summer encampment populations in parts of north and eastern parts of Scotland in 2006, West Central Scotland still accounts for about 1 in 4 (26%) of all vans in summer encampments nationally – identical to its overall share of all Gypsies/Travellers households who live on sites/encampments.

5.4. The winter is quite different and there is little evidence of encampment activity during this season in the study area. Indeed the number of vans in encampments has been in single figures every year since 2001 and numbering only 6 in January 2001.

Figure 4: Vans in Encampments in West Central Scotland: Winter and Summer

West Central Scotland

100

80

60 Summer

40 Winter

20

0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

West Central Scotland - Summer

250

200

150 All

100 Unauthorised

50

0 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 75 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.5. Based on the Count figures encampments are most commonly found in the Ayrshires and Argyll and Bute but there is evidence of activity in 9 of the 11 local authorities with the Renfrewshire/Inverclyde area being the next most common. A detailed breakdown by local authority is provided in the table below for each local authority.

Table 20: Vans in Encampments; Summer (July)

Local Authority 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Average Argyll and Bute 0 12 15 19 2 12 10 West Dunbartonshire 5 3 0 2 0 0 2 East Dunbartonshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Glasgow 0 11 0 0 0 0 2 East Renfrewshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Renfrewshire 0 4 0 17 4 22 8 Inverclyde 1 6 7 0 0 5 3 South Lanarkshire 0 0 0 0 6 7 2 East Ayrshire 6 6 5 5 5 13 7 North Ayrshire 041 042 4 28 28 18 13 South Ayrshire 19 13 12 15 6 6 12 TOTAL 31 55 43 86 51 83 59 Source: Twice Yearly Count, Scottish Executive

5.6. While the Count represents only a snapshot of such activity, evidence from the findings of this research suggests that these figures probably under represent the true extent of such activity. The table below shows the distribution of known encampment sites identified from a mixture of local authority records, knowledge of site managers, key interviews (e.g. with Strathclyde Police) and interviews with Gypsies/Travellers. A total of 59 locations have been identified with the highest incidence again being in Argyll and Bute (12) and the 3 Ayrshires (26).

5.7. There is evidence of activity in 10 of the 11 local authorities with only East Dunbartonshire having no evidence of encampment activity. These locations are used with widely varying frequency but only those with some evidence of recent use have been included. As many as 12 of the 14 sites known in South Ayrshire were used in the 2005/06 period.

41 North Ayrshire Council report that these figures are likely to be inaccurate as no procedures for recording of unauthorised encampments was in place at the time 42 ditto An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 76 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

Table 21: Known Encampment Locations

Local Authority No of locations Argyll and Bute 12 West Dunbartonshire 5 East Dunbartonshire 0 Glasgow 2 East Renfrewshire 1 Renfrewshire 3 Inverclyde 3 South Lanarkshire 7 East Ayrshire 6 North Ayrshire 6 South Ayrshire 14 WEST CENTRAL SCOTLAND 59 Source: Craigforth 2007.

Reasons for Camping Illegally

5.8. Broadly speaking, unauthorised encampments occur for one of two possible reasons. The ‘summer or transit camp’ occurs when Gypsy/Traveller families travel to a region usually for work and/or to visit relatives although there were also unusual examples of where death or hospitalisation of a family member can also lead to one off encampments sometimes of quite significant scale. It is also worth bearing in mind that even a few households can be responsible for a considerable number of encampments through one extended family moving from place to place.

5.9. In West Central Scotland the Gypsies/Travellers involved in summer camping are largely entering the study area from elsewhere, increasingly from England and Ireland. ‘Native’ populations of Gypsies/Travellers tend to travel away from the region - the north of Scotland, England and Ireland being popular destinations of Gypsies/Travellers involved in this study.

5.10. Summer camping is the reason behind the seasonal surge that occurs in the Gypsy/Traveller population every year, and as noted above the number of households involved has increased by almost 100% over the last 6 years.

5.11. Very different circumstances lead to the development of an ‘overspill camp’ by Gypsy/Traveller populations ordinarily resident in West Central Scotland who for whatever reason, cannot find a permanent site for the winter period. The research team made contact with one such encampment of 9-10 families in Dumbarton (West Dunbartonshire) who demonstrated strong familial links with the population currently occupying the Council site in the same town.

5.12. Research evidence suggests that within overspill populations some Gypsies/Travellers change their accommodation circumstances regularly moving between temporary stays with relatives on official sites or in housing, occasional use of temporary lets usually in the private rented sector and taking to the road.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 77 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.13. As the study was conducted after the summer season, the research team was only able to make contact with Gypsies/Travellers involved in overspill camping. There was little evidence of summer/work encampments in operation at this time although camps on Mull and Campbeltown were referred to (but could not be visited).

5.14. Of the respondents captured by this study, nearly 1 in 2 were themselves using unauthorised locations when they travelled, usually outside the West Central Scotland area. Some did use official sites, either transit or through some other arrangement, but almost all who travelled had camped illegally at some point.

5.15. Research evidence suggests that the bulk of illegal encampments in West Central Scotland are caused by Gypsies/Travellers from outside the area. These have been identified by site managers and Gypsies/Travellers themselves as primarily English and Irish Travellers.

5.16. A major ‘transit’ route passes through Cairnryan/Stranraer in neighbouring Dumfries and Galloway into South Ayrshire, before branching off into North Ayrshire and the North, East Ayrshire and the Glasgow area, or into South Lanarkshire and Lothians/Borders. Dumfries and Galloway is also a point of entry for English Travellers, passing through the Ayrshires or South Lanarkshire towards central Scotland.

5.17. Placed directly in the path of this summer influx, the Ayrshires (South, East and North) experience a higher level of unauthorised summer encampments than any other part of the study area and each local authority has identified them as a persistent and growing problem. Unlike in some other authorities encampments in South Ayrshire and North Ayrshire tend to be high impact and cause considerable controversy – popular locations include seafronts, high profile industrial estates and car parks. According to the authorities the majority of these Gypsies/Travellers are in the area looking for work in the Ayrshire area or on the southern fringes of Glasgow.

5.18. Sources in South Lanarkshire, home to the largest Gypsy/Traveller population in the study area, report that intense competition for employment from the native population largely deters summer encampments in this area. Some of the recorded encampment activity in this area associated with quite unusual/ one off circumstances and does not have a consistent pattern. These include a single individual moving slowly across the region in a horse-drawn wagon and a family stopping for a single night at a motorway service station, down to a family passing through the area on their way to the north east of Scotland. The remainder were described as ‘low-profile’ English/Irish encampments.

5.19. As noted above there are a large number of known locations in Argyll and Bute which are used by Gypsies/Travellers, some of these quite regularly. Oban as well as lay bys on main routes north and west are popular. However it is likely that the true level of encampment activity in this area is unknown and that a proportion goes unrecorded given the large geographical area, much of which is quite rural and remote. Encampments that are known of are generally tolerated as many are low profile and low impact and often short term (transit). However a growing problem with Gypsies/Travellers camping on land near high profile Loch Lomond was reported.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 78 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.20. Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Glasgow (south west in particular) experience some east/ west movement on occasions. The corridor from Hillington through Renfrew and Inchinnan to Paisley and Glasgow airport is vulnerable to short term encampments. While East Renfrewshire has only experienced one encampment in recent years (of French Gypsies/Travellers on a local industrial estate) it is likely that the western part of the authority (the Levern Valley (Barrhead) area) could also be vulnerable.

Enforcement Procedures

5.21. Guidelines on managing illegal encampments differ between local authorities. These procedures involve a number of different services and interests, in particular environmental health, local police forces, community councils and health and safety. Local Authorities are only able to take direct action where Gypsies/Travellers use Council land. Private landowners must obtain a court order under trespass laws to have Gypsies/Travellers moved on.

5.22. There is evidence that Gypsies/Travellers are knowledgeable about these processes and ‘play the system’ to maximise the amount of time they can stay. Council owned land being seen as a better bet than private owned land as procedures usually take longer to have an impact.

5.23. A number of local authorities in West Central Scotland have either updated or are currently revising their procedures for managing Illegal encampments in line with recent Scottish Executive guidance43.

5.24. Some illegal encampments are less high profile than others. In the case of lower profile encampments local authorities may well tolerate these. Evidence from the interviews referred to encampments for example on Mull and in Campbeltown that recurred every year and seemed to be tolerated by the authorities.

5.25. Higher profile encampments, can be costly in terms of time, effect on local businesses and the cost of preventing further use by Gypsies/Travellers. In the case of a high profile location in South Ayrshire, the Council recently spent around £30,000 on bollards to prevent repeat incidents. In these areas of regular, intense activity, guidelines and procedures for managing encampments are crucial.

5.26. While guidelines do differ between local authorities, the South Ayrshire guidance covers many of the steps involved in dealing with high profile encampments. On the arrival of an encampment Council officials (usually the site manager of the Council site at Girvan) visits the encampment to find out their intentions and establish a timeframe for the encampment. Calls are then made to the necessary services that form part of a multi departmental/multi agency Encampments Liaison Group.

43 Guidelines for Managing Camping by Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland, Scottish Executive, 2004 An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 79 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.27. Where possible facilities – such as toilet access, rubbish collection and water – will be arranged for the encampment. The Council assumes that the encampment will disperse within the timeframe. Where this does not happen the case is reassessed (including a risk assessment) and an emergency meeting of the Liaison Group is called. This group considers any complaints and consults with legal services.

5.28. If the Council opts to evict the Gypsies/Travellers the police are consulted and the DVLA database is used to identify individuals. The Sheriff’s Office then orders a notice to quit within 48 hours, and the Council must secure a decree to enforce the order. As this part of the process plays out, the Council leader takes responsibility for public/media relations. Once a decree is secured, the Council has an interdict which ensures the Gypsies/ Travellers do not return within a year.

5.29. In Argyll and Bute the lead is taken by environment wardens who co-ordinate the various services and activities necessary to manage illegal encampments. The local Roads and Amenity Services Manager coordinates ground level activity in managing the site. As with South Ayrshire, the Council provides facilities such as waste collection and carries out a risk assessment.

The role of the police

5.30. In recent years police forces have opted for toleration over direct intervention with Gypsies/Travellers encampments. Strathclyde Police describes its role as primarily negotiation and intelligence. The Police cannot intervene directly until a crime has been reported.

5.31. According to South Ayrshire Strathclyde Police crimes have not been reported in relation to Gypsies/Travellers for over two years. As a spokesperson put it:

„Strathclyde Police attempt to deal with Gypsies/Travellers through „positive interactions‟. We try to build confidence and avoid only visiting for negative reasons. We act according to a policy framework and guidelines in each case. We will only take direct action where an „act of disorder‟ has taken place and we refuse to be used as „eviction agents‟.

The role of site managers

5.32. Site managers are an important source of intelligence on unauthorised illegal encampments and are frequently the first point of contact in visiting and handling these (although not always). They must often perform a ‘balancing act, keeping many competing interests happy’. According to the Site Manager’s Association, general knowledge on Gypsies/Travellers is very low among communities and many of the complaints received are often baseless and unconnected to any actual incidents or offences.

5.33. Several times during the study individual site managers voiced the need for a clearer steer from the Executive on encampments and felt that the current framework of legislation was not clear enough. They described a ‘mishmash of domestic and European legislation’ that makes it difficult to take firm action.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 80 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

Other policies and procedures

5.34. Other Council policies can potentially have an impact on the amount of ‘traffic’ in a given area. The site manager at Lennoxtown (East Dunbartonshire) for example believed that the Council’s zero tolerance approach to cold callers and bogus tradesmen had indirectly, deterred many from travelling in the area. Although Gypsies/Travellers are not bogus workmen, the ruling that a cold calling tradesman could be automatically pulled in for questioning is believed to have led to Gypsies/Travellers simply avoiding the area.

Transit Sites

5.35. There are no official transit sites provided within the study area, although as official year round sites are operated on the basis of weekly tenancies and do allow visits, these facilities can be used in such a fashion where and when there is sufficient space. The private seasonal site at Crawford also played a transit role.

5.36. Transit sites have been considered as a solution to unauthorised encampments by local authorities across the UK, where such encampments are seen to be a recurrent and perennial problem. These are provided by local authorities as temporary stopping places for Gypsies/Travellers arriving in an area. A transit site usually provides a basic range of amenities (electricity, showers toilets and washing facilities) and is managed by Council officials. A key feature of transit sites is that they cater for a population travelling through an area and residence is strictly time limited usually to a maximum of 4-6 weeks.

5.37. The hope behind every such site is that by offering official, legitimate provision, the need for Gypsies/Travellers to trespass is removed. Where Gypsies/Travellers persist in doing so in spite of alternatives being offered, Councils have the grounds to undertake more forceful action.

5.38. The particulars of transit provision in the Somerset County Council area were recently discussed at a meeting of the national Site Managers Association. Somerset has a sizeable Romany population of 2,500 families around 500 of which are regularly in transit during the travelling season. There are 6 permanent sites in the county and 2 transit sites. One transit site is privately owned and managed while the other is provided and managed by the local authority; it provides 25 pitches but operates at an agreed capacity of only 19 pitches (a concession to local concerns).

5.39. The local authority attempts to strike a balance between ‘enforcement and tolerance’ and its transit site is recognition of the need by some Gypsies/Travellers to travel during the summer. The Somerset site is located on a disused airfield near major travel routes such as the M5 and opened in 1996. It was established with £250,000 grant assistance from central government. It faced stiff local opposition (leading to a 30 month campaign to obtain planning permission)..

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 81 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.40. It operates a strict policy whereby a family can stay for only 28 days in any 3 month period although this timescale was reduced as a concession to adverse local public opinion (the Council would recommend a 6 week rather than a 4 week period). The cost is £5 per pitch per night and the facility offers WC and washing facilities and rubbish collection. The site is carefully managed and includes fencing around the site (another concession) and CCTV. The control of dogs is a particular management challenge.

5.41. Since the establishment of the Council transit site there has been no unauthorised encampments by Gypsies/Travellers within a 15 mile radius except by New Age Travellers.

Views of Gypsies/Travellers

5.42. As part of the research Gypsies/Travellers in West Central Scotland were asked for their views on the potential for developing and using transit sites – this was done through both individual interviews and focus group discussions.

5.43. For the most part the majority were in favour of transit sites being supplied – some felt that every local authority should have such a facility. There were some who thought the idea of combined permanent and transit sites might work but others were strongly against mixing transit and permanent residents. This stemmed in part from fear of intermingling different groups of Gypsies/Travellers who do not traditionally mix well. There is also a preference among some older and/or settled residents of official sites to keep younger more ‘high spirited’ elements who can cause disruption away from a settled site.

5.44. This issue of ‘intermingling’ was an important factor among those who did not support the idea of transit sites. Gypsy/Traveller representatives were also concerned that the original concept of a ‘stopping place’ and of a basic level of tolerance for travelling would be lost, especially as the need to expand provision put pressure on existing sites. One expressed a fear that transit sites could end up becoming permanent by default or turning into permanent sites (as had happened in the past with some of the now permanent sites) meaning that the problem of no stopping places for families could continue, or even intensify.

5.45. Others felt that such sites would not solve the underlying problems of travel and trespass. The main concerns was whether they would be located in appropriate places and whether this form of provision was compatible with aspects of Gypsies/Travellers’ family culture:

'Most travellers won't go on to transit sites. They might work as long as everyone knew the rules…..has to be the right people going onto it - so it's kept clean.'

„The problem with transit sites is that you never know who you might wind up besides………..my son would be prone to getting picked on for fights………what we need is more official sites with more space, especially for visitors to come‟.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 82 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.46. Some argued that greater tolerance rather than transit provision was the answer to resolving issues caused by unauthorised camping. They felt strongly that transit sites were a veiled attempt at stopping travel altogether, and that a more effective solution would be to more effectively manage unauthorised encampments and have clearer policies and guidelines that applied across local authorities.

5.47. A number of Gypsies/Travellers consulted in the study mentioned using the transit site at Newtonmore near Inverness (Highland) and felt this to be an exemplary facility. When asked most respondents felt they would make use of transit sites if they were:

Well located – some said these should be placed near permanent sites others as far from these as possible!

Affordable (between £35 - £70 a week)

Not too large – between 4 and 10 pitches

Carefully managed and policed – some were worried at the possibility of being beside anti-social families.

5.48. Those Gypsies/Travellers reached by this study who were camping illegally did not generally feel a transit site to be relevant to their situation – they were looking for a permanent site in the Dumbarton area. This group were very clear that transit provision was not what was required even as an interim solution.

Views of local authorities

5.49. Local authorities consulted in the study remained uncertain as to the merits of transit sites.

5.50. At options workshops some representatives questioned whether the establishment of these sites was like a ‘red rag to a bull’ – meaning that by developing such provision more Gypsies/Travellers might come to a local authority area even more than they do currently. One authority highlighted that the identity of Gypsies/Travellers camping illegally can have a bearing on how local communities react and the local authority’s approach to managing encampments. Special provision for English/ Welsh/ Irish Travellers was reportedly not popular either with elected members or their constituents. It was questioned why local authorities should invest in provision for what is a transient non indigenous population.

5.51. Because of the relatively high incidence and high impact of summer camping in Ayrshire the 3 local authorities, possibly in conjunction with Dumfries and Galloway Council, are currently exploring the feasibility of developing a network of transit sites across south west Scotland. This interest is driven by a desire to more effectively manage the impact of illegal encampments and to share responsibilities between the authorities. A joint working group between the authorities has been established and a proposal for a pilot transit site is being considered.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 83 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

5.52. The relevance of this approach is confirmed by the findings of this research and within the study area the Ayrshires come through as the obvious priority location for transit site development.

5.53. There was also discussion with other authorities about developing transit provision, for example in South Lanarkshire and Argyll and Bute (e.g. in Oban), but these authorities felt that the incidence of illegal camping was not of a scale or impact that could not be managed.

5.54. The other location identified as a potential priority was the area along the south of the Clyde estuary stretching between south west Glasgow in the east through to Gourock in Inverclyde in the west. Research evidence was insufficient to say exactly where might be the most appropriate location. Somewhere in the Renfrew/Paisley area might be best but local authorities questioned whether the evidence was strong enough to justify such investment.

5.55. There was a strong view among local authorities that the Scottish Executive really had to take a policy and funding lead in relation to the development of any new sites whether it be transit or year round provision for that matter. This is partly because of the potential costs and financial risks involved in developing such provision without any guarantee that it would necessarily be successful.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 84 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING

6. BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING

Introduction

6.1. As noted in Section 2 of this report the results of this research suggest that at least 3 in 5 (59%) of Gypsies/Travellers in West Central Scotland live in ordinary housing. This is likely to be an underestimate given that some large authorities taking part in this study had no or little information available, including for example Glasgow. National figures are not available and indeed this study is probably the first to make such an estimate.

6.2. Shedding some light on Gypsies/Travellers living in bricks and mortar housing was one of the aims of the study; in many respects this population, not surprisingly, proved the most difficult to reach or identify. They lack the visibility of those living on official sites or those camping illegally and, for a number of reasons, the majority are reluctant to identify themselves. With few exceptions housing services in local authorities do not monitor applications or allocations of social rented housing to this ethnic group although many had plans to do so in light of recent guidance from the Scottish Executive. However it is highly questionable whether any data arising from such a move is likely to be meaningful or useful given the propensity among this population not to self identify.

6.3. In light of these challenges, the research team employed snowball sampling through extended family and kinship networks to identify and contact Gypsy/Travellers living in housing. Some local authorities and housing associations were also able to provide information on Gypsies/Travellers housed in their area and a number of other leads were turned up by the research. Overall 17 of the 107 achieved interviews with Gypsies/Travellers involved those living in ordinary housing, representing 15 households. Had there been more time during the fieldwork stage of the research indications were that a much larger sample could have been achieved.

6.4. However among those who were living on official sites there were many who had previous experience of living in housing but who decided it was not for them.

Geography

6.5. There was evidence that housed Gypsies/Travellers tended to ‘cluster’ largely around areas where there were official sites such as South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and to a lesser extent Argyll and Bute. There were smaller clusters in many other authorities including those who had sites such as North and South Ayrshire as well as those who did not such as East Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.

6.6. It is estimated by this research that there are over 400 Gypsies/Travellers households or over 1200 people living in ordinary housing – the majority of these being in the private sector.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 85 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING

6.7. The South Lanarkshire area alone accounts for almost 50% of these with major concentrations in the Larkhall area but with other smaller clusters in other settlements e.g. Lanark and Douglas Water. In addition to having the highest level of official site provision in the study area it is estimated that that there are at least 130 Gypsies/Travellers households or over 400 people living in ordinary housing in the South Lanarkshire area. Indications are that in line with the Council and private site population most of these identify themselves as Roma/Romany in ethnic origin.

6.8. In the 3 Ayrshires clusters of housed Gypsies/Travellers are to be found in many settlements including Dalry, Irvine, Kilbirnie, Kilwinning, Kilmarnock, Ayr and Prestwick.

6.9. There are almost twice as many Gypsies/Travellers living in houses than on the official Council site in West Dunbartonshire. It is estimated that there are at least 35 households or a population of around 100 people living in ordinary housing mostly in the Dumbarton, Renton, Alexandria and Balloch area as well as in the Helensburgh area in neighbouring Argyll and Bute. Residents at the Council site in Dumbarton consider this to be a considerable underestimate of the local Gypsies/Travellers population with reports of it being at least twice these levels although there was not evidence to corroborate this.

6.10. Argyll and Bute also has a smaller but notable population of housed Gypsies/Travellers again near existing official sites such as Lochgilphead and Benderloch, near Ledaig. Interviewees also mentioned families living in the Kintyre area. In all around 20 households are estimated to be in the area, or just over 60 people, although this may again be an underestimate.

6.11. There was also evidence of housed Gypsies/Travellers in areas with no official sites and little evidence of encampment activity including locations such as Barrhead in East Renfrewshire and Paisley, Johnstone and Linwood in Renfrewshire with some of the interviewees having previously lived in these areas.

6.12. Glasgow yielded only one interview with a Gypsy/Traveller family living in housing with strong South Lanarkshire connections and evidence from the research could only identify 3 or 4 other households at most. It is likely that there is a larger Gypsies/Travellers population than this living in housing in Glasgow although no specific evidence of this was available from the local authority44.

44 Glasgow City Council has dedicated staff working with Gypsies/Travellers and while many of these are show travellers this is not exclusively so. The latest Children’s Services Plan for example refers to a new project involving European Roma parents in the Govanhill area of the city. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 86 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING

Tenure

6.13. The majority of housed Gypsies/Travellers in West Central Scotland are thought to be living in owner occupied housing with a known major concentration in and around the Larkhall area in South Lanarkshire. While those living in housing are reluctant to self identify as Gypsies/travellers this is even more likely to be the case in the owner occupied sector. In short the scale of the population living in owner occupied housing is unknown and is likely to be considerably more than that identified in South Lanarkshire alone.

6.14. Of the 15 households captured in this study – 8 were living in the social rented sector (Council and RSL), 5 in the private rented sector and 2 in owner occupation.

6.15. Council/RSL tenants seemed to be more settled than their counterparts in private rented sector accommodation. A couple in South Lanarkshire reported using their Council tenancy as a winter base spending much of spring and summer on the road and ironically saw living in housing as offering much more opportunity to maintain their travelling lifestyle than living on a Council/RSL site:

„It‟s the best of both worlds……on a site we would not be able to travel for more than 12 weeks at a time……here we come and go as we please without having to worry………‟

6.16. However in 3 other cases there was a hankering to eventually return to site living - this included 2 households with tenancies of 6 and 10 years respectively as well as a more recent tenancy. In the case of the latter living in housing was clearly a second choice because they could not get access to the overcrowded Dumbarton site.

6.17. In contrast 3 respondents in Argyll and Bute were RSL tenants and all seemed settled in their lets including a family of 6 (married couple and 4 children), a single older person and a mother and daughter. One of these cases was looking for a transfer to another house for disability reasons.

6.18. For those living in the private rented sector, living in housing was often regarded as a temporary measure. In particular these lets were often taken for the winter period only with a view to going back on site or on the road in the summer months.

6.19. In 3 cases involving private lets in West Dunbartonshire these had been taken up because of difficulties accessing the Council site at Dumbarton and 2 had their names on the waiting list for the site.

6.20. The owner occupiers were both living in North Ayrshire and included a single male and a couple with grown up child. In one of these cases the house had been bought through the Right to Buy, the household having previously been Council tenants for over 10 years.

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Push or Pull? – Factors that Lead to Living in a House

6.21. One of the interests in this study was to establish whether there was any appreciable difference between Gypsy/Traveller households living on sites and those living in bricks and mortar housing – and what bearing this had on the decision by some Gypsies/Travellers to live in housing. In considering the following discussion the small size of achieved sample needs to be borne in mind.

6.22. In terms of household characteristics, housed Gypsies/Travellers did not seem to differ that much from those living on official sites or encampments. The average household size is similar (3.2 compared to 3 .1). Single person households were no more common; most of those interviewed had 2 or more members to a household and the majority were families45. The largest single grouping within the sample were single parent families, also prominent on official sites and encampments. Many still travelled in the summer months.

6.23. There was also evidence that many of the features distinctive to Gypsies/Travellers, such as cross-generational families can and do move wholesale from sites into housing. There was also clear evidence of arrangements between families living on overcrowded sites and those living in housing, where relatives in housing would take nieces or nephews to live with them for extended periods.

6.24. Whilst around 1 in 4 of those living on sites/encampments expressed an interest in moving to housing, for the vast majority this was of no interest. Generally speaking they did not want to move into housing because of the likely effect it would have on their communal approach to living and a fear of becoming isolated and cut off from their community and family. For a substantial minority living in a house was simply out of the question for cultural reasons:

„I couldn‟t stay in a house…I need to be out in the open…‟

„I prefer to see life out here…………….‟

„It would be like being in jail……………four walls are not for me‟

6.25. Among those with children the perception that most ‘schemes’ of social rented housing suffer endemic drug misuse and that their children would be under threat from such a move was widespread and very powerful. It seems to have deterred many tenants on official sites from ever considering a move to social rented housing. This fear was also given as an important reason for not sending children to secondary school.

45 Single person households were in fact more prevalent among those dwelling on sites, although it is worth bearing in minds that these site-bound single person households may well associate themselves as part of a greater household occupying other pitches on the site) An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 88 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING

6.26. Among those accessed through this research, largely the site /encampment based population, there was no obvious generational split between those wanting to live in housing and those who did not - some younger people were amenable to the idea, others as firmly against it as some of the older Gypsies/Travellers, and vice versa. Among this population no rigid assumptions can be made of a ‘generational shift’ towards a more ‘assimilated’ way of life by living in ordinary housing.

6.27. However evidence from South Lanarkshire suggests that much of the Romany population based in the area has made this choice mostly through taking up owner occupation. It is interesting to note in another example of the cultural diversity within the Gypsies/Travellers population that this may be considered at odds with opinions on site based accommodation. It is the Scottish and Irish Travellers that express a desire for plumbed in statics and chalets – something more akin to a house – than the Romanies who are keen to remain living on site in their trailers.

‘Push’?

6.28. A number of interviewees had gone into housing because of difficulties in finding site based accommodation. Broadly speaking, this fell into three categories; no room on existing sites; disputes/difficulties with other families on sites that made many of them ‘no go areas’, and dissatisfaction with the sites currently available.

6.29. Interviewees from West Dunbartonshire were a clear example where overcrowding on a high demand site (Dumbarton) had led many to take up bricks and mortar provision in order to be near family. There was evidence that many of these residents intermittently lived at the site as guests (probably between private lets). These interviewees disliked living in bricks and mortar and were keen to see a new permanent site built in the area.

6.30. Some of the older residents on the Dumbarton site were contemplating a move to housing to make space for younger family members to set up home there. In some of these cases, health was also a deciding factor, which combined with a sense that overcrowding could be alleviated by such a move. Others felt they would move into housing nearby if overcrowding got any worse.

6.31. A few North Ayrshire interviewees (one an owner-occupier, the other in Council accommodation) had opted for housing because they felt unable to pull onto the existing Council site in that local authority. These separate (and apparently unconnected) families, felt that they had been forced off the site by families living there, and had opted for housing because they did not feel it was safe to return. Both families had been in housing for the same amount of time (10 years) and could trace the difficulties at the Irvine site to some considerable time ago.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 89 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING

6.32. Although mainly in housed accommodation ‘for a change’, the family in East Ayrshire had also avoided the Redburn site because they felt it was ‘insecure’. This was not due to issues with the family living there (the respondent was a member of that family) but the risk of vandalism or burglary from locals. Given the recent upgrades to the site this respondent was considering reapplying to the site in the medium term.

6.33. Another sort of ‘push’ into housing was raised by two separate interviewees in Argyll and Bute, who felt it was the only acceptable option now that camping was more difficult. One moved off the site once ‘non-Highland Travellers’ started to move on; this caused too much friction for them to consider living there.

6.34. This exclusivity among Gypsy/Traveller groups (also hinted at strongly in the case of Romany-owned private sites in Larkhall) was noted by the other interviewees who felt the very philosophy of Council sites were anathema to the Gypsy/Traveller way of thinking:

„Council sites don‟t work - travelling people have never mixed in the way Councils seem to think they do………….‟

6.35. This is further evidence of the difficulties involved in moving towards a strictly needs based allocation policy of pitches but on the other hand vividly illustrates the challenge of ensuring fair and equal access to accommodation within the Gypsies/Travellers population as opposed to wider equality considerations of ensuring accommodation access for Gypsies/Travellers in relation to the wider population.

6.36. Family bereavement on site can also be a factor in initiating a move to housing, where no alternative site provision is obviously available. There can be a reluctance to remain on a site if a key family members dies there, although again this is far from universal. There had been recent bereavements on a number of sites at the time of the research fieldwork and people’s views varied considerably as to the prospect of moving on. As in the case of propensity to travel, there were reports that to move on after bereavement had become more difficult due to a limited opportunities for site based living or for a life on the road.

6.37. Finally among those living in housing or wanting to, experience or risk of harassment on site from other Gypsies/Travellers was a common theme. On the other hand harassment from local communities after moving into housing was also a motivation for wanting to move back on site. In other cases bricks and mortar housing clearly provided either a short or long-term solution to accommodation needs. Gypsies Travellers taking part in this study were both ‘pushed’ and pulled into housing, with the difference between the two not always clear cut.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 90 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 BRICKS AND MORTAR HOUSING

‘Pull’?

6.38. There was also evidence that for some Gypsies/Travellers bricks and mortar housing was an attractive option. Reasons given ranged from a simple desire for a change or ‘boredom’ through to health purposes or even to ‘take a break’ from relatives:

„I am dying to get away so I can have some peace and quiet and get away from relatives interfering all the time ………it gets too much….however it will need to be the right house in the right location……….I still want to be near the family and want to stay near the school and my GP‟.

„I‟m young and I‟d love a flat in Glasgow…….I want a life of my own and to establish my own identity…..

6.39. Among those living on site, especially older people, health can be a ‘pull’ as well as a ‘push’ factor with many seeing a move to housing as likely to improve their health although as noted earlier this can also be combined with a desire to free up space for others:

„If my health got bad I might consider it……….would buy if possible…..I lived in a flat for 2 years before but I got awful lonely‟

6.40. To ensure access to specific health services (health centres and GPs) can also be an important ‘pull’ factor especially if local access to site living is difficult e.g. as in the case of the Dumbarton and Larkhall sites. This leads to populations in housing clustering around official sites as well as the desire to be near family.

6.41. Families with children were another group who could be attracted by a life in housing and this was often linked to a desire for more space and a better living environment.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 91 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OTHER ISSUES: INFORMATION AND ADVICE, TENANCY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILIITES AND CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS

7. OTHER ISSUES: INFORMATION AND ADVICE, TENANCY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS

7.1. The research remit also included trying to find out more about the information and advice requirements of Gypsies/Travellers and how they could most effectively be consulted.

7.2. It has to be said that in terms of individual interview based research the amount of useful information coming forward was less than in relation to questions more directly related to accommodation. This was not least because such questions came towards the end of what was in most cases a very lengthy interview on subjects which respondents found it more difficult to articulate their views. A small proportion of interviewees were not asked these questions (less than 10%) although this was much higher at the Dumbarton site where the questionnaire survey was piloted. Despite these qualifications some important points arose and these are summarised in this section.

Information and Advice

Use of services

7.3. Research questions focused on establishing where Gypsies/Travellers currently receive information and advice, what kind of information and advice they would appreciate access to and how this could best be provided.

7.4. Family members or other Gypsies/Travellers were an important source of advice and information. Most of the Council/RSL sites seemed to have at least one person among the tenants who was identified as a source of advice and who played a role in efforts to make changes or raise issues.

7.5. With the demise of the Scottish Gypsy Traveller Association, there are few dedicated centres of advice or support for Gypsies/Travellers. As noted earlier the community development and support project Lochaber Routes was still in operation at the time of the survey and seemed to be playing a role in the Argyll and Bute part of the study area. At time of writing, it seems that the project had wound up but may still be running on an informal basis.

7.6. At present, Gypsies/Travellers must access a variety of different sources for information and advice. These range from the general support offered by a site manager to services dealing with very specific queries and problems.

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Site managers

7.7. For Gypsies/Travellers on Council/RSL sites, site managers were the most common source of information and advice and usually the first port of call for anyone in need of information and advice. There was evidence that site managers performed a wide range of functions in this regard in addition to their core duties, such as reading letters, helping to fill out forms and offering general guidance and support. Research evidence would suggest that the range of services offered by site managers and their willingness to get involved in providing certain types of information, advice and support varies considerably across the study area (although individual job descriptions were not reviewed to assess the extent to which these varied).

7.8. Generally the provision of such information and advice by site managers was highly valued and indeed some Gypsies/Travellers placed a lot of faith in site managers in this regard. Any criticisms or reluctance to use site managers for this purpose relate to issues of confidentiality and perceptions of impartiality especially among those who perceive the site manager to favour some residents over others.

7.9. It is interesting to note that many Gypsies/Travellers do not associate site managers as being part of Council services for its tenants.

Citizens Advice

7.10. Citizen’s Advice Bureaux were one of the most common sources of information and advice used by Gypsies/Travellers with over 1 in 10 interviewees (including some of those camping illegally) having experience of using this service. This mostly seemed to be for help with benefits, filling in and locating necessary forms etc and there is evidence in some areas and among some households that approaching CAB was in addition to or in preference to approaching the site manager.

Legal advice

7.11. There were also a few cases where Gypsies/Travellers had taken legal advice. Some members of the Romany Action Group in West Dunbartonshire had accessed the Traveller’s Law Reform Coalition for advice and support. Others had taken private legal advice over matters such as relationship breakdown and disputes with Councils/RSLs. These disputes ranged from alleged damage to property by Council vehicles to an ongoing complex case related to the delivery of services to a disabled child.

Homeless and Social Work services

7.12. A number of Gypsies/Travellers households reported experience of using Council homeless services and in some authorities the management of the Council’s official site is organised through this service, although this is less the case than in the past. .

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 93 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OTHER ISSUES: INFORMATION AND ADVICE, TENANCY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILIITES AND CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS

7.13. Clearly some housed travellers, in particular cases involving children, had been housed through the homeless route in social rented housing but did not comment on such services. Among those living on sites and in encampments reported experience and perceptions of homeless services was largely negative although there is evidence of some confusion about when a Gypsies/Travellers household can be considered to be homeless and when not and what that entitles them to:

„If you are homeless you get extra points for housing applications - but travellers are not homeless……..they have accommodation, but nowhere to put it and their tenancy is not secure…. From one Monday to the next…..travellers are caught in the middle...‟‟

7.14. A number of interviewees had been in contact with Social Work services for a range of very specific reasons over recent years.

Doctors

7.15. GPs are one of the few professionals with whom Gypsies/Travellers were likely to trust enough to establish a long-standing relationship with and it is clear that for a considerable number of Gypsies/Travellers families that doctors had become an all round source of information. While medical advice was obviously the primary area in which doctors were consulted, they also advised Gypsies/Travellers on legal matters, adaptations, travel and disabilities legislation even in one case genealogy.

"Because the staff [at the doctors] know the travelling people you feel free to talk……….we have known the doctors for so long and can ask them anything.‟

Specialist national agencies

7.16. Save the Children had reportedly been active at 2 sites in Argyll and Bute where residents had a good relationship with their outreach workers. The Commission for Racial Equality had also been involved on one of these sites as well as at Girvan in South Ayrshire.

Tenancy Rights and Responsibilities

7.17. Tenancy on a Council site entails a number of requirements and responsibilities under the tenancy agreement on the part of both tenants and landlord. Residents were first asked a general question about what their tenancy agreement says about their rights and responsibilities; this was followed by a series of questions about how well informed they felt that they were in a number of specific areas including tenant/landlord repair responsibilities, repairs reporting, making a complaint, making a rent query and who to contact in an emergency. It should be borne in mind that this section is based on the perceptions of Gypsies/Travellers which have not been validated with landlords.

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7.18. Around 1 in 3 (31%) respondents claimed to know nothing about what their tenancy agreement said about rights and responsibilities, a further 1 in 6 (15%) were ‘unsure’. Level of awareness was therefore low or non existent among almost half of tenants. Some claimed never to have seen or received a tenancy agreement.

7.19. Notwithstanding this, levels of knowledge and awareness of key service areas were generally high. In almost all cases the site manager was the first port of call for the majority of queries, though some residents also visited the main Council offices in whatever town they lived near to. A common method of keeping tenants informed was to post details of contact numbers in the window of the site office, so that even if the site manager was away, problems could be addressed quickly.

Repairs responsibilities

7.20. Knowledge of repairs – who was responsible for these, and the delineation between tenant and landlord – was generally very good with almost 90% saying that they were aware of where such responsibilities lie.

Reporting of repairs

7.21. A similarly high proportion of tenants (93%) said that they knew how to report a repair.

Making a complaint

7.22. Knowledge of how to make a complaint was slightly lower but still high at 4 in 5 tenants (80%) saying that they would know how to go about this; levels of awareness appear slightly lower at Dumbarton and Lochgilphead.

Rent queries

7.23. The vast majority (89%) reported being aware of how to pursue a query about their rent.

Emergency contact

7.24. Because sites are rarely staffed full time, knowing what to do in an emergency and the availability of emergency contact details are very important to tenants. Awareness of who to contact in an emergency was also relatively high with 4 in 5 (82%) saying that they knew what to do.

7.25. This was a particular issue for residents at Lochgilphead where less than half stated that they knew who to contact. This may need addressing by the new landlord Argyll and Community Housing Association.

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Consultation Arrangements

„Come and see us, and when you do, try and understand………‟.

7.26. One of the aims of this research was to consider how best to consult with Gypsies/Travellers more effectively in relation to accommodation services, needs and aspirations and more generally about issues related to advice, support etc. It was clear that a range of innovative consultation efforts were being made by local authorities and other agencies but these were often related to other services such as education and community development. In South Lanarkshire this led to a request to delay the fieldwork for fear of over consultation using survey methods.

7.27. Gypsies/Travellers held a very diverse range of opinions on consultation, and not all were convinced that further consultation was desirable. The perception that Councils and public services fundamentally misunderstand the Gypsy/Traveller mindset and way of life was commonly held. There was also considerable mistrust of, and confusion over the role of, certain officials and public services where there was evidence of considerable consultation efforts having been made. There was also a fear that consultation tended to raise hopes among these communities and that considerable damage could be done were these to be raised and then not met:

'The biggest mistake they make is having too many people at us, coming back and forward…………..seeing different people all the time, and having social work and the law down just terrifies us.'‟

We always comes last - and they don't understand our needs and our way of life at all….They don't realise there are more ways of looking at things than the Council knows….they're ignorant, but they think they know it all.‟

"They hold groups and there's all these meetings so there's nothing getting done about it so what's the point - we can hear you but we cannae hear you!"

7.28. The national Scottish Gypsy Traveller Association (SGTA) had previously functioned as a representative organisation for Gypsies/Travellers but was already defunct by the time of the study. Anecdotally, concerns were expressed that it lacked true national coverage, and was perceived as an ‘East coast’ organisation. There did not seem to be an especially high awareness of its activities among the population interviewed. Nevertheless, its demise has left something of a vacuum for formal consultation between Government/local authorities and Gypsies/Travellers.

7.29. Consultation nevertheless is an area most landlords recognise as being under-developed. To this end the research asked a number of questions about consultation arrangements with Gypsies/Travellers to establish what currently existed and how in future, better consultation could be encouraged between the authorities and Gypsies/Travellers.

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Gypsy/Traveller national or regional associations

7.30. With the demise of the SGTA the question of whether a new organisation should pick up where it left off was put to the respondents. This generated little support with only a handful of interviewees showing any interest.

7.31. One of the supporters had taken steps to forming an association for Southwest Scotland and among the few expressing a view there was a leaning towards any such new association would be best organised regionally rather than nationally. Those involved were trying to make contacts and encourage interest in setting up a group that would campaign for Gypsy/Traveller rights and present a united front to campaign for better sites and accommodation. These individuals were working with the Commission for Racial Equality and was looking to establish more contacts and recruit possible members. They felt strongly that the goal of such associations should be to move Gypsies/Travellers towards greater independence and management of their own affairs.

7.32. Among the few who had such an interest there was a view that regional rather than national approaches were likely to be more successful.

Representation – or advice?

7.33. A very common theme emerging from the research was that Gypsies/ Travellers in West Central Scotland were highly sceptical of being represented by others and this has implications for future consultation arrangements not only for local authorities involved in this study but also for central government. There was a strong preference for consultation on an individual basis.

7.34. There was some support for the idea of some sort of association that would provide advice and support rather than representation as such:

„Travellers are too frightened of trouble to get too involved………but we need an association – we need people we can trust who can advise us on health, welfare, benefits…Travellers don‟t know nothing. I just discovered I can go to the chemist and get free medicine. I didn‟t even know I could get benefits advice.‟

7.35. There were other respondents who, while not especially enamoured of the idea of an association were in favour of a helpline, an advice centre or some other common resource specifically for Gypsies/Travellers. Suggested priorities were information and advice for travellers on the road as well as a bulletin or alert service for when empty pitches became available on official sites.

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7.36. Views were completely split as to whether any association or advice and support service should be set up and run by Gypsies/Travellers or by a ‘third party’ and staffed at least partially by Gypsies/Travellers. The issues behind this are complex – while there is a general reluctance to be represented there are also issues of credibility and trust within the population and between them and the wider population:

„What we need is a permanent liaison officer selected from within the community who could have a „roving‟ remit – visiting various sites and encampments and act as intermediaries for consultation and discussion.‟

„I feel very strongly that any representation should not come from within the community as they would favour their family over others and this could lead to their family just „taking over‟.

Residents/Tenants Associations

7.37. Efforts had been made on most official sites to establish residents/tenants associations and indeed in some areas these were operational. They were not always accommodation led or focused and could be more generally aimed at more general advocacy and support or indeed focused on particular services e.g. playgroups. In some cases there was evidence of landlords trying to establish such organisations although residents not being keen to pursue the establishment of such structures. Often regular site meetings were held as an alternative as in the case of South Lanarkshire. In areas where sites had traditionally low occupancy there were not surprisingly no such structures. The sites at Dumbarton and Ledaig offer 2 interesting examples of different approaches being taken.

7.38. Dumbarton tenants had formed a Gypsies/Travellers Action Group around 9 months prior to the beginning of the research46... This group was highly active and had met with some success in campaigning for a new site in the area. The group was run by tenants, had e-mail access and at the time of the study was due to be consulted by the Scottish Parliament. A youth wing also existed – the Romany Youth Action Group - meeting regularly in Clydebank and Dumbarton where they worked with outreach workers and some attended college classes.

7.39. Overall, the group seemed engaged and active, and judging by the enthusiastic response to the first days of the fieldwork research, capable of exciting the interest of other Gypsies/Travellers and instrumental in arranging interviews with housed and illegally camped Gypsies/Travellers. The Dumbarton site was unusual among those surveyed in that it had no actual site manager and the site office was looked after and maintained by the group.

46 In light of cultural diversities within the Gypsies/Travellers population it is interesting to note that this population of largely Scottish Travellers has identified itself as Romany in this context. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 98 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OTHER ISSUES: INFORMATION AND ADVICE, TENANCY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILIITES AND CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS

7.40. There were clearly a number of individuals who were very active in this group and despite its existence there were a number of tenants who stated a clear preference for one-on-one contact. There were also different views expressed as to what the priorities of the group should be – examples given were finding accommodation for emerging households, achieving improvements to the existing site, supporting Gypsies/Travellers on the road and relationships with the Council. However the issue of illegally camped Gypsies/Travellers was clearly important to residents of the Dumbarton site and there was evidence that lobbying for a new site (as well as chalets on their site) had been an important part of their work, although not all were convinced about the balance of priorities being promoted:

"We are trying to fight now to get a site - there have been meetings but I don't think it has been about another site, I think they have been fighting to get things for people who already have pitches!"

7.41. There was some evidence that this group has still to win greater legitimacy among the various interests it seeks to represent and illustrate the difficulties that even a strong residents association can have in securing wider legitimacy among this diverse community.

7.42. At Ledaig, a small cohesive tenants association had been formed, but on a site of only 7 households. The impetus for this appears to have been partly related to some tensions with the Council in relation to accommodation and other services, and a sense that there was a lack of Gypsies/Travellers representation and consultation on such matters. For example tenants felt that there had been inadequate consultation over the improvements to the site funded by the Council and the Executive’s Site Development Fund.

7.43. There was no evidence in the study area of any residents/tenants associations based on the wider Gypsies/Travellers population including those living in housing as well as on official sites and encampments.

Site representatives

7.44. There tended to be individuals on sites who took on an informal role as site representatives - most often women connected to the ‘dominant’ families on site. They would often attend Council meetings, organise other tenants over an issue, or act as a source of advice or information. These individuals could be easily identified during the research and attended both the focus groups and interview sessions.

7.45. Those with an ‘activist’ background were often approached by others as needed as were those with good literacy skills who were often valued as representatives or go-betweens.

7.46. Every Council/RSL site had one or two tenants who played the ‘representative’ role to some degree, although this was not a role for everyone and there were those who felt that sometimes this role can go too far:

„There‟s a danger in getting too involved………I have a cousin on the Perth site who acts like she's a councillor!‟

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Site meetings and discussion groups

7.47. Site meetings were popular among those who favoured mixed approaches to consultation.

7.48. The notion of regular site meetings or a site committee to discuss such issues as site improvements, changes to policy or legislation, or new information was favourably received, even by many who did not support the idea of a residents association or of being represented. Some supported this as a mixed approach with, or adjunct to, a more regularised tenants group. There was evidence that these sorts of arrangements already existed informally on some sites.

7.49. For the most part, respondents discussed such meetings as occurring on a single site basis – in part to give everyone the best chance of attending. It was recognised by many that by its very nature a group approach would require compromise and a degree of diplomacy:

„I am happy to take part and speak for others.……but I still want to speak for myself‟.

7.50. However some did see a potential place for wider meetings between residents of a number of sites and indeed this research was successful in doing so - each focus group having successfully brought together representatives from 2 or 3 sites. However ethic and family sensitivities were again seen as a potential barrier to successfully mixing people from different sites:

„You can‟t have some Travellers getting too powerful over other Travellers……..you might need to have separate meetings – its dangerous putting some Travellers together.‟

7.51. Some felt that there should also be meetings or discussion groups for younger Gypsies/Travellers, a sentiment confirmed by the members of the Romany Youth Action Group from Dumbarton, who felt it was important to have their own voice.

Consultation on an individual basis

"I want direct contact, I don't like being represented, I want to talk for myself."

7.52. While support for site specific meetings was reasonably strong, there were nearly as many who strongly disliked this or any other collective approach. When taken with those who favoured one-on-one contact as part of a mixed approach to consultation, this is the most popularly held opinion about how consultation should be carried out. Even those in favour of collective approaches valued retaining their independence to speak for themselves as opposed to on behalf of others.

7.53. A milder view is that whatever formal or collective arrangements are made for consultation, individual consultation, either face to face or by post is an essential part of any meaningful liaison with Gypsies/Travellers.

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Willingness to be consulted and to get involved

7.54. Notwithstanding resistance to certain types of consultation structures arrangements there was substantial interest in being involved. Of those site/encampment based Gypsies/Travellers surveyed, 3 in 5 (52 of 85 cases) were in favour of getting involved in future consultations or discussions, only 1 in 6 said they would wish to have no involvement. The remainder were undecided.

7.55. Notwithstanding this high level of interest those uncertain or unwilling to participate represent a sizeable minority. A few people absented themselves because they were older and felt that issues were more pressing for younger Gypsies/Travellers. This included a previous activist on the Dumbarton site who had been involved in earlier campaigns to have sites opened and improved, but felt that he was now ready to take a back seat.

7.56. This respondent did however, touch upon deeper ‘cultural’ reasons for this non-engagement, pointing to the individualism of Gypsies/ Travellers, along with a general assumption that certain hardships simply had to be weathered:

„Many Travellers want to live their life without interference. There is a „bend or break; attitude that means Travellers put up with a lot and say nothing…so its hard to get Travellers involved.‟

7.57. A common theme was a reluctance to ‘interfere’ in the life of others or with the authorities – ‘it’s not our way’ – although there was also evidence that family associations were again an influencing factor. Indeed it was implied that in some instances larger more powerful families can dissuade involvement or prevent people wanting to express opinions too openly. Some felt that ultimately they had to ‘watch out for themselves’.

7.58. Other Gypsies/Travellers – often those most active in campaigning for sites or consulting with the authorities – were highly critical of such attitudes:

“If people don‟t want to speak up then they should do or just go into Council houses because they are not bothering to speak for Travellers”

7.59. Others clearly felt that while many were against being represented or involved it was still important to get involved. There was evidence of some bitterness however from those who had been previously active, had even achieved change such as the building of a new site, but had seen others get the benefit;

"When setting up [a Council site] we were all consulted and they built it (only a small site) but none of us got in ...not one in the group consulted got on."

7.60. The respondent nevertheless, said she was committed to further involvement in campaigning for a new site and further consultations – but for others, such results can be dispiriting and act as a barrier to involvement and engagement.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 101 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OTHER ISSUES: INFORMATION AND ADVICE, TENANCY RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILIITES AND CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS

Conclusion

7.61. Overall the research evidence suggests that the kinship dimension – and the often fractious politics between different families – has an important bearing on all aspects of consultation and the possibility of developing self- representation and activism among Gypsies/Travellers.

7.62. There were wide differences in opinion between Gypsies/Travellers within a few pitches of each other. This was ably confirmed at the two large sites at Dumbarton and Larkhall – which also encapsulate 2 quite different ethnic populations. In both cases opinions were split on the notion of collective action, with some being openly hostile to the idea of being represented by others or coerced by a group into making decisions. National or regional associations appear to face even greater issues of legitimacy and validity among the diverse Gypsies/Travellers population than do site based residents/tenants groups.

7.63. A mixed approach of site based meetings and individual consultation was by far the most popular and acceptable approaches although some could see the benefits of more widely based approaches for particular one off purposes. However the majority of those interviewed were in principle willing to get involved in consultation activities; the high level of response and engagement with this research confirms this degree of commitment.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 102 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OVERARCHING PRIORITIES

8. OVERARCHING PRIORITIES

8.1. This section considers some of the overarching priorities arising from the research findings. It does not seek to repeat recommendations already made to local authorities arising from the findings of the Communities Scotland’s Thematic Studies but refers to them where relevant.

8.2. Nor does this section attempt to address all the overarching issues that arose from the findings of the research which are discussed in the body of the main report. It focuses only on the key priorities.

8.3. Local priorities for each of the 11 local authorities and their areas are set out in Section 9 of this report.

Overall Priorities for Site Investment

8.4. In relation to site based accommodation for Gypsies /Travellers there is some tension surrounding overall investment priorities – this includes weighing up the need for further investment in existing Council /RSL sites on an ongoing and regular basis, the development of additional year round sites and the development of a network of transit sites across the region.

8.5. Both landlords and Gypsies/Travellers representatives agree that a dual approach of investing in existing sites and developing additional year round provision should be the priority. Generally there is considerably less support for the development of new transit site provision.

8.6. However the continued availability of central government funding to assist in the development of new site provision and major upgrades of existing sites is considered critical by local authorities and RSLs if any progress is to be made. The lack of robust demand evidence (which might signal the potential success of a site in a particular location) combined with past failures and variable site fortunes in the region means that any new investment brings with it a considerable degree of financial risk. This is not only for landlords but also for the Scottish Executive if it continues to grant fund such provision. There has been a significant loss of previous central government investment e.g. through vandalism and/or site closures...

Investing in existing Council/RSL sites

8.7. As a matter of priority and in line with previous guidance from Communities Scotland, 47 Councils and RSLs should put sound plans in place for the planned and cyclical maintenance and ongoing upgrading of official sites in their ownership. Some landlords have done so, others have not.

8.8. In order to encourage landlords to keep unused and underused sites open and to protect previous grant investment the Scottish Executive/Communities Scotland may wish to consider the provision of deficit funding where sites are run at an annual loss.

47 Services for Gypsies/Travellers, A Follow Up Study, Communities Scotland, 2005/06 An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 103 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OVERARCHING PRIORITIES

Investing in new sites or new forms of provision

8.9. This study identifies a need for up to an additional 50 pitches on year round sites in West Central Scotland over the next 5-6 years. Based on the research evidence locational priorities for the development of new sites should be the Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire areas. However evidence and previous experience in the study area would suggest that success of new sites cannot be guaranteed. West Dunbartonshire Council has agreed in principle to consider the development of a new site subject to appropriate funding being made available.

8.10. The priority area for developing new transit provision is Ayrshire and there is some interest in developing a pilot for the region in this locale.

8.11. In this respect the Scottish Executive should consider the continued availability of grant aid to specifically encourage the development of new site provision (year round and transit); otherwise it is unlikely to happen. Such funding is also likely to be required for any major re-provisioning of type of provision such as the possible development of chalets or group housing. However the development of such new approaches requires more detailed research and consideration in the context of local authorities responsibilities towards meeting the accommodation needs of Gypsies/Travellers and the national equalities agenda.

8.12. Furthermore local authorities and RSLs should consider joint funding applications for such new provision and develop joint working and cost sharing arrangements with neighbouring authorities on an ongoing basis. This will help ensure a more strategic approach to meeting accommodation needs is developed and that any financial risk is shared.

Allocations Policy on Council/RSL Sites

8.13. Local authorities and RSLs need to review their policies, processes and procedures in relation to the application for, and allocation of, pitches on official sites. This should include gathering rigorous needs based information from applicants regarding their current accommodation circumstances. A critical aim in doing so must be to ensure some transparency and accountability in decision making and to gather data to help inform future needs.

8.14. Evidence from this research suggests that a strictly needs based approach along the lines of that used to allocate social rented housing (as recommended in previous guidance) is not without considerable risk 48. Such an approach could ultimately run the risk of particular sites becoming disused or under used and threaten previous investment as has occurred in the past in the study area. In short the majority of local authorities in the study area do not have the confidence that this will be successful nor indeed do they agree with the premise behind it (i.e. that site pitches should be allocated on a similar basis to social rented housing). There is also no specific legislative framework which applies.

48 Thematic Regulation Studies, Services for Gypsies/Travellers, Communities Scotland 2002 An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 104 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OVERARCHING PRIORITIES

8.15. The complexity of this policy area – in particular the tensions between meeting needs and maintaining site harmony - has been recognised on a UK wide basis49.

8.16. The Scottish Executive/Communities Scotland should consider undertaking a national review in this subject area with a view to identifying a consistent and practical approach to be adopted in future and one that has widely based support – not only from the regulator but from social landlords who own and manage sites. Any review needs to ensure that legal requirements are being met (e.g. in relation to equal opportunities legislation).

Private Sites

8.17. There is a need to consider how local authorities can best work with private owners of sites to ensure good standards of accommodation and amenities. This might include for example the introduction of regular inspections and/or the development of an accreditation system for private sites.

8.18. The Scottish Executive should consider whether there is the potential for extending the national private landlord accreditation scheme to include owners of private residential official sites or to develop such a scheme specifically for this purpose. South Lanarkshire Council as the only authority with private site provision may wish to raise this with the Scottish Executive and/or through existing good practice networks. There may be scope for this authority to act as a pilot for the development of any national scheme.

Holiday Sites

8.19. In conjunction with the Police, local authorities with holiday sites in their area should consider how best to tackle the continuing discrimination experienced by Gypsies/Travellers households in using this form of accommodation. This could include for example raising awareness of responsibilities among site owners to meet the terms of anti discriminatory legislation and the consequences if these are flouted.

Equipment and Adaptations

8.20. Local authorities need to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place for the delivery of a comprehensive equipment and adaptations service to Gypsies/Travellers households living on official sites – be they owned by the Council, an RSL or privately owned. This service should address the need for equipment and/or adaptation relating to amenity blocks as well as individual household accommodation, irrespective of accommodation type (e.g. static or tourer/trailer).

49 An Allocations Dilemma: Letting Pitches on Local Authority Gypsy Traveller sites, Pat Niner, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 105 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OVERARCHING PRIORITIES

Future Approaches to Consultation

8.21. Among site based populations future consultation by landlords on accommodation related matters should focus on a mixed approach of site based meetings and direct communication with individual households (face to face or by correspondence).

8.22. However there is likely to be a need to develop other potential structures for more widely based consultation on accommodation and other matters and this is particularly an issue for those local authorities with little or no identifiable Gypsies/Travellers population and/or no easy way of accessing them. Based on the findings of this research this is likely to be challenging given the resistance to ideas of regional or national representation and the failure of previous organisations.

8.23. There may be some potential to consider the development of a regional and even national panel (akin to a Citizen’s Panel) of Gypsies/Travellers who are willing to be consulted on a wide range of issues as individuals rather than as representing the views of others. The commissioning authorities for this research may wish to consider, in partnership with others such as the Scottish Executive, Communities Scotland, the NHS etc developing this as a pilot in the study area with a view to rolling this out nationally.

8.24. Identifying members for such a panel is likely to involve working closely with other services such as education and social work to access such populations or at least to give them the opportunity to have their say. Any consultation arrangements using this mechanism would need to capture the views of different cultural identities within the Gypsies/Travellers population (e.g. Romany, Scottish Traveller etc)

Lessons for Future Research

8.25. There are a number of valuable lessons that can be learned from the experience and findings of this research including the following:

Future research should be more tightly focused in its remit and not seek to address such a wide range of issues

Consideration should be given to longer timescales for the fieldwork element of any such research . to capture both winter and summer populations . to increase the chance of success in accessing populations living on private sites and in bricks and mortar housing

Building up a good relationship with key Council/RSL staff as well as leaders among the Gypsies/Travellers community is critical to the success of any research

Where co-operation and access can successfully be negotiated, it is not recommended that Gypsies/Travellers themselves be used to help undertake this type of household survey related research due to issues around confidentiality and tensions between different families/households. This is contrary to some research opinion.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 106 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 OVERARCHING PRIORITIES

Updating Evidence on Accommodations Needs and Preferences

8.26. A particular requirement of this research was to make recommendations on how information on accommodation needs and preferences of Gypsies/Travellers could be updated on an ongoing basis without the need for conducting large scale research such as this study.

8.27. It is recommended that local authorities should continue to work jointly i.e. on a regional basis to identify and address the accommodation needs and preferences of Gypsies/Travellers households. This is not only more cost effective but developing commonly agreed regional responses are likely to be the most appropriate approach. Studies such as this should be updated at least every 5 years.

8.28. Using the results of this study as a baseline and data from the Twice Yearly Count authorities should work together to monitor and assess on an annual basis the implications of:

Overall regional and national trends in the Gypsies/Travellers population Existing levels and usage of official site provision Evidence of changing patterns and levels of demand for Council/RSL sites e.g. waiting lists, turn aways etc Levels and patterns of unauthorised encampments.

8.29. All of the above data is collected from the Twice Yearly Count although has not always been published on a consistent basis. The Scottish Executive should consider making the full range of data collected through the Count available to local authorities to assist them in the identification of emerging trends and needs in relation to different types of accommodation.

8.30. Allied to this Councils and RSLs should take regular steps to ensure that those wanting to apply for a pitch on a site or apply for a move to a social rented house do make an application. Otherwise need goes considerably unrecorded as highlighted in the findings of this study.

8.31. Councils and RSLs may also wish to consider a regular visit to each Gypsies/Travellers household living on official sites to establish and monitor individual household needs and to ensure whether any action requires to be taken e.g. need for equipment and adaptations, need to apply for housing, overcrowding etc. Landlords might wish to consider this on an annual basis and possibly as an extension of their involvement in the Twice Yearly Count e.g. as part of the summer or winter count.

8.32. A summary of the survey used for this research is included as Appendix 3 of this report which could potentially be used for this purpose.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 107 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 LOCAL PRIORITIES

9. LOCAL PRIORITIES

Argyll and Bute

Re-establish good relationship between landlord and site residents at Oban and continue to develop good relationship at Dunoon.

Invest in upgrading site at Dunoon

Ensure provision for ongoing cyclical maintenance and upgrading of all 3 official sites

Consider case for transit sites in Oban and Lochgilphead

No obvious case for increase in additional year round site provision.

West Dunbartonshire

Consider developing new year round site(s) with a capacity of up to 20 pitches

Alternatively consider national pilot of group housing or chalets on a new site giving priority to those currently living on the existing Dumbarton site (and thereby release capacity).

Consider the case for the development of a transit site in the Dumbarton area as an interim measure in response to the above need; re-assess need for permanent transit provision if/once new year round site is developed

Consider the case for chalets or increased pitch sizes once progress has been made on one or both of the above.

East Dunbartonshire

Work with other authorities to positively attract Gypsies/Travellers to the Lennoxtown site.

Glasgow

Work with other authorities to positively attract Gypsies/Travellers to Maryhill; need for strong site management/policing if new population arrives.

If unsuccessful consider future of the site and potential relocation in longer term, probably in south/south west or west of city.

Consider the case for new transit provision by working with East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils on joint strategy.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 108 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 LOCAL PRIORITIES

Consider more detailed research into identifying the Gypsies/Travellers population and accommodation circumstances/issues in the city; for purposes of economies of scale and to maximise usefulness of the research, it may be appropriate for this to include the Show Traveller population.

East Renfrewshire

Consider the case for new transit provision by working with Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils on joint strategy.

Renfrewshire

Consider the case for new transit provision by working with Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils on joint strategy.

Possibly consider the case for an official site in the Paisley area*.

*This should be considered in consultation with West Dunbartonshire Council as the case for an official site may depend on whether a new site is provided in that authority. There may also be scope for joint working/funding arrangements with neighbouring authorities as in the case of transit site provision.

Inverclyde

Consider the case for new transit provision by working with Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Councils on joint strategy.

South Lanarkshire

Work in partnership with residents on Larkhall and East Kilbride official sites to continue upgrading of each site, amenities and repair and maintenance services.

Consider the development of new year round site(s) in consultation with North Lanarkshire with a capacity of 10-20 pitches

The Council should raise with the Scottish Executive and/or good practice networks how best local authorities can work with private owners of sites to ensure good standards of accommodation, amenities and site can be achieved; this could include the piloting of an accreditation system for private Gypsies/Travellers sites.

Closely monitor the incidence of encampments and consider the case for new transit provision in the longer term of the need should arise.

East Ayrshire

Either develop new year round site (probably in the Kilmarnock area) or develop new transit provision as part of a joint strategy with North and South Ayrshire Councils.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 109 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 LOCAL PRIORITIES

North Ayrshire

Build on positive relationship with residents on official site at Irvine; continue responsive and quality repairs and maintenance service (following site improvements) and continue to provide strong management to maintain site harmony (following influx of new tenants)

Develop new transit provision as part of a joint strategy with East and South Ayrshire Councils.

South Ayrshire

Address flooding issues; install/improve flood prevention measures and create regular maintenance regimes of pumps/drainage Develop new transit provision as part of a joint strategy with North and East Ayrshire Councils Consider in the medium to longer term the development of new year round provision of 6-8 pitches, possibly involving the private sector.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 110 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

Appendix 1

LOCAL AREA PROFILES

ARGYLL AND BUTE

Official Sites

Overview

There are 3 official sites in the area located at Dunoon, Lochgilphead and Ledaig (north of Oban, near Benderloch). The sites provide 31 pitches in total of which 28 were occupied at the time of the research (November 2006) giving an occupancy rate of 90%.

Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Torlochan, Dunoon 10 9 90% Duncholgan, Lochgiplhead 13 12 92% Ledaig, Oban 8 7 88% TOTAL 31 28 90%

The capacity at Lochgilphead has been reduced by 1 unit due to the provision of a community/play portakabin. The potential for a similar facility in Oban is currently being explored, therefore, the capacity here may also be reduced by 1 unit for the same reason and indeed the spare pitch is currently being held for this purpose.

These 3 sites were formally owned by Argyll and Bute Council but are now owned and managed by Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) following the transfer of all Council housing (including official sites) which also took place during November 2006.

In each case the 3 official sites are occupied by one extended family and this is critical to their functioning and popularity.

The basic rent per pitch was £31.60 per week at the time of research and is 38% lower than the average rent for a 2 bedroom ACHA property (£50.56 per week).

Torlochan, Dunoon

Opened in 1984. Upgraded in 1996. Patterns of residence in the past highly variable. Extended family has occupied site since 2005; Scottish Traveller population. Length of residence therefore typically 1-2 years.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen, bathroom, toilet Other: separate store Site/tenants association: No (ACHA are currently working with residents to try and establish).

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 111 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

Planned investment in 2006/07 (included in original bid to SE Site Development Fund) – only limited/ preparatory work proceeded (largely survey work). Extra than anticipated expenditure (including larger than anticipated Council contribution) incurred on other 2 sites.

Waiting list: 1 applicant from same site

Issues

Need for investment/upgrading of amenity blocks No investment planned and lack of clarity re future funding Repair and maintenance service perceived as unresponsive and poor Lack of play facilities Need to ensure positive relationship between landlord and site residents is sustained and developed in future.

Dunchlogan, Lochgilphead

Site re-built/relocated in 1991/92. Original site opened in 1978 on adjacent site, Settled site with majority of residents from a single extended family: Scottish/Romany Traveller population. Length of residence variable1-25 years.

Site office: Yes Amenity blocks: kitchen, bathroom/shower Other: Portakabin for play/education. Site/tenants association: Yes, at time of research, but has since fallen into abeyance and the ACHA is trying to revive interest.

Investment in upgrading amenity blocks underway at times of research; positive feedback from residents re quality and involvement. Funded by SE Site Development Fund.

Waiting list: None

Issues

Child/road safety concerns need addressed Improvements required in maintenance of access road and borders Possible issue about awareness of emergency contact details.

Ledaig, Oban

Site opened 1990/91. Settled site based on one extended family: Scottish/Gypsy Traveller population. Length of residence mostly 2-9 years.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: bathroom, utility and storage. Other: Portakabin for play/health/education being considered. Site/tenants association: Yes

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 112 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

Investment in upgrading amenity blocks very recently. Funded by SE Site Development Fund and Council sources.

Waiting list: None

Issues

Develop good relationship between new landlord and site residents Reassurance re future of site required given development of new Oban airport Lack of site and bus stop signage Clarify and resolve (if required) issues around vehicular access for service and emergency vehicles (speed bumps reportedly too high preventing access).

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round sites in the area.

Homelessness Applications

11 applications over last 2 years: 1 allocated social rented tenancy; 1 in temporary accommodation; remainder mainly resolved homelessness or left area.

Housing

20-30 Gypsies/Travellers households known to be living in housing in the area including at Lochgilphead, Oban, Benderloch and Dunbeg.

No information available on social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers (not recorded). Development of Home Argyll common housing register does now record this (where the applicant provides information) and monitoring systems are being established to report on this in future.

Encampments

Regular summer encampments averaging 12 households over last 4 years and 10 households over last 6 years (at time of July Twice Yearly Count). Known sites for encampments in the Oban, Lochgilphead, Campbletown, Mull and Helensburgh areas.

While mostly short stay and reportedly well managed, there is evidence of potential demand for transit sites in and around Oban and Lochgilphead.

Research evidence suggests that this may underestimate the true level of encampment activity; also considerable interest in travelling to Oban area among the West Central Scotland population.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 113 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

Priorities

Re-establish good relationship between landlord and site residents at Oban and continue to develop good relationship at Dunoon. Invest in upgrading site at Dunoon Ensure provision for ongoing cyclical maintenance and upgrading of all 3 official sites Consider case for transit sites in Oban and Lochgilphead

No obvious case for increase in additional year round site provision.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 114 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE

Official Sites

There is 1 official site in the area located at Dumbarton. The site provides 20 pitches all of which were occupied at the time of the research (November 2006) giving an occupancy rate of 100%. The site is owned by the Council.

Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Dennystoun Forge, Dumbarton 20 20 100% TOTAL 20 20 100%

Opened in 1981. Very stable site with minimal turnover. Majority of residents been on the site for over 20 years and many since it opened. Majority from one single extended family: Scottish Traveller population.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen, bathing, toilet and laundry facilities Other: Children’s play area Site/tenants association: Yes – Tenants Action Group (meets in site office).

Upgraded in 1992 and more recently in 2003/4 – new kitchens, bathrooms and insulation put into amenity blocks; 2004/05 play area provided; 2006/07 road resurfaced. Very recent investment to plumb in statics funded by mix of SE Site Development Fund and Council sources.

Waiting list: 6 applicants but this is not considered indicative of real demand (perceived to be no point in applying). Based on research evidence potential demand for up to 20 pitches and perhaps more.

The basic rent per pitch is £44.41.per week only 2% lower than the average rent for a 2 bedroom Council property (£45.41 per week).

Issues

Some evidence of periodic overcrowding on site – year round and at peak in winter months Emerging households – also evidence that being forced on to the road (encampments) or into housing including use of winter lets Need for more pitches the biggest issue Interest in larger bays and chalets especially among older established households.

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 115 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

New Site Provision

The Council has agreed in principle to investigate the possibility of a new Gypsies/ Travellers site in the Dumbarton area. A Council owned site at Dalmoak, Dumbarton is under investigation but no funds yet identified for development.

Homelessness Applications

Reportedly a small number of applications from Gypsies/Travellers in 2005/06 but no details on profile or outcomes provided.

Housing

Likely to be 30-50 Gypsies/Travellers households living in housing in the Dumbarton/Alexandria/Renton area. Gypsies/Travellers report much higher levels than this.

No information available on social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers (not recorded).

Encampments

Only one encampment with 2 households recorded over last 4 years (Twice Yearly Count); this is an under representation of the true scale of activity.

Evidence of regular encampments in and around the Dumbarton area (not only in spring/summer); research evidence suggests this in part due to overspill from the Dumbarton official site

Priorities

Consider developing new year round site(s) with a capacity of up to 20 pitches Alternatively consider national pilot of group housing or chalets on a new site giving priority to those currently living on the existing Dumbarton site (and thereby release capacity). Consider the case for the development of a transit site in the Dumbarton area as an interim measure in response to the above need; re-assess need for permanent transit provision if/once new year round site is developed Consider the case for chalets or increased pitch sizes once progress has been made on one or both of the above.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 116 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE

Official Sites

There is 1 official site in the area located at Lennoxtown. The site provides 15 pitches. 4 of these were occupied at the beginning of the research but this had reduced to none at the time of the fieldwork stage (November 2006) giving an occupancy rate of 0%. The site is owned by the Council.

Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Redhills, Lennoxtown 15 0 0% TOTAL 15 0 0%

Opened in 2002. The site was fully occupied for 6 months when it first opened. Since then tenancies have averaged about 9 tenancies per year. Prior to the fieldwork stage of the research 3 families left the site. After the fieldwork stage of the research 2 tenancies started during the winter of 2006/07; an additional five families moved onto the site from outside the study area n early March 2007, bringing the total number of tenants to 7. .

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen, bathroom and storage Other: Children’s play area Site/tenants association: No

Recently built site in good condition. Recent addition of children’s play area funded by mix of SE Site Development Fund and Council sources.

Waiting list: None (never been one)

The basic rent per pitch is £70.64.per week the highest of any official site in West Central Scotland over 40% higher than the average rent for a 2 bedroom Council property (£50.00 per week).

Issues

Demand has weakened in recent years Consider reducing ongoing revenue costs and rent levels to make the site more viable Location criticised by some Gypsies/Travellers - evidence suggests that family associations and fear of intimidation more significant barrier to use than strictly locational factors; comparatively high rent levels not reported as a contributory factor to low usage.

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 117 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

A previous proposal to develop a site on the outskirts of Milngavie was never finalised due to the failure of land negotiations.

Homelessness Applications

The Council has not knowingly received any homeless applications from Gypsies/Travellers in the last few years.

Housing

Only 2 or 3 Gypsies/Travellers households known to be living in the area.

1 known social housing application from a Gypsies/Travellers household.

Encampments

No known history of encampments in recent years. No households recorded over last 4 years (Twice Yearly Count).

Priorities

Work with other authorities to positively attract Gypsies/Travellers to the Lennoxtown site.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 118 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

GLASGOW

Official Sites

There is 1 official site in the city located at Maryhill. The site provides 10 pitches none of which were occupied at the time of the fieldwork research (November 2006); one household moved on to the site in February 2007 meaning that the current occupancy level is 10%. The site is owned by the Council.

Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Rodney Street (aka Oakbank 10 1 10% Wharf), Maryhill TOTAL 10 1 10%

It is planned to reduce site capacity to 8 units by the proposed conversion of 2 pitches/amenity blocks to community/education/health facility.

Opened in 1989/90. Site has never been fully occupied. In recent years 2 to 3 pitches occupied at most. Site emptied in 2003 following a series of events including death, fire and violence. More recent reports of alleged harassment.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen and bathroom Other: Children’s play area; CCTV; proposed community/education/health facility Site/tenants association: No.

Recent investment in upgrading 4 of 10 amenity blocks funded by SE Site Development Fund. 2 blocks proposed for conversion to also be funded from SE Fund in 2007/08. Remaining 4 amenity blocks require upgrading and investment also required to improve site layout and site safety/security. No funding identified as yet. Council funding arrangements and plans for ongoing repair and maintenance unclear.

Waiting list: None (never been one)

The basic rent per pitch is £49.07.per week 12% below the average rent for a 2 bedroom Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) property (£55.65 per week).

Issues

Consistently under occupied Running at a loss for a good number of years but would seem to be no immediate threat of closure Whether any further new investment is logical when such consistently low occupancy Research confirms that family association and fear of intimidation is the key factor as to why this site not being used History of unsuccessful sites with previous sites at Carmyle and Royston closed in the 1980s.

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 119 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area other than those housing show travellers.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

Homelessness Applications

There have been no known homeless applications from Gypsies/Travellers in the last few years.

Housing

There was almost no evidence available on Gypsies/ Travellers households living in Glasgow. The local authority does have specialist staff working with Gypsies/Travellers households but it is thought that the majority of these will be Show Travellers as there is known to be a significant population from this group resident in the city.

No information was available on social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers. The large number of social landlords operating in the city and lack of ethnic monitoring of makes estimating those living in social rented housing impossible.

No specific research evidence to suggest notable Gypsies/Travellers population living in the city; only a handful of housed travellers identified through the research but likely to be significantly more than this.

Encampments

Little established history of encampments over last 3 years (Twice Yearly Count) but 2 large scale short term encampments occurred in 2006 in south west of Glasgow at Hillington and Pollokshaws (not captured by the count).

Anecdotal evidence suggests that at least one of these was due to exceptional one off circumstances.

Evidence from neighbouring authorities also suggests that south west of the city may be potentially vulnerable to encampments.

Priorities

Work with other authorities to positively attract Gypsies/Travellers to Maryhill; need for strong site management/policing if new population arrives. If unsuccessful consider future of the site and potential relocation in longer term, probably in south/south west or west of city. Consider the case for new transit provision by working with East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils on joint strategy.

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Consider more detailed research into identifying the Gypsies/Travellers population and accommodation circumstances/issues in the city; for purposes of economies of scale and to maximise usefulness of the research, it may be appropriate for this to include the Show Traveller population.

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EAST RENFREWSHIRE

Official Site

There are no official sites in the area.

Previous arrangement with Renfrewshire Council to be able to access former official site at Paisley in the event of homeless applications or encampments within the area.

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area accommodating Gypsies/ Travellers although there is a site at Barrhead which currently accommodates Show Travellers. It should be noted that this site has been included in the Twice Yearly Count to date as accommodating Gypsies/Travellers although ethnicity may well have been more mixed previously. (Guidance notes accompanying the Count have lacked clarity about the definition of Gypsies/Travellers to be used.)

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

Homelessness Applications

No applications from known Gypsies/Travellers in last few years. One previous known application but lost contact.

Housing

Only one known household living locally (identified through education records).

No known social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers in recent years.

Encampments

There is no established history of encampments in the area although there was one encampment in the Barrhead area in 2006.

Evidence from neighbouring authorities would suggest that the Levern Valley area may be potentially vulnerable to encampments.

Priorities

Consider the case for new transit provision by working with Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils on joint strategy.

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RENFREWSHIRE

Official Sites

There are currently no official sites in the area.

Previous official site (16 pitches) at The Hurlet between Barrhead and Paisley closed since 1998. Badly vandalised in 1993/94. Reports of the site being popular in the past but reputation tarnished by family feuds and fear of intimidation.

Previous arrangement with East Renfrewshire Council to be able to access this site in the event of homeless applications or encampments within its area.

Some continued interest in the Paisley area as a location for a year round site from Gypsies/Travellers.

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

Homelessness Applications

There has been one application from known Gypsies/Travellers in last few years which resulted in being housed in social rented tenancy.

Housing

There are at least 3 known households living locally in Paisley, Johnstone and Linwood. It is likely that local population is greater than this.

There are at least 3 current social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers.

Encampments

There is a consistent history of encampments in the area in recent years averaging 11 households over last 4 years (at time of Twice Yearly Count). This is likely to be an under representation of the true scale of activity. 22 households in encampments in summer 2006 at time of count. Known encampments are focused on the Renfrew/Inchinnan/Airport corridor.

Research evidence suggests regular encampments in the area in part linked to overspill from official site in Dumbarton. Evidence from neighbouring authorities suggests that the Paisley area remains vulnerable to encampments.

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Priorities

Consider the case for new transit provision by working with Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils on joint strategy.

Possibly consider the case for an official site in the Paisley area*.

*This should be considered in consultation with West Dunbartonshire Council as the case for an official site may depend on whether a new site is provided in that authority. There may also be scope for joint working/funding arrangements with neighbouring authorities as in the case of transit site provision.

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INVERCLYDE

There was generally a lack of information available on any Gypsies/Travellers population for this area.

Official Sites

There are no official sites in the area and there was never a pitch target set.

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

Homelessness Applications

There have been no known applications from Gypsies/Travellers in recent years.

Housing

There are no known Gypsies/Travellers households living in the area.

There are no known current social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers.

Encampments

There is some history of encampments in the area in recent years averaging 3-4 households over last 4 years (at time of Twice Yearly Count). Research evidence suggests this is likely to be an underestimate of the true scale of activity. Known encampments have focused on Port Glasgow, Kilmacolm and Gourock.

Encampment demand may be related to route north via ferry to Argyll and Bute and beyond.

Priorities

Consider the case for new transit provision by working with Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire Councils on joint strategy.

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SOUTH LANARKSHIRE

South Lanarkshire has the largest, most diverse and complex Gypsies/Travellers population in West Central Scotland.

Official Sites

Overview

There are 2 official sites in the area located at Larkhall and East Kilbride. The sites provide 28 pitches, 25 of which were occupied at the time of the research (November 2006) giving an occupancy rate of 89%. The sites are both owned by the Council.

Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Swinhill, Larkhall 21 19 90% Springbank (aka Kirktonholm 6 6 100% Road), East Kilbride TOTAL 27 25 93%

Swinhill, Larkhall

Opened in 1987. Site capacity reduced from 22 to 21 units due to provision of a portakabin which is used to provide a range of services to the community – currently being renovated for use. In recent years the site has operated at near capacity but slightly less in the 2003/04 period.

Variable length of residence mostly in the 5-10 year range. 7 new households moved in recent months suggesting reasonable turnover. Number of families of diverse ethnicity – largely a mixed Scottish Traveller and Romany population but also others identifying themselves as Gypsies/Travellers, Irish Traveller and English Traveller.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen, bathroom (including showers) and laundry facilities Other: Play/education/health facility – portakabin (undergoing development); play area Site/tenants association: No (formal association not wanted by residents).

Upgrading of amenity blocks over last 2 years using SE Site Development Fund.

CCTV planned for installation in 2007/08.

Waiting list: 33 applicants from a wide range of locations and accommodation circumstances. Includes applicants from local area and those in wider Central Scotland and a few from the Carlisle area. Includes those living on sites as well as those living in housing both as tenants and living care of family.

The basic rent per pitch is £46.55.per week 6% lower than the average rent for a 2 bedroom Council property (£49.58 per week).

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Issues

Resident satisfaction levels are low despite recent planned improvements to amenity block provision Continuing fears among many residents about the susceptibility of the site (and amenity blocks in particular) to rats; the Council reports that this issue is under control and has not received any recent complaints Some discontent with existing mail arrangements; Council pursuing provision of individual mail boxes.

Springbank, East Kilbride

Opened in 1990. This site is very settled and has been fully occupied for many years. Some residents have been on site for over 15 years. The population is thought to be a mix of Romany and Scottish Travellers.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities Other: none Site/tenants association: No (formal association not wanted by residents).

Site has been resurfaced, boundary fence and access gates erected. Ongoing repair and maintenance of the site on a 5 years cyclical maintenance programme.

Waiting list: only 2 applicants but thought to be and underestimate of demand (perceived as no point in applying).

The basic rent per pitch is £61.55.per week some 17% higher than the average rent for a 2 bedroom Council property in East Kilbride (£52.39 per week).

Issues

Amenity blocks need upgrading Need for resident reassurance re future of the site (due to encroachment of new housing development)

Private Sites

There are 3 known private sites in the area; 2 of these are year round sites and the other is a seasonal site.

The 2 year round sites have a current combined capacity of 48 units, but the site at Ravenstruther has potentially for further capacity. At the time of the research there was some dubiety as to whether the Ravenstruther site intends to remain open to Gypsies/Travellers or not50.

50 South Lanarkshire Council have since advised that a planning application to change the use of the site to holiday use has recently been refused. An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 127 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007 APPENDIX 1

Year Round Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Shaws Road, Larkhall 20 20? 100%? Ravenstruther 28 28? 100%? TOTAL 48 48? 100%?

Anecdotal evidence suggest that both sites are home to a largely Romany population.

The seasonal (summer) site is located at Crawford and has a capacity of 15 pitches of which 8 were occupied during the research.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

Homelessness Applications

One known homeless application from Gypsies/Travellers in last 2 years who was housed in a social rented tenancy.

Housing

Likely to be around 130-150 Gypsies/Travellers households living in housing in the area mostly in and around Larkhall but also in other locations including Lanark, Biggar, Douglas Water and East Kilbride. In the Larkhall area many are reportedly living in owner occupied housing. This scale of presence is confirmed by education records which identify over 50 Gypsies/Travellers children living in housing in the local authority area.

There are 5 known current social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers.

Encampments

There is some limited recent history of encampments in the area but it is reported that these are small scale, usually short term and well managed. In the 2006 and 2007 summer Twice Yearly Counts there were 6 and 7 households recorded respectively but these were largely one off unusual incidents.

Priorities

Work in partnership with residents on Larkhall and East Kilbride official sites to continue upgrading of each site, amenities and repair and maintenance services. Consider the development of new year round site(s) with a capacity of 10-20 pitches in consultation with neighbouring North Lanarkshire The Council should raise with the Scottish Executive and/or good practice networks how best local authorities can work with private owners of sites to ensure good standards of accommodation, amenities and site can be achieved; this could include the piloting of an accreditation system for private Gypsies/Travellers sites. Closely monitor the incidence of encampments and consider the case for new transit provision in the longer term if the need should arise.

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EAST AYRSHIRE

There was generally a lack of information available on any Gypsies/Travellers population for this area.

Official Sites

There are no official sites in the area although pitch targets were originally set.

Private Sites

No information was provided on private site provision but research findings suggest there are potentially a number of small private sites in the area. A site at Hurlford with a capacity of 5 pitches is the most commonly mentioned.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

Homelessness Applications

No information available.

Housing

Research evidence suggests at least a small number of Gypsies/Travellers households living in the area including in Kilmarnock and Darvel.

There is no information available on current social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers.

Encampments

There is a recent history of (mostly summer) encampments in the area in recent years averaging 7 households over last 4 years (at time of Twice Yearly Count); in summer 2006 a total of 13 households were counted. Encampments have typically been 7-8 households but have on occasion been much bigger than this; the common length of stay is between 5 and 10 days.

With one exception at Cumnock, encampments have been in and around Kilmarnock.

Priorities

Either develop new year round site (probably in the Kilmarnock area) or develop new transit provision as part of a joint strategy with North and South Ayrshire Councils.

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NORTH AYRSHIRE

Official Sites

There is now only 1 official site in the area located at Irvine. The site provides 16 pitches but was undergoing major refurbishment at the time of the research (November 2006) and was operating at only 50% capacity (8 pitches occupied;8 pitches closed). The site is now fully occupied as at April 2007. The site is owned by the Council.

A previous site at Arran (7 pitches) closed permanently in July 2006 after relatively low occupancy for many years.

Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Redburn, Irvine 16 8 50% TOTAL 16 8 50%

The Irvine site opened in 1989. In recent years there has been reasonably high turnover of 7-9 pitches per year. A core of residents has been on the site for over 5 years and in some cases over 10 years. Largely an Irish Traveller population with along established history of residing in North Ayrshire and camped on this site long before the official site was developed.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen, bathroom, shower area and storage. Other: community rooms/health/education/library facilities; CCTV; play area for small children and multi-purpose sports area for older children Site/tenants association: No.

Upgrading now complete – involved major refurbishment of amenity blocks. New community facility and CCTV completed in September 2006. Funded by mix of SE Site Development Fund and Council General Fund.

Waiting list: Was 8 applicants at time of research. Very recently additional applications received and refurbished units re-let. There are currently 4 applicants on the waiting list in late April 2007.

The basic rent per pitch is £54.01.per week 22% higher than the average rent for a 2 bedroom Council property (£44.20 per week).

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

Homelessness Applications

No information available.

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Housing

Research evidence suggests that there is likely to be at least 20 Gypsies/Travellers households living in housing in the area including in the settlements of Stevenson, Kilwinning, Dalry, Kilbirnie and Drybridge.

No information available on social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers.

Encampments

There is an established recent history of summer encampment activity in the area with an average of 20 households recorded over last 4 years (Twice Yearly Count). There is evidence of regular encampments in Irvine, Kilwinning and Beith. There are 6 sites (2 council and 4 privately owned) that are regularly used, largely industrial estates. Encampments are beginning to appear earlier in the year, with 9 separate encampments camps reported between January and March 2007.

Priorities

Build on positive relationship with residents on official site at Irvine; continue responsive and quality repairs and maintenance service (following site improvements) and continue to provide strong management to maintain site harmony (following influx of new tenants) Develop new transit provision as part of a joint strategy with East and South Ayrshire Councils.

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SOUTH AYRSHIRE

Official Sites

There is 1 official site in the area located at Girvan. The site provides 8 pitches and all were fully occupied at the time of the research (November 2006), an occupancy rate of 100%. The site is owned by the Council.

Provision and Occupancy

Site Name/Location Pitches Occupancy % Houdston, Girvan 8 8 100% TOTAL 8 8 100%

The site opened in 1989 and was upgraded in 1999. The site has been settled for the last 6-8 years with core of residents (an extended family) been living there for this long. Two pitches have been let in the last two years. One pitch has been let 6 times over the 2 years, the other let twice. Therefore there is some turnover but limited.

Site Office: Yes Amenity Blocks: kitchen, bathroom and store. Other: Community facility including classroom; children’s play area. Site/tenants association: No but quarterly meetings between Site Manager and residents.

Site last upgraded 1999. Upgrade and maintenance of site and amenities on 5 year cyclical maintenance programme. Amenity blocks currently being surveyed to assess what maintenance work likely to be required.

Waiting List: Was 6 applicants but following recent review by the Council reduced to 1 applicant.

The basic rent per pitch is £53.98.per week 2% higher than the average rent for a 2 bedroom Council property (£53.00 per week).

Issues

Site located on flood plain and subject to flooding; major flooding in exceptional weather conditions of late 2006; the Council has instigated a new maintenance inspection regime to ensure pumps and drains are cleaned and serviced regularly Newly emerging households.

Private Sites

There are no known year round private sites in the area.

New Site Provision

There are no known plans for new year round site provision.

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Homelessness Applications

No known applications in recent years.

Housing

Research evidence suggests that that there is at least a small number of Gypsies/ Travellers households living in housing in the area e.g. in Ayr and Girvan.

There are no known current social housing applications from Gypsies/Travellers.

Encampments

There is a history of summer encampment activity in the area. While an average of only 10 households have been recorded over the last 4 years (Twice Yearly Count) this underestimates the scale of incidence.

In 2005 and 2006 the Council reports 18 separate encampments ranging from 2 households to 28 households. They typically last for 3-7 days but sometimes longer. The demand for encampments is largely related to the Irish ferry routes (destinations at Stranraer and Cairnryan in neighbouring Dumfries and Galloway) and reportedly often stem from Gypsies/Travellers waiting for other family/friends to come off the ferry. The encampment population is thought to have involved a mix of largely Irish and English Travellers.

Common encampment locations are all coastal including Maidens, Ayr, Girvan, Prestwick and Troon.

The Council has approached neighbouring Ayrshire authorities and Dumfries and Galloway Council to work on a joint strategy for managing encampments and to specifically explore the possibility of developing pilot transit site provision in South West Scotland.

Priorities

Address flooding issues; install/improve flood prevention measures and create regular maintenance regimes of pumps/drainage Develop new transit provision as part of a joint strategy with North and East Ayrshire Councils Consider in the medium to longer term the development of new year round provision of 6-8 pitches, possibly involving the private sector.

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Appendix 2

HOUSEHOLD SURVEY FORM

Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Needs Survey

This survey is being carried out for 11 Councils who are looking at ways as to how best to improve accommodation for travellers throughout the west of Scotland. We have already met with some travellers, with site managers and other people and talked to them about how best to carry out this research and what to ask people. We are now trying to get the views and experiences of as many travellers as possible by speaking to them face to face.

The whole interview is completely confidential – we don’t need your name or address and we will not be reporting who said what, just the overall view – most travellers said this, a few said that etc. The interview will take about half an hour. We will be speaking to one person per pitch but we are also interested in speaking to other travellers you may know who live in this area but don’t live on site.

Do you want to ask any questions before we begin………….OK can I start…………..

PROFILE

Q1. Age/ Gender of Interviewee Age Gender

Q2. Ethnicity. Many different types of gypsy/travellers… how would you describe yourself? Roma/ Romany, Scottish traveller, English traveller, Welsh traveller, Irish traveller, Gypsy traveller, other.

Q3. Type of accommodation lived in Trailer/van Static Chalet House

Q4. Tenancy Status Tenant of Pitch Joint Tenant of Pitch Living on Pitch but not the tenant Living off site – unauthorised/illegal Living off site – in housing

Q5. Household Type/Details Van 1 Van 2 Van 3 Van 4 Number/age of Adult Males (16+) Number/age of Adult Females (16+) Number/age of Male Children Number/age of Female Children

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Q6. Relationships Van 1 Van 2 Van 3

Van 4 THE SITE

Q7. How long have you been staying on this site?

Q8. Do you like it? What are the BEST THINGS about the site? PROMPT: overall size number/size pitches location cost facilities/amenities – amenity block/service hut condition.

Q9. What are the WORST THINGS about the site? PROMPT: overall size number/size pitches location cost facilities/amenities – amenity block/service hut condition.

MOST LIKE TO CHANGE? ANYTHING ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE SITE?

Q10. (If not covered above) Do you feel you need a pitch with more space? If so, why?

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Q11. Do you have any problems receiving or getting to services such as………? What kind of problems? PROMPT rubbish collection GP/ dentist schools public transport post offices/ shops.

Q12. How would you rate the site overall? Excellent, Good, Just OK, Poor, Very poor

YOUR HOME

Q13. What trailers/vans are on your pitch/do you have? How old are they? Type e.g. trailer/static/chalet How old? Van 1 Van 2 Van 3 Van 4

Q14. How many people do they sleep/how many do they fit? Capacity (spaces) Van 1 Van 2 Van 3 Van 4

Q15. What are the BEST THINGS about your home? PROMPT space size condition heating facilities.

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Q16. What are the WORST THINGS about your home? PROMPT space size condition heating – ability to keep it warm facilities

MOST LIKE TO CHANGE?

Q17. (If not covered above) Do you feel you need a home with more space? If so, why and what type of extra space would you like? PROMPT more vans bigger vans of same type different type/new provision?

Q18. How would you rate your home overall? Excellent, Good, Just OK, Poor, Very poor

Q19. Is this your only home? If have another home probe location, type, how often/when used, why used? PROMPT: location, type of accommodation (trailer, mobile home, bricks and mortar), type of site (Council, private, unauthorised). Regular pattern? Move to follow work?

Q20. Do you or anyone living with you stay elsewhere in the winter months? If so why, where and in what type of accommodation? PROMPT: short term accommodation? usual length of stay/what months? tenure (private or social rented lets?) reason? regular pattern? related to work? weather/heating related? Living c/o family/friends in permanent housing etc?

OTHER MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY

Q20. Do you have any other family staying on the site? Brief details of immediate and extended family.

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Q21. Where do other family members stay (off the site)? Do you have any family who would like to stay on this site but are unable to? Where are they? Why can’t they stay on site? PROMPT: location, type of accommodation (trailer, mobile home, bricks and mortar), type of site (Council, private, unauthorised); Reasons - number pitches, type pitches, etc. Interested in taking part in research/how to contact?

TRAVEL

Q22. Where did you live before coming to this site? (Ask only if moved there within the last 5 years – check answer to Q2) PROMPT: location, type of accommodation (trailer, mobile home, bricks and mortar), type of site (Council, private, unauthorised), lived in same household, length of time there.

Explore - winter/permanent accommodation - all locations, duration stay, specific reasons for being there/moving over the last 2 years. Try to distinguish general patterns of travel (i.e. work) from particular reasons (i.e. harassment/eviction).

Q23. Do you or any of your household still go travelling? Has your pattern of travelling changed over the last 5 years? How? For what reasons? PROMPT: who, where, frequency/ duration, reasons – i.e., work? Who travels within the household – part or all? How have travel locations changed, reasons/motivations for travelling, harassment/eviction impact, children at school/not at school etc

Q24. If still travelling, where do you stop when you’re travelling? Would you use official stopping places/transit sites if they were provided? PROMPT: location, type of site (official stopping place, private site, unauthorised encampment, etc). Which do you prefer? Where do you avoid? PROMPT for official transit sites: Where would they need to be, would they use Council and/or private sites, what about cost/paying for them? How long would they ideally stay for – and where should they be?

Q25. Have you ever travelled in other parts of West of Scotland? Where, when and why? Do you still travel in this area? If yes, where, when, why? If not, why not? Are there places in the West of Scotland you would like to travel but don’t? If so why don’t you travel? PROMPT: Focus on the 11 local authorities for location and last 5 years. Reasons why stopped travelling (lack of sites, eviction/harassment, lack of work etc) Why they want to travel there in particular e.g. employment opportunity, family/social networks etc;

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THE FUTURE

Q26. Do you think you’re likely to move to a different pitch on this site in the near future? PROMPT IF YES: Reasons - size, condition, amenities.

Q27. Would you like to move away from this site in the next 5 years? Where would you MOST LIKE to move – what town/city/area? Where else would you consider? What type of accommodation would you MOST LIKE? (trailer, mobile home, chalet, permanent house) Any types you wouldn’t consider? What type of site would you CONSIDER? (Council , private, own site, unauthorised site)

Q28. What are the main reasons for you wanting to move? Is there anything that would change your mind? Anything that might stop you from going where you want to go? PROMPT: work, set up first home, housing costs, condition/heating, size, asked to move on, harassment. PROMPT (barriers to moving): no suitable sites available, can’t get permanent house, family or work commitments.

Q29. IF INTERESTED IN MOVING SITE: Have you tried to get a pitch on another site? PROMPT: Location/ name of site? Are you on a waiting list – where. how long? Experienced any difficulty getting a pitch?

Q30. IF INTERESTED IN PERMANENT HOUSE: Have your ever lived in a house before? If so where, when, what tenure? Are you trying to buy, private rent or applied to Council/ Housing Association? PROMPT: When, where, type/ size, on housing list?/ current application (if Council/ RSL; how long, where/which landlords).

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Q31. Is there anyone staying in your home who might want to get their own place within next 5 years? PROMPT: same pitch/ site, elsewhere? type of accommodation (trailer, mobile home, permanent house), type of site (Council, private, unauthorised)? Size? Reasons? Prompt if any younger teenagers likely to need separate accommodation in few years.

NUMBER OF EMERGING HOUSEHOLDS

Q32. Have you or anyone in your wider family tried to set up or applied for planning permission for your own site? PROMPT: where, size, experience/outcome? Would you be interested in moving to the site if it’s successful? Can we contact them for the research? Could you ask if they would speak to us?

ILLNESS/ DISABILITY

Q33. Does anyone in your household have a long term illness or disability that affects what they can do? What problems do they experience in the home or on the site? PROMPT: brief details on type illness/ disability; extent to which home/site barrier free and allows for disabled access

Q34. Have there been any changes made to your home because of their illness/ disability? PROMPT: if yes, type of changes (ramps, hand rails, lever taps, etc); who carried these out? Explore whether they did themselves or whether by Housing/SW/Care and Repair?

Q35. Do you think you need any other changes to your home because of the illness/ disability? Do you think anyone needs a specially designed van or move into special housing? PROMPT: if yes, type of changes (ramps, hand rails, lever taps, etc). Anything stopping you making the changes (form of trailer not suitable, cost, don’t know how to arrange it)? Explore need for specially designed accommodation – whether trailer/van or house

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Q36. Does anyone in your household need any help or support day to day? If yes, what help do they get and who from? Any other help or support that they might need, but that your family can’t give them? PROMPT: personal care, tuck in, housework, dealing with correspondence/ bills/ handling money, arranging repairs, shopping.

HARASSMENT

Q37. Have you or any family members been harassed while you’ve been staying here? PROMPT: When, what kind harassment, who from, still going on? Did you seek help? What happened?

Q38. Have you been harassed previously? PROMPT: When, what kind harassment, who from? Did you seek help? What happened?

Q39. Has harassment ever made you want to move home? PROMPT: When, where.

Q40. Have you ever felt you were badly treated or discriminated against by; PROMPT: The Council, Health Services, Social Work, Schools – told to go away, given bad advice, afraid to give your address on a form, felt it counted against them.

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WORK, INCOME, ACCOMMODATION COSTS

REMINDER that need to ask about this to get an idea of if people can afford their homes, or can afford where they want to stay. Totally confidential - their answers and names won’t go to the Council, Benefits Agency or anyone else.

Q41. What do the adults in your household do (everyone aged 16+)? ADULT ADULT ADULT ADULT OTHERS 1 2 3 4 Employed - full time 1 1 1 1 1 Employed - part time 2 2 2 2 2 Self employed 3 3 3 3 3 In training 4 4 4 4 4 Unemployed, looking for work 5 5 5 5 5 Retired 6 6 6 6 6 Sick/ disabled 7 7 7 7 7 Looking after home/ family 8 8 8 8 8 At school/ student 9 9 9 9 9

Q42. What do the people who work do? PROMPT FOR EACH EARNER: position/ role, employer, location, number hours/ frequency.

Adult 1 Adult 2 Adult 3 Adult 4

Q43. Do you or anyone in your household get any of the following benefits? REMIND CONFIDENTIAL. Income Support/Housing Benefit most important. ADULT 1 ADULT 2 ADULT 3 ADULT 4 OTHERS Income Support 1 1 1 1 1 Jobseeker’s Allowance 2 2 2 2 2 Working Tax Credit/ 3 3 3 3 3 Child Tax Credit Housing Benefit - 4 4 4 4 4 FULL Housing Benefit - 5 5 5 5 5 PART Council Tax Benefit 6 6 6 6 6 State Pension 7 7 7 7 7 Private pension/ 8 8 8 8 8 Widow’s / War pension Pension credit 9 9 9 9 9 Disability Living 10 10 10 10 10 Allowance Attendance Allowance 11 11 11 11 11 Carers Allowance 12 12 12 12 12 Incapacity Benefit 13 13 13 13 13 Any other benefit for 14 14 14 14 14 people with disabilities

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Q44. Do you know roughly what your household income is, including benefits? PROMPT: per week/ month/ year

Q45. RENT PAYMENTS Have you ever had difficulty paying your rent? PROMPT: To what extent happy with charges and what they get; ever been in arrears- why? Sorted?

Q46. POWER PAYMENTS Have you ever had difficulty paying for your heating and lighting? Have you gone for periods without power because you cent afford it? PROMPT: prefer to pay by power cards or cash?

TENANCY, SERVICES and INFO/ADVICE

Q47. (If Council owned site) How would you rate the service you receive from the Council on this site? PROMPT: site management, letting of pitches, collection of charges, handling of disputes etc

Excellent, Good, Just OK, Poor, Very poor

Particular issues?

Q48. Do you think what you pay for staying on this site and pitch is good VALUE FOR MONEY? If not why not? If you could get a house in this area for the same rent would you prefer that?

Q49. Have you ever had any problems with your tenancy? PROMPT: neighbour problems, quality of site management, disputes with landlord, getting repairs done. Were they satisfied with how their application was handled/their pitch was allocated/how decisions were made?

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Q50. Do you know what your tenancy agreement says about your rights and responsibilities? Yes No Don’t know

Q51. Do you think you are clear about……………….: YES/NO Which repairs are yours and which are the Council’s/site owners How to report that a repair needs done by the Council/owner How to make a complaint if you are unhappy with the service Who to contact if you have a query about your rent Who to contact in an emergency

Q52. Ever approached any organisation to seek ADVICE OR INFORMATION about your accommodation, public services or legal rights? Who did you approach and what was it briefly about? Were they helpful/did you find out what you needed? PROMPT: Council services (which), CABx, other advice agency, solicitors etc

Q53. How would you MOST LIKE to get information and advice about services that are available from the Council, health, education etc? PROMPT from Site manager Someone who works with GTs (e.g. liaison officer) Other GTs living on site GTs association – regional/national Residents/tenants association – local/site based Specialists visiting the site By letter/ By leaflet From a helpline/phone line From the internet

FUTURE INVOLVEMENT AND CONSULTATION

Q54. What would be the best way to involve Gypsies/Travellers in developing ideas about new sites, accommodation or services? PROMPT Speak to: local residents/ tenants association wider gypsy travellers association e.g. west of Scotland/national key representative for each site Use: questionnaires/surveys discussion groups Interviews with individuals

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Q55. Would you yourself be willing to get involved? PROMPT: could involve being visited and spoken to, attending a discussion group with others, giving your views to the Council and other agencies etc

Yes No Maybe

THIS RESEARCH – WE’RE NOT THE ‘COUNCIL’

Q56. We’re keen to speak to as many Gypsies/Travellers as we can. Do you know anyone living on other sites/ encampments, ordinary housing in this area? PROMPT: If yes, where do they stay? What’s the best way of getting in touch with them? Would you be able to ask if they want to get involved?

Q57. We’re going to be holding groups in the new year to talk about the results of this survey. Would you be interested in coming along if there was a meeting in this area? NO COMMITMENT YET – NO GUARANTEE THAT THERE WILL BE A MEETING IN THEIR AREA - WE’LL GET IN TOUCH NEARER THE TIME. PROMPT: any travel costs would be covered

Yes No Maybe

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

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Appendix 3

SUMMARY SURVEY FORM FOR UPDATING PURPOSES

GYPSY/TRAVELLER ACCOMMODATION NEEDS SURVEY

PROFILE

Q1. Age/ Gender of Interviewee Age Gender

Q2. Ethnicity. Many different types of gypsy/travellers… how would you describe yourself? Roma/ Romany, Scottish traveller, English traveller, Welsh traveller, Irish traveller, Gypsy traveller, other.

Q3. Type of accommodation lived in Trailer/van Static Chalet

Q4. Tenancy Status Tenant of Pitch Joint Tenant of Pitch Living on Pitch but not the tenant Living off site – unauthorised/illegal Living off site – in housing

Q5. Household Type/Details Van 1 Van 2 Van 3 Van 4 Number/age of Adult Males (16+) Number/age of Adult Females (16+) Number/age of Male Children Number/age of Female Children

Q6. Relationships Van 1 Van 2 Van 3 Van 4

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THE SITE

Q7. How long have you been staying on this site?

Q8. Do you experience any problems living on this site? Are you happy with the facilities and the services you receive? What are you not happy about? PROMPT: overall size number/size pitches location cost facilities/amenities – amenity block/service hut condition delivery of services site management repairs service neighbour problems

Q9. Do you feel you need a pitch with more space? If so, why?

YOUR HOME

Q10. What trailers/vans are on your pitch/do you have? How old are they? Type e.g. trailer/static/chalet How old? Van 1 Van 2 Van 3 Van 4

Q11. Any problems with your home? PROMPT space size condition heating facilities.

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Q12. (If not covered above) Do you feel you need a home with more space? If so, why and what type of extra space would you like? PROMPT more vans bigger vans of same type different type/new provision? More storage

TRAVEL

Q13. Do you still go travelling? YES/NO. If no, why not? What is the main reason? PROMPT: who, where, frequency/ duration, reasons – i.e., work? Who travels within the household – part or all? How have travel locations changed, reasons/motivations for travelling, harassment/eviction impact, children at school/not at school etc

Q14. If YES Have you been travelling in the last 12 months? How often? How long for? For what reasons? Did you experience any difficulty travelling? PROMPT: who, where, frequency/ duration, reasons – i.e., work? Who travels within the household – part or all? How have travel locations changed, reasons/motivations for travelling, harassment/eviction impact, children at school/not at school, lack of stopping places etc

Q15. Where did you travel to? List all locations. PROMPT: not all locations within West Central Scotland, other regions of Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and abroad.

THE FUTURE

Q16. Do you want to move to a different pitch on this site in the near future? PROMPT IF YES: Reasons - size, condition, amenities.

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Q17. Would you like to move away from this site in the next 5 years? What is your main reason for wanting to move? Where would you MOST LIKE to move – what town/city/area? Where else would you consider? What type of accommodation would you MOST LIKE? (trailer, mobile home, chalet, permanent house) Any types you wouldn’t consider? What type of site would you CONSIDER? (Council , private, own site, unauthorised site)

Q18. IF INTERESTED IN MOVING SITE: Have you tried to get a pitch on another site? PROMPT: Location/ name of site? Are you on a waiting list – where. how long? Experienced any difficulty getting a pitch?

Q19. IF INTERESTED IN PERMANENT HOUSE: Are you trying to buy, private rent or applied to Council/ Housing Association? PROMPT: When, where, type/ size, on housing list?/ current application (if Council/ RSL; how long, where/which landlords). If you have an application for a house do you think it is up to date?

Q20. Is there anyone staying in your home who might want to get their own place within next 5 years? PROMPT: same pitch/ site, elsewhere? type of accommodation (trailer, mobile home, permanent house), type of site (Council , private, unauthorised)? Size? Reasons? Prompt if any younger teenagers likely to need separate accommodation in few years.

NUMBER OF EMERGING HOUSEHOLDS

ILLNESS/ DISABILITY

Q21. Does anyone in your household have a long term illness or disability that affects what they can do? What problems do they experience in the home or on the site? PROMPT: brief details on type illness/ disability; extent to which home/site barrier free and allows for disabled access

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Q21. Do you think you need any changes to your home, the amenity block or the site because of the illness/ disability? Do you think you need any adaptations done or a specially designed van or move into special housing? PROMPT: if yes, type of changes (ramps, hand rails, lever taps, etc). Anything stopping you making the changes (form of trailer not suitable, cost, don’t know how to arrange it)? Explore need for specially designed accommodation – whether trailer/van or house

Q22. Does anyone in your household need any help or support day to day that they are not already getting? PROMPT: personal care, tuck in, housework, dealing with correspondence/ bills/ handling money, arranging repairs, shopping.

HARASSMENT

Q23. Have you or any family members experienced any harassment over the last 12 months? PROMPT: When, what kind harassment, who from, still going on? Did you seek help? What happened?

Q24. Have you ever felt you were badly treated or discriminated against in the last 12 months? PROMPT: The Council, Health Services, Social Work, Schools – told to go away, given bad advice, afraid to give your address on a form, felt it counted against them.

TENANCY, SERVICES and INFO/ADVICE

Q25. Is there any information and advice you would like about your tenancy? Would you like a new copy of your tenancy agreement?

Q26. Is there any other information and advice you feel you need at this time?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

An Accommodation Needs Assessment of Gypsies/Travellers 150 in West Central Scotland Report by Craigforth: June 2007