Gypsy, Traveller And Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Needs Assessment For South East

Ark Housing Consultancy November 2012

Ark Housing Consultancy 1 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Table of Contents Paragraph Item Page 1. An Introduction To South East Lincolnshire 5 1.2 South Holland District 6 1.3 Boston Borough 6 1.4 The South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee 7 2. Gypsies and Travellers - Background and Context 8 2.2 Definitions 8 3. Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Need Assessment 2012 13 3.1 Commissioning 13 3.2 Methodology 13 3.3 Secondary Data: Demand Trends and Land Use Constraints 14 3.4 Primary Research & Consultation 14 3.5 General approach and survey interviews 16 3.6 Analysis, Assessment of Supply vs. Need and Evaluation 17 3.7 Identification of Broad Locations 18 4. The Changing Legislative and Policy Scene – A Short History 19

5. The Current National Planning Policy For Traveller Sites 22

6. The South East Lincolnshire Context 26 6.1 Community Policy - Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) 26 6.2 Corporate and Strategic Policy 26 6.3 Current Planning Policy 29 6.3.2 Boston Borough Local Plan 29 6.3.4 South Holland District Local Plan 30 6.3.6 The South East Lincolnshire Joint Local Plan 32 6.4 Findings of the Lincolnshire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment 2007 32 6.5 Housing Strategy 33 6.6 Caravan Counts 34 6.7 Policy For Dealing With Unauthorised Traveller Encampments 37 7. Location of Sites 38 7.1 Sites Indentified in the Lincolnshire GTAA 2007 and South Holland GTAA 2006 38 7.2 Current status of known sites and encampments 39

8. Analysis Of Survey Data 43 8.1 Sample Size 43 8.2 Baseline Number of Sites and Pitches 43 8.3 Ethnicity 44 8.4 Age Structure and Composition of Households 45 8.5 Concealed and Newly Forming Households Requiring Accommodation 45 8.6 Length of Occupation and Reasons for Staying 46 8.7 Overcrowding 49 8.8 Adequacy of Current Site 49 8.9 Satisfaction With Current Site 49 8.10 Travel Patterns 50 8.11 Migration and Cross-Border Movement 50 8.12 Crime and Harassment 51 8.13 Education 51

Ark Housing Consultancy 2 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.14 Health 52 8.15 Work 52 8.16 Views on Future Accommodation Requirements 53 8.17 Affordability 55 8.18 Stakeholder Analysis 55 8.19 Case Studies 56 9. Calculation of Need for Pitches 57 9.1 Derivation of Figures and Assumptions Made in the Accommodation Need Assessment Calculation for Permanent Residential Pitches for Gypsies and Travellers for Years 1 to 5 57 9.2 Current Residential Supply 57 9.3 Residential Demand 58 9.3.11 Calculation for Supply of Permanent Residential Pitches 59 9.4 Need for Plots at Permanent Residential and Seasonal Sites for Showpeople 60 9.5 Need for Transit or Stopping Place Pitches 61 10. Identification of Broad Locations for Additional Site Provision 62 10.3 Constraints 62 10.4 Site selection Criteria 64 10.5 Assessment of Locations – General Issues 64 10.6 Assessment of Locations – Preferred Locations 65 10.7 Application of the Site Selection Criteria 66 11. Funding for New Site and Pitch Provision or Site Improvements 70 11.1 Homes and Communities Agency Grants 70 11.2 Local Authority and Community Sector Initiatives 70 11.2.1 Wessex Reinvestment Trust 70 11.2.5 Mendip Community Land Trust Scheme 71 11.3 Private Sector Funding 72 12. Conclusions 73

Appendix 1 – Site Listings 76

Appendix 2 Stakeholder Analysis - Findings Relating To The Travelling Community 79 1. Education Service Provision 79 1.21 Good Practice in Other Areas 82 2 Health Services Provision 83 2.19 Good Practice in Other Areas 87 3 Crime & Disorder 88 3.1 Crime Statistics for Lincolnshire 88 3.16 Good Practice in Other Areas 90 4 Employment and Economic Inclusion 92 4.10 Good Practice in Other Areas 93 5 Equality Issues 94 5.13 Good Practice in Other Areas 96 6 Housing 98 6.1 Liaison With Local Authority Housing Departments and Registered Providers 98 6.2 South Holland District Council 98

Ark Housing Consultancy 3 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6.3 Boston Borough Council 98 6.4 New Linx Housing Trust 98 6.5 Boston Mayflower Housing 98 6.6 Longhurst Housing Group 99

Appendix 3 Findings on Cross-Border Movements From Other 100 GTAAs

Appendix 4 Case studies 103 Case Study 1 – Redstone Site, Boston. Authorised Local Authority Site 103 Case Study 2 – Clay Lake Caravan Park, Spalding. Authorised Private Transit Site 103 Case Study 3 – Five Acres, Broad Drove, Clough. Unauthorised Private Encampment 104 Case Study 4 – Deeping St. Nicholas. Local Authority Bricks and Mortar Accommodation 105

Acknowledgements

Particular thanks for support and assistance in the conduct of the study are due to: Nick Willey, Traveller Liaison Officer, Lincolnshire County Council. Paul Boucher, Gainsborough Traveller Initiative. Margaret Smithson, Traveller Education Officer (retired)

Ark Housing Consultancy 4 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

1. An Introduction To South East Lincolnshire

1.1 South East Lincolnshire covers the combined areas of South Holland District and Boston Borough. It comprises a little over 1,100 square kilometres of flat, fertile and intensively farmed land, and has a population of 152,900 people.

Location map:

Map of Lincolnshire local authorities:

Ark Housing Consultancy 5 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

1.2 South Holland District

1.2.1 South Holland District covers the south-eastern corner of Lincolnshire, and extends across 742 square kilometres, almost wholly of fens. The distinctive fenland landscape has over the centuries been drained and protected from flooding to create some of the most fertile farmland in Britain. Much of South Holland District sits at or below sea level, with many parts of the district at risk from flooding. The greatest risk comes from a rise in sea level although flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall and storms poses a threat to drainage infrastructure. A rise in sea level or prolonged large scale flooding could have severe consequences for South Holland, with the main threat being a loss in prime agricultural land and associated output to the UK’s food supply. In recent times, small scale flooding has occurred at Seas End, where the Vernatts Drain, River Glen and converge.

1.2.2 The area has a sparse population with 1.2 persons per hectare compared with an average for and Wales of 3.4 people. The latest population estimate for South Holland is 88,300 people (Census 2011) which is an increase of 15.4% over the 2001 Census figure. Spalding accommodates 27% of the population of the District and is the commercial, service and employment centre of the District. The District also includes the towns of , , Long Sutton and and numerous smaller villages.

1.2.3 96.70% of the population are classified as White British. The remaining 3.3% are from other ethnic groups including Asian, African, Caribbean and Chinese. This is low compared with the England and Wales average, where 13.01% of the population are from ethnic groups other than White British. The Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2010 show that 1.1% of the population of South Holland live in deprived areas.

1.2.4 There are a total of 38,511 properties in the District (June 2011) and 77.1% of the housing in South Holland is owner-occupied. 14.2% of the population lives in social rented housing and 8.7% in private rented. 4.7% of the population were people who had moved into the District from elsewhere.

1.2.5 The area is home to many businesses that have grown and developed through primary agriculture, horticulture and associated food processing. International, national and regional food manufacturing businesses are based in South Holland, such as Premier Foods (the Long Sutton site is home to the largest cannery in Europe). Bakkavör (formerly Geest plc), Smedleys Salads (Part of Uniq) and QV Foods, a family owned food and farming business. All supply multiple retailers through their factories in South Holland. Related industries, such as packaging, labelling, warehousing and distribution continue to expand through the growth of the supermarkets.

1.3 Boston Borough

1.3.1 Boston is a sub-regional centre for the south-east of Lincolnshire and has undergone significant growth with a population of 64,600 as recorded by the 2011 Census. This is an increase of 15.9% from that noted by the 2001 Census.

1.3.2 The Borough has an area of 362 square kilometres. It serves a wider population of over 100,000 as a retail, social and employment centre. About two-thirds of the population live in the urban area of Boston. Butterwick, Kirton, Old Leake, Sutterton and Swineshead are the largest rural settlements.

Ark Housing Consultancy 6 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

1.3.3 English Heritage recognises Boston as one of the most important towns in England in terms of its historic environment. It has a rich history as a medieval port, market town and religious centre. It is an area with strong local distinctiveness in the town, highly productive fenland soils which support food production and vast land and seascapes of the Wash.

1.3.4 The number of households in the borough could increase to over 31,000 by 2033. The population is predicted to increase to 71,000 by 2025 with an increasing proportion of older people.

1.3.5 In line with the rest of Lincolnshire, Boston has a significant population of older people and the majority of the population are from white ethnic backgrounds. The Borough has the highest percentage of migrant workers in Lincolnshire. Earnings and skill levels are significantly lower than the national average. There are areas of relative wealth within the Borough as well as some significantly deprived pockets and poor quality rented housing. 16% of Boston’s population (using Index of Multiple Deprivation 2010) now live within 20% of the most deprived areas.

1.4 The South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee

1.4.1 Boston Borough Council (BBC), South Holland District Council (SHDC) and Lincolnshire County Council have jointly formed the South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee (SELJSPC). The Committee has statutory status as a local planning authority. SELJSPC will prepare joint land use planning policy documents for the areas of SHDC and BBC. Together, these joint policy documents will form the ‘South East Lincolnshire Local Plan’.

1.4.2 Any local plan must be prepared based upon a robust evidence base. In order to provide the evidence to support policy development on Traveller sites SELJSPC have commissioned a Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Needs Assessment, the findings of which are set out in this report.

Ark Housing Consultancy 7 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

2. Gypsies and Travellers - Background and Context

2.1 References in the text of this document to Gypsies, Travellers or the travelling community are interchangeable and should be construed to include Travelling Showpeople, Circus People and Boat People.

2.2 Definitions for the purposes of planning policy are prescribed in the Government’s Planning Policy For Traveller Sites, March 2012, as follows:

“gypsies and travellers” means:

Persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin, including such persons who on grounds only of their own or their family’s or dependants’ educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excluding members of an organised group of travelling Showpeople or Circus People travelling together as such,

and; “travelling Showpeople” means:

Members of a group organised for the purposes of holding fairs, circuses or shows (whether or not travelling together as such). This includes such persons who on the grounds of their own or their family’s or dependants’ more localised pattern of trading, educational or health needs or old age have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently, but excludes Gypsies and Travellers as defined above,

and;

“pitch” means a pitch on a “gypsy and traveller” site and “plot” means a pitch on a “travelling Showpeople” site (often called a “yard”). This terminology differentiates between residential pitches for “gypsies and travellers” and mixed-use plots for “travelling Showpeople”, which may/will need to incorporate space or to be split to allow for the storage of equipment.

2.3 A definition of ‘gypsies and travellers’ is also specified in The Housing (Assessment of Accommodation Needs) (Meaning of Gypsies and Travellers) (England) Regulations 2006. This relates to the duty to assess housing/accommodation needs under Section 225 of the Housing Act 2004.

The definition of “gypsies and travellers” is given as: “(a) persons with a cultural tradition of nomadism or living in a caravan; and (b) all other persons of a nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, including: (i) such persons who, on grounds only of their own or their family’s or dependant’s educational or health needs or old age, have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently; and (ii) members of an organised group of travelling Showpeople or Circus People (whether or not travelling together as such).

The intention of this definition is to cover all those whose distinctive ethnicity, cultural background and/or lifestyle may give rise to specific accommodation needs, now or in the future, which need to be assessed and planned for.”

Ark Housing Consultancy 8 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Although this definition is intended to apply for the purposes of assessing accommodation needs it is similar in nature to that for planning purposes.

2.4 Gypsies and Travellers have lived in England for over 500 years although their ways of life have changed over time to reflect wider changes in society, employment and accommodation. Many do not now travel on a daily basis but tend to have a more permanent base from which they live and work, whilst maintaining their cultural traditions. However, there are groups of Travellers that still do move frequently from place to place and particular groups, such as Travelling Showpeople, do so in order to conduct their business activities.

2.5 There are many different groups of Travellers living in England – Romany (English) Gypsies, Roma Gypsies, Irish Travellers, New Travellers, Circus and Showpeople, and people who live on barges. Each has differences of culture and need. For example, large bands of Irish long distance Travellers are more likely to require temporary site provision by way of transit sites or emergency stopping places to facilitate their frequency of travelling. Many English Romany Gypsies are now quite settled and seek sites on a more permanent basis where their children can get a better education. New (Age) Travellers tend to prefer basic sites or encampments with little organised amenity provision, whereas Travelling Showmen need quarters that are sufficiently sized and secure to permit storage and maintenance of large fairground rides and trailers. A significant feature is that these different groupings amongst the travelling community do not like to mix on the same site.

2.6 Many experience prejudice and discrimination, and misconceptions about Gypsies and Travellers can prevent them being able to receive services - such as healthcare, access to education, and suitable accommodation - to which they, like everyone else, are entitled.

2.7 Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised as ethnic minorities under the Equality Act 2010. Case law has also established that the Government has a duty to “facilitate the gypsy way of life” for ethnic Gypsies and Travellers under the Human Rights Act. They are part of our diverse community and have the same rights and responsibilities as all other members of the community.

2.8 Like other minority ethnic groups Gypsies and Travellers have their own language, culture and traditions. These are passed down the family and, as in any family, the onus on keeping them varies. Cultural values are strong and the extended family is more the norm than the nuclear family.

2.9 The travelling community are probably the most deprived and disadvantaged section of society in the , a fact borne out by a substantial body of research. For example:

Life expectancy for Gypsy and Traveller men and women is 10 years lower than the national average. Gypsy and Traveller mothers are 20 times more likely than the rest of the population to have experienced the death of a child. In 2003, less than a quarter of Gypsy and Traveller children obtained five GCSEs at A*- C grades, compared to a national average of over half. A high proportion of Gypsy and Traveller adults cannot read or write.

Ark Housing Consultancy 9 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

In its Impact Assessment of the new Planning Policy For Traveller Sites published in March 2012 the Government comments: “Gypsies and Travellers experience poor social outcomes across a range of social indicators. Gypsies and Travellers living on unauthorised sites can face additional difficulties accessing health and education services and the precarious nature of their homes can further exacerbate inequalities and stifle life chances”.

2.10 Furthermore, the Equality and Human Rights Commission published in late 2009 a report entitled ‘Inequalities Experienced by Gypsy and Traveller Communities: A Review’. In the report the following issues were highlighted:

Gypsies and Travellers die earlier than the rest of the population. They experience worse health, yet are less likely to receive effective, continuous healthcare. Children's educational achievements are worse, and declining still further (contrary to the national trend). Participation in secondary education is extremely low: discrimination and abusive behaviour on the part of school staff and other students are frequently cited as reasons for children and young people leaving education at an early age. There is a lack of access to pre-school, out-of-school and leisure services for children and young people. There is an unquantified but substantial negative psychological impact on children who experience repeated brutal evictions, family tensions associated with insecure lifestyles, and an unending stream of overt and extreme hostility from the wider population. Employment rates are low, and poverty high. There is an increasing problem of substance abuse among unemployed and disaffected young people. There are high suicide rates among the communities. Within the criminal justice system – because of a combination of unfair treatment at different stages and other inequalities affecting the communities – there is a process of accelerated criminalisation at a young age, leading rapidly to custody. This includes: disproportionate levels of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders against Gypsies and Travellers, instead of the use of alternative dispute resolution processes; high use of remand in custody, both because of judicial assumptions about perceived risk of absconding and lack of secure accommodation; prejudice against Gypsies and Travellers within pre-sentence reports, the police service and the judiciary; and perpetuation of discrimination, disadvantage and cultural dislocation within the prison system, leading to acute distress and frequently suicide. Policy initiatives and political systems that are designed to promote inclusion and equality frequently exclude Gypsies and Travellers. This includes political structures and community development and community cohesion programmes. There is a lack of access to culturally appropriate support services for people in the most vulnerable situations, such as women experiencing domestic violence. Gypsies' and Travellers' culture and identity receive little or no recognition, with consequent and considerable damage to their self-esteem.

2.11 Contrary to the views promulgated by some sections of the media, many Gypsies and Travellers live trouble-free lives alongside the settled communities in their neighbourhood. Research has found that Gypsies and Travellers and settled neighbours build up effective relationships once a site is established and many have

Ark Housing Consultancy 10 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

good relationships with neighbouring communities. However, a minority do cause problems for local communities from noise, lack of sanitation and water supply, litter and rubbish, and anti-social behaviour. This is most often encountered from large groups of long distance Travellers who have no local connection. Unfortunately, the bad habits of the few are laid at the door of all Travellers in the minds of many people.

2.12 Most Gypsies and Travellers have the same hopes, desires and expectations as their neighbours in the settled community and want to be able to access public services, and be valued as part of the wider community. Discrimination is the main barrier preventing Gypsies and Travellers from participating in society as it gives them the message that they are not wanted.

2.13 Few issues stir the emotions more than the unauthorised arrival of Gypsies and Travellers on land near to the settled community. Many myths and lurid stories abound about the behaviour and nature of the Travellers, with local people claiming that crime rates will soar and their properties will be devalued by the presence of the Travellers. Similar reactions are often prevalent when proposals for new permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites are announced, usually via the lodging of a planning application. However, the settled community should also acknowledge the plight of the Travellers themselves who literally have no lawful place to stay.

2.14 The national picture of the number of Gypsy and Traveller’s caravans is measured twice per annum in January and July. It should be noted that the figures do not include Travelling Show or Circus People. A regional breakdown of Gypsy and Traveller caravans is shown in the chart below:

Source: Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) – Report on the Count of Gypsy and Traveller Caravans, January 2012.

2.15 The CLG Report also offers a summary of the key national statistics relating to the caravan count in January 2012. These are reproduced below:

The total number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans in England in January 2012 was almost 18,750. This is about 400 more that the total in January 2011.

Ark Housing Consultancy 11 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Approximately 6,800 caravans were on authorised socially rented sites, a decrease of about 150 since the January 2011 count. The number of caravans on authorised privately financed sites was almost 9,100, an increase of about 750 since the January 2011 count. The number of caravans on unauthorised developments, on land owned by Gypsies and Travellers, was about 1,900, approximately 300 below the number in January 2011. The number of caravans on unauthorised encampments, on land not owned by Gypsies and Travellers, was about 950, approximately 50 more than in January 2011. The average numbers of caravans per site were 20.4 for socially rented sites and 5.1 for privately funded sites. Overall, the January 2012 count indicated that 85% of Gypsy and Traveller caravans in England were on authorised land and that 15% were on unauthorised land.

Ark Housing Consultancy 12 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

3. Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Need Assessment 2012

3.1 Commissioning

3.1.1 South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee commissioned this study to deliver: An assessment and location of present needs - identify pitch and plot targets to establish a five year site supply for the local plan and in line with emerging government policy looking ahead for 15 years The identification of locations for future provision - for each type of site, based on need.

3.2 Methodology

3.2.1 The methodology chosen for the study is based upon the Guidance ‘Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments’, October 2007, issued by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Whilst the shift in Government policy away from the top down target approach established in regional spatial strategies for which this guidance was produced is acknowledged, it is considered that the principles of the need assessment methodology are sound. Although national planning policy relating to Gypsies and Travellers has changed since publication of the guidance, and local planning authorities are no longer required to have regard to it, the guidance remains a valid methodology for assessment of accommodation need. The methodology has been tested across the country at Examinations in Public and has been subject to peer review by practitioners, academics and commissioners of studies without any need for significant amendment identified.

3.2.2 In essence the methodology is framed around a supply and demand model with the key stages illustrated below:

Secondary Data Review

Literature & policy review; regional & sub-regional studies; previous GTAAs; caravan count trends; planning records; housing strategies.

Primary Research: household survey and consultation

Historic records of encampments from LPAs & Town & Parish Councils; detailed household profile & demand trends; preferences for type of site; case studies.

Analysis & Assessment of Accommodation Needs

Assessment of supply of pitches and need arising; calculation of pitch requirements + supporting justification; identification of broad locations for additional pitches

Report & Recommendations

Preparation & presentation of report

Ark Housing Consultancy 13 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

3.3 Secondary Data: Demand Trends and Land Use Constraints

3.3.1 A review of relevant data and reports from Boston Borough Council, South Holland District Council and Lincolnshire County Council, including local housing need assessments, strategic housing market assessments (e.g. Draft Coastal Lincolnshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2011, Peterborough Sub-Regional Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2008 and Update 2011) and similar studies was undertaken. Relevant data and reports from surrounding local authorities and documentation/research informing the development of the then Regional Spatial and Housing Strategies was also examined. The Lincolnshire GTAA 2007 and current and emerging housing and planning policies were also reviewed.

3.3.2 Experience has shown that the biannual caravan counts often miss out small sites with planning consent. For this reason a review was undertaken of caravan counts and trends as well as extant planning permissions for Gypsy and Traveller site developments to compare against the figures arising from the counts. Details of all planning applications for Traveller sites recorded in the Council’s Planning ICT systems and subsequent approval, refusals and appeals were examined. This data check is an important step in verifying the accuracy of the biannual counts and establishing historic trended information on demand for sites.

3.3.3 Other data sources were examined for relevance, such as housing waiting lists.

3.3.4 As part of the research element of the study data was sought on the migration of Travellers from other local authorities and countries. Around the UK there has been a noticeable influx of Travellers from some of the EU Accession States and the local knowledge of local authority officers and health workers (e.g. Traveller’s Education and Welfare, Supporting People, Site Management, etc.) was sought to determine the presence and circumstances of these groups.

3.3.5 The policy objectives set out in Sustainable Community Plans produced by local strategic partnerships were reviewed for relevance to the study.

3.3.6 Existing planning policy and that of the emerging Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document (Core Strategy) was examined to determine constraints on land use across the area. This is an essential stage in supporting the later work to identify broad locations for potential site development to accommodate Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. Such constraints will clearly influence any choice of location for development.

3.4 Primary Research & Consultation

3.4.1 Stakeholder/practitioner consultation:

The initial exercise was to identify all key stakeholders who have a remit to provide support services to gypsy and traveller communities. These contacts should assist in:

Ark Housing Consultancy 14 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Providing data on the size, location and concentration of gypsy/traveller groups. Assist with access to the communities and provide contacts on the ground. Assist with introductions to potential survey champions. Provide secondary data where applicable.

The group included:

Lincolnshire County Council’s Traveller Liaison Officer. Gainsborough Traveller Initiative. Other local authority staff (at County and District level) in housing, Traveller education, ethnic minorities service, and adult or childrens’ social services. Registered provider officers where appropriate. Officers from adjacent authorities. Site managers/wardens. Parish and Town Councils. NHS Lincolnshire. Voluntary sector groups if appropriate.

3.4.2 The Parish and Town Councils were asked to identify any known Traveller sites or encampments within their areas in order to obtain as comprehensive coverage of sites as possible.

3.4.3 Stakeholder consultation involved a mix of face-to-face and telephone/email discussions. It was an important stage in identifying sources of information from within the travelling community both in and outside the South East Lincolnshire area. These sources enabled the consultancy team to ascertain the reasons for seasonal transiency to and from the area.

3.4.4 The Traveller Liaison Officer at Lincolnshire County Council had well established contact with the Travelling community and provided a valuable source of information and a pathway to accessing travelling families.

3.4.5 NHS Lincolnshire was approached to determine local contacts and any data that could be of relevance to the study.

3.4.6 Some Gypsies and Travellers are housed in bricks and mortar and in an effort to locate them consultation took place with the Housing Services of Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council and local Registered Providers (RPs) within the area. Neither the Councils nor RPs held formal information which would enable access to Gypsies and Travellers housed in bricks and mortar, as this information is not currently collected or “flagged” within the respective ICT systems. In any event Data Protection obligations prevented release of information directly to the study team. The team were therefore reliant on private individuals for their informal knowledge of the whereabouts and number of housed Gypsy and Traveller residents and the Gypsy and Traveller community themselves were targeted as a source of relevant information as to the whereabouts of housed members of their community. Staff operating housing registers (waiting lists) were also contacted to determine any available data on Travellers registering for bricks and mortar housing.

3.4.7 It is critical to actively involve the travelling community in any GTAA study. The study team sought to identify persons from the travelling community who could provide general background information on the local travelling community. Such persons

Ark Housing Consultancy 15 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

were also able to support the primary survey work and thereby help to overcome any reluctance to participate on the part of some Travellers.

3.4.8 Groups representing traveller interests were consulted, for example the Showmens’ Guild. This approach was particularly helpful given the frequency of movement of Travelling Showpeople and the consequent difficulty in meeting with them.

3.5 General approach and survey interviews

3.5.1 Primary research by way of face-to-face interviews and completion of survey questionnaires is the key source of data to inform the assessment of accommodation needs both now and in future years to accord with the LDF of the Joint Strategic Planning Authority. The data will enable an assessment to be made of the need for permanent and transit sites together with any requirement for stopping places offering more basic amenities.

3.5.2 Surveys were undertaken at each identified site or encampment verified in the preceding secondary data exercise. In an endeavour to capture comprehensive information from all Travellers resorting to the District the study fieldwork team attended at sites and encampments as soon as they were located and made return visits to develop trust and confidence on the part of respondents.

3.5.3 Based on the fluctuations found in the biannual caravan counts, which have shown relatively low numbers of arrivals for the summer months, as a benchmark a target of 40 interviews was set for completion in the early part of the Summer season. This number would include a mix of transient and permanent pitches, Gypsies and Travellers housed in bricks and mortar and Travelling Showpeople.

3.5.4 The study team liaised with the Traveller Liaison Officer from Lincolnshire County Council and other parties identified in the initial stakeholder/practitioner mapping exercise, such as Gainsborough Traveller Initiative. This helped to identify optimum approaches at particular sites, identification of key individuals and assisted with initial introductions. The field research also utilised a combination of male and female staff to ensure that there were no barriers to participation.

3.5.5 The survey gathered data via face to face interviews based upon completion of a standard questionnaire. Additional questions were included for Travellers housed in bricks and mortar and for Travelling Showpeople. The following factors were explored:

a) Detailed household profile and demand trends: Size and demographics of household Family and connections Concealed households and overcrowding Income and ability to finance development Employment and working practices Expected household formation – based on age of formation of existing household Profile in terms of movement in past 2 years

b) Preferences Current pitch and strengths/weaknesses Projected length of stay Ark Housing Consultancy 16 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Type of pitch; bricks & mortar or mobile Views on likely demand from young people

3.5.6 A number of household interviews were also extended into case studies with a more qualitative approach.

3.5.7 Data was also gathered from site managers in relation to site ownership, pitch numbers and numbers of caravans, vacancy churn and pitch rents.

3.6 Analysis, Assessment of Supply vs. Need and Evaluation

3.6.1 After the primary data collection phase a detailed evaluation and extrapolation ensued, focusing on current supply and demand data obtained from the first two phases to calculate the need, types, location and targets for additional sites, pitches and plots over the plan period at 5 year rests. Views were also formed regarding the Travellers’ need for access to services and amenities, which will add value to the Councils in moving forward and possibly sharing data with other services, such as the emerging Health and Wellbeing Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups that replace the PCT in 2013.

3.6.2 Whilst seeking to produce meaningful and focused data from both the primary and secondary research and survey process some assumptions do have to be drawn in the analysis of the data. These are fully explained in the need assessment section of the report with supporting justification for the approach taken.

3.6.3 The analysis involved:

Assessment of pitch supply o Current supply of occupied local authority pitches o Current supply of occupied authorised private site pitches o Calculate total of accommodated households o Number of vacant local authority or private pitches o Assessment of likely vacancy churn across all sites o Number of households accommodated on sites likely to move to bricks and mortar housing o Number of additional local authority pitches planned for delivery during the period o Known planning applications likely to be approved for additional private pitches o Calculate total pitch availability Assessment of need o From primary research and planning decision analysis identify: o Number of households seeking permanent pitches o Number on unauthorised pitches where planning permission is not likely to be granted o Number on authorised developments where temporary planning permission will expire o Households currently overcrowded o Number of concealed households o Migration of Travellers into the area o Numbers in bricks and mortar housing with a need for pitches o Calculate total household demand Calculation of shortfall in pitches to meet need

Ark Housing Consultancy 17 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Assessment of expected household formation

o Based upon data drawn from primary research Calculation of requirement for additional pitch provision during the three plan periods

3.7 Identification of Broad Locations

3.7.1 The earlier work to identify land use constraints stemming from existing and emerging planning policy was applied to the conclusions from the survey analysis and calculation of future pitch/site requirements. In addition, account was taken of the saved and current planning policies in relation to site selection criteria.

3.7.2 Broad locations for additional site provision were considered against these criteria. Additionally, the expressed preferences of the travelling community together with assessment of the impact on the settled community of potential broad locations guided the conclusions and recommendations arising from the study.

Ark Housing Consultancy 18 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

4. The Changing Legislative and Policy Scene – A Short History

4.1 The Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 introduced licensing for caravan sites. Licences are issued after planning permission has been granted and specify requirements covering the provision of amenities and conditions on site to ensure the welfare, health and safety of the occupiers. Site licensing requirements apply to all types of caravan site including those occupied by Gypsies and Travellers or Showpeople, albeit there are some exemptions, e.g. for local authority owned and operated sites.

4.2 In expectation of private provision meeting the need for additional sites the Government in 1994 repealed the statutory duty imposed by the Caravan Sites Act 1968 on local authorities to provide sites. This approach had clearly failed and the review culminated in legislative and policy change.

4.3 The Housing Act 2004, section 225, gave local authorities a statutory duty to assess the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation in their area. It is clear that an assessment of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers is key to establishing the scale of additional pitch provision. In recognition of this fact the Department for Communities and Local Government issued Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments – Guidance in October 2007 which replaced draft guidance issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).

4.4 ODPM Circular 01/2006 Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites set out guidance on the planning aspects of finding sites for Gypsies and Travellers and how local authorities and the travelling community could work together to achieve that aim. In particular, this specified that the aims of the legislation and policy developments were to:

• Ensure that Gypsies and Travellers have fair access to suitable accommodation, education, health and welfare provision. • Reduce the number of unauthorised encampments. • Increase the number of sites and address under-provision over the next 3-5 years. • Protect the traditional travelling way of life of Gypsies and Travellers. • Underline the importance of assessing accommodation need. • Promote private site provision. • Avoid Gypsies and Travellers becoming homeless, where eviction from unauthorised sites occurs and where there is no alternative accommodation.

4.5 In the Circular 4/2007 Planning For Showpeople the Government clearly intended to maintain the planning distinction between Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showpeople and Circus People. Although the requirement for assessment of accommodation needs for this group is equally explicit the implication is that their differing needs will be separately addressed in planning terms.

4.6 A further raft of guidance was issued by CLG in 2008 and 2009. This related to design of sites and their management. The design guidance covered permanent sites, transit sites and emergency stopping places. However, it followed a traditional path in terms of design criteria and it could be argued that greater innovation should be possible to deliver sites that are perhaps more attractive to certain groups. For

Ark Housing Consultancy 19 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

example, would New [Age] Travellers prefer a more simple and eco-friendly style of site provision? These issues should be flushed out during the planning process as an essential element of policy formulation is the requirement for consultation with the travelling community.

4.7 The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 amends the Mobile Homes Act 1983 to offer greater protection to occupiers of Travellers’ sites and includes terms for protection against eviction from local authority operated sites. This was implemented via the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Commencement Order No. 8 and Transitional, Transitory and Saving Provisions) Order 2011.

4.8 Following the May 2010 General Election the Coalition Government undertook to review policy and legislation relating to Gypsies and Travellers. In August 2010, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced the Government’s intention to withdraw the existing traveller planning circulars (Circular 01/2006: Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites and Circular 04/2007: Planning for Travelling Showpeople). The Government intended to replace them with a new, short, light-touch, single Planning Policy Statement – Planning Policy For Traveller Sites. A consultation on the proposals was issued in April 2011.

4.9 The proposed Planning Policy Statement was to be part of a set of broader commitments to reform the planning system by streamlining lengthy, cumbersome inaccessible and complex policy and guidance and decentralising the planning system to strengthen the role of elected councils and communities. As part of these Coalition planning reforms, the Government committed to publish and present to Parliament a simplified and consolidated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The new Planning Policy Statement on traveller sites was to be designed in this context to follow the simplifying and streamlining principles of the NPPF.

4.10 Planning Policy For Traveller Sites was published on 26th March 2012 by the Department for Communities and Local Government and is now the Government’s declared policy on the issue. The NPPF was similarly published in March 2012 and sets out the policies to which local planning authorities must have regard.

4.11 A Private Members Bill has been introduced in the House of Lords to impose a duty on every local authority in England, being a district council, unitary council, metropolitan or borough council or borough council, to grant planning permission for Gypsy and Traveller caravan sites sufficient to provide accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers residing in or resorting to their area. It also requires identification of sufficient land for such accommodation in development plans and that local authorities must have regard to the accommodation and needs assessment carried out in compliance with Section 225 of the Housing Act 1984. Furthermore, the Bill allows for the Secretary of State to direct local planning authorities to grant planning consent for sites and numbers of caravans as may be specified in the direction. The Bill is proceeding through Parliament and received a second reading in the House of Lords on 29th June 2012. The Committee Stage has yet to be scheduled.

4.12 The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government wrote to Council Leaders in late August 2012 warning them to take swift action to deal with illegal Gypsy and Traveller sites or encampments. New guidance that offers a summary of available powers to deal with illegal and unauthorised encampments was

Ark Housing Consultancy 20 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

issued at the same time and adds to the earlier Home Office Guide to Effective Use of Enforcement Powers, 2006.

4.13 The Government appears to be encouraging a harder line to be taken to remove unauthorised encampments and developments, perhaps in response to the disturbing scenes witnessed at Dale Farm, near Basildon, Essex, during 2012.

4.14 The latest guidance sets out the range of enforcement powers available to a local authority, including:

Injunctions including by reason of a breach of planning control under section 187B, of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Caravan site licensing under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. Tented site licensing under Section 269 of the Public Health Act 1936. Possession Orders under Part 55 of the Civil Procedure Rules and Interim Possession Orders including subsequent action under section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Local byelaws - Section 235 of the Local Government Act 1972 for making of byelaws for good rule and governance and Section 150 (2) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 for seizure and retention of property. Power of a local authority to direct unauthorised campers to leave land under section 77 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 Addressing obstructions to the Public Highway – various sections of the Highways Act 1980. Planning contravention notice - Section 171C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Temporary Stop Notice - Section 171E of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Enforcement Notice and Retrospective Planning Section 172 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Stop Notice - Section 183 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Breach of Condition Notice - Section 187A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Powers of entry onto land - Sections 196A, 196B and 196C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

A further raft of powers are available to the Police:

Power of the Police to direct unauthorised campers to leave land - sections 61- 62 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Police Powers to direct trespassers to an alternative site - sections 62 A-E of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Offence of squatting in a residential building - section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

The Guidance also offers advice on powers available to clean up sites after occupation has ceased.

Ark Housing Consultancy 21 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

5. The Current National Planning Policy For Traveller Sites

5.1 Under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 the Government will abolish regional spatial strategies that had previously set the strategic planning policy and targets for provision of additional sites for Travellers. It believes that local planning authorities should have the freedom and responsibility to determine the right level of traveller site provision in their area, in consultation with local communities, while ensuring fairness in the planning system.

5.2 Local authorities are also required to submit to the Department for Communities and Local Government a twice yearly count of traveller caravans. These are conducted in January and July annually.

5.3 On 26th March 2012 the Government published Planning Policy For Traveller Sites. This short document now sets out the policy on using evidence, plan-making and decision-taking in respect of Traveller sites, and must be read in conjunction with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) also published in March 2012. NPPF Technical Guidance has also been published. The NPPF must be taken into account by local planning authorities when exercising their development plan-making powers.

5.4 Planning Policy For Traveller Sites sets out the Government’s aims in respect of sites as:

that local planning authorities should make their own assessment of need for the purposes of planning to ensure that local planning authorities, working collaboratively, develop fair and effective strategies to meet need through the identification of land for sites to encourage local planning authorities to plan for sites over a reasonable timescale that plan-making and decision-taking should protect Green Belt from inappropriate development to promote more private traveller site provision while recognising that there will always be those travellers who cannot provide their own sites that plan-making and decision-taking should aim to reduce the number of unauthorised developments and encampments and make enforcement more effective for local planning authorities to ensure that their Local Plan includes fair, realistic and inclusive policies to increase the number of traveller sites in appropriate locations with planning permission, to address under provision and maintain an appropriate level of supply to reduce tensions between settled and traveller communities in plan-making and planning decisions to enable provision of suitable accommodation from which travellers can access education, health, welfare and employment infrastructure for local planning authorities to have due regard to the protection of local amenity and local environment.

5.5 The policy document states that in assembling the evidence base necessary to support their planning approach, local planning authorities (LPAs) should:

Ark Housing Consultancy 22 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

pay particular attention to early and effective community engagement with both settled and traveller communities (including discussing travellers’ accommodation needs with travellers themselves, their representative bodies and local support groups) co-operate with travellers, their representative bodies and local support groups, other local authorities and relevant interest groups to prepare and maintain an up- to-date understanding of the likely permanent and transit accommodation needs of their areas over the lifespan of their development plan working collaboratively with neighbouring local planning authorities use a robust evidence base to establish accommodation needs to inform the preparation of local plans and make planning decisions.

5.6 With regard to plan-making there is a requirement to adhere to the policies of the NPPF with the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. Additionally, for local planning authorities there is now a presumption in favour of sustainable development when considering planning applications. In plan-making local planning authorities should set pitch targets for Gypsies and Travellers and plot targets for Travelling Showpeople which address the likely permanent and transit site accommodation needs of travellers in their area, working collaboratively with neighbouring local planning authorities.

5.7 Local planning authorities should, in producing their Local Plan:

identify and update annually, a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years’ worth of sites against their locally set targets identify a supply of specific, developable sites or broad locations for growth, for years six to ten and, where possible, for years 11-15 consider production of joint development plans that set targets on a cross- authority basis, to provide more flexibility in identifying sites, particularly if a local planning authority has special or strict planning constraints across its area (local planning authorities have a duty to cooperate on planning issues that cross administrative boundaries) relate the number of pitches or plots to the circumstances of the specific size and location of the site and the surrounding population’s size and density protect local amenity and environment.

5.8 To be considered deliverable, sites should be available now, offer a suitable location for development now, and be achievable with a realistic prospect that development will be delivered on the site within five years and in particular that development of the site is viable. Sites with planning permission should be considered deliverable until permission expires, unless there is clear evidence that schemes will not be implemented within five years, for example they will not be viable, there is no longer a demand for the type of units or sites have long term phasing plans. To be considered developable, sites should be in a suitable location for traveller site development and there should be a reasonable prospect that the site is available and could be viably developed at the point envisaged.

5.9 Criteria should be set to guide land supply allocations where there is identified need. Where there is no identified need, criteria-based policies should be included to provide a basis for decisions in case applications nevertheless come forward. Criteria based policies should be fair and should facilitate the traditional and nomadic life of travellers while respecting the interests of the settled community. Such criteria are also likely to be relied upon in determination of applications arising prior to adoption

Ark Housing Consultancy 23 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

of specific site allocation DPD. However, the Government’s expectation is that site locations will be identified as set out in paragraph 5.8 above.

5.10 Local planning authorities should ensure that traveller sites are sustainable economically, socially and environmentally, and that their policies:

promote peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community promote, in collaboration with commissioners of health services, access to appropriate health services ensure that children can attend school on a regular basis provide a settled base that reduces the need for long-distance travelling and possible environmental damage caused by unauthorised encampment provide for proper consideration of the effect of local environmental quality (such as noise and air quality) on the health and well-being of any travellers that may locate there or on others as a result of new development avoid placing undue pressure on local infrastructure and services do not locate sites in areas at high risk of flooding, including functional floodplains, given the particular vulnerability of caravans reflect the extent to which traditional lifestyles (whereby some travellers live and work from the same location thereby omitting many travel to work journeys) can contribute to sustainability.

5.11 In respect of rural or semi-rural areas the policy requires that the scale of any site development should not dominate the nearest settled community. In addition, it allows for affordable rural exception sites to be established if there is a lack of affordable land to meet local traveller needs. Rural exception sites should only be used for affordable traveller sites in perpetuity. A rural exception site policy should seek to address the needs of the local community by accommodating households who are either current residents or have an existing family or employment connection, whilst also ensuring that rural areas continue to develop as sustainable, mixed, inclusive communities.

5.12 Policy is also set in respect of mixed use sites. When plan-making LPAs should consider including traveller sites suitable for mixed residential and business uses, having regard to the safety and amenity of the occupants and neighbouring residents. Local planning authorities should consider the scope for identifying separate sites for residential and for business purposes in close proximity to one another if mixed sites are not practicable. In so doing LPAs should have regard to the need that Travelling Showpeople have for mixed-use yards to allow residential accommodation and space for storage of equipment. Mixed use sites should not be permitted on rural exception sites.

5.13 The document also determines a restrictive approach to site development on Green Belt land and allows for site relocation when affected by major development projects.

5.14 The policies on decision-taking on planning applications state that LPAs should consider the following issues amongst other relevant matters when considering planning applications for traveller sites:

the existing level of local provision and need for sites the availability (or lack) of alternative accommodation for the applicants other personal circumstances of the applicant Ark Housing Consultancy 24 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

that the locally specific criteria used to guide the allocation of sites in plans or which form the policy where there is no identified need for pitches/plots should be used to assess applications that may come forward on unallocated sites that they should determine applications for sites from any travellers and not just those with local connections

LPAs should strictly limit new traveller site development in open countryside that is away from existing settlements or outside areas allocated in the development plan. Local planning authorities should ensure that sites in rural areas respect the scale of, and do not dominate the nearest settled community, and avoid placing an undue pressure on the local infrastructure.

5.15 When considering applications, LPAs should attach weight to the following matters:

effective use of previously developed (brownfield), untidy or derelict land sites being well planned or soft landscaped in such a way as to positively enhance the environment and increase its openness promoting opportunities for healthy lifestyles, such as ensuring adequate landscaping and play areas for children not enclosing a site with so much hard landscaping, high walls or fences, that the impression may be given that the site and its occupants are deliberately isolated from the rest of the community.

5.16 If a LPA cannot demonstrate an up–to-date five-year supply of deliverable sites by March 2013 (i.e. 12 months from the date of publication of Planning Policy For Traveller Sites), this should be a significant material consideration in any subsequent planning decision when considering applications for the grant of temporary planning permission. This will in effect make it far more difficult to refuse applications if the supply of deliverable sites is not maintained.

5.17 LPAs should consider how they could overcome planning objections to particular proposals using planning conditions or planning obligations including:

limiting which parts of a site may be used for any business operations, in order to minimise the visual impact and limit the effect of noise specifying the number of days the site can be occupied by more than the allowed number of caravans (which permits visitors and allows attendance at family or community events) limiting the maximum number of days for which caravans might be permitted to stay on a transit site.

Ark Housing Consultancy 25 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6. The South East Lincolnshire Context

6.1 Community Policy - Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs)

6.1.1 LSPs are collectives of local organisations from the public, private and voluntary sector who work together to achieve common goals for the benefit of the community. Priorities and objectives agreed by the LSP should be reflected in policy at the local authority level.

6.1.2 The LSP for Lincolnshire is known as the Lincolnshire Assembly. By 2030 it aims to deliver:

• Vibrant communities where people enjoy life • Opportunities for good health • One of the healthiest and most sustainable economies in Europe • Good connections between people, services, communities and places • Rich diverse environments, heritage and cultures that residents and visitors enjoy

6.1.3 The LSP for South Holland District has a vision to: To develop and promote South Holland as a thriving, living and working rural community.

It also relies upon the four aims of the Rural Action Zone: Facilitating high value jobs, skills and enterprises Improving accessibility – better access to the area and to high quality services Raising the expectations of individuals and communities Improving and protecting the natural and built environment

6.1.4 Boston Area Partnership is the LSP for the . It has a series of priorities, one of which is ‘Being Healthy’. The relevant target is to:

Maximum opportunity to access decent and affordable homes, by: Reviewing the Borough Council’s Housing Strategy to focus on the specific priorities of:- - Ensuring Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) comply with current standards and legislation - Addressing a shortage of decent and affordable homes provision across the Borough

6.2 Corporate and Strategic Policy

6.2.2 Each of the local authorities that formed the South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee has a corporate plan and the key priorities, and actions relevant to this study, for each are reproduced below.

6.2.3 Boston Borough Council has declared four priorities:

Revitalise and promote our town and rural borough Safe, secure homes and neighbourhoods Promoting greener and healthier communities Delivering better council services with less money.

Ark Housing Consultancy 26 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Immediate actions are prescribed as:

Help to maintain and develop rural communities by permitting development for housing and generating jobs wherever possible. Continue to work with the Homes and Communities Agency, housing providers and private developers to deliver new homes that meet local needs. Begin to revitalise neighbourhoods by targeting new homes bonus on returning empty houses back into use. Continue to help people use, enjoy and remain in their homes by investing in our Disabled Facility Grant programme. Continue to work with other partners to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping and to support others in acute housing need.

In relation to improving service delivery and efficiency the Corporate Plan states:

Development control and conservation We know that the quality and level of development, such as housing and commercial uses is important to you. It is always a balancing act. We aim to support and encourage important and necessary development when considering planning applications but we also have the job of ensuring decision making safeguards future generation’s needs and takes account of heritage and agreed social, environmental and economic needs. Application decisions are strongly steered by local and national planning policies. Planning Policy and conservation Establishing good local planning policies by working in partnership with parishes and neighbourhood groups is vital if we are to properly balance the many competing interests on the best use of the same land. The planning system must resolve such conflicts and seek to guide development and investment in a way which is best for the long term interests of the borough as a whole and for future generations. Planning applications are considered and decided on the basis of such policies. Sustainable development has environmental and social dimensions as well as an economic one and there is a balance between the three. Housing and community development Provides a single route to access affordable homes in the borough and advice and assistance to those who are homeless or threatened with homelessness; Assists households living in poor conditions to resolve them through advice, information, negotiation, assistance or enforcement; Deliver disabled facility adaptations for eligible households to allow them to remain in their own homes; provide home energy advice to address fuel poverty and enable delivery of affordable homes in the borough. Our community development services support communities at all levels to make positive impacts within their neighbourhoods. Working in Partnership Where appropriate, we will also cooperate with other local authorities to share staffing as we have done with the Joint South East Lincolnshire Planning Team. We have decided to retain a slimmed-down Local Strategic Partnership which includes key partners such as Boston College and Boston Mayflower Limited, our main social housing provider. Known as Boston Area Partnership (BAP), it meets quarterly to ensure co-ordination of activity and to identify gaps where partnership working can ‘add value’.

Ark Housing Consultancy 27 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6.2.4 South Holland District Council has five priorities:

To be a Forward Looking Council To Enable Our Communities To Have Pride In South Holland To Support Our Local Economy To Develop Stronger Communities

The focus for 2011-2012 is on:

Take back financial control of our housing stock from central government Give more priority to local people and local priority groups for social housing We will ensure our tenancies respond to local needs and circumstances Ensure our supported housing services provides the right types of services to meet our residents’ expectations React positively to the Localism agenda, by promoting sustainable planned growth, that will improve the employment and housing prospects of our residents

6.2.5 Lincolnshire County Council’s Business Plan 2012-2015 sets out the purpose of the County Council as:

Investing in infrastructure and the provision of services Commissioning for outcomes based on our communities’ needs Promoting community wellbeing and resilience Influencing, coordinating and supporting other organisations that contribute to the life of Lincolnshire Making the best use of all of our resources

Relevant objectives are stated as:

Equalities We want to make a positive difference for our communities. When we review, or introduce a new policy or service or begin a new project we will look at the impact on people. This analysis will help us to make informed decisions. Economy and culture We are delivering a number of major infrastructure projects to benefit housing growth point areas. Promoting community wellbeing and resilience We are developing our ‘Big Society’ approach to working with and supporting communities to ‘help them help themselves’. Influencing, co‐ordinating and supporting other organisations Work with district councils to shape local development plans.

Ark Housing Consultancy 28 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6.3 Current Planning Policy

6.3.1 Until such time as the Joint Strategic Planning Committee adopts the emerging South East Lincolnshire Local Plan, the saved policies in the Local Plans of both Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council remain in force. The relevant policies relating to Travellers are reproduced below.

6.3.2 Boston Borough Local Plan

The Boston Borough Local Plan was adopted in 1999. The Borough Council commenced work on a new Local Plan but abandoned the statutory adoption process in 2006. In consequence certain policies of the 1999 Local Plan were ‘saved’ in September 2007 under the provisions of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. There is no reference to Travellers in the saved policies. However, in February 2006 the Council did adopt a revised version of the replacement local plan for development control purposes. The document is known as the Interim Plan (Non- Statutory Development Control Policy). However, little or no weight can be given to the policies of the Interim Plan that were the subject of significant objections to the first draft or re-deposit draft Local Plan stages.

6.3.3 The Interim Plan policy relating to Travellers is as follows:

H17: GYPSY AND TRAVELLER SITES

PLANNING PERMISSION WILL BE GRANTED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GYPSY AND TRAVELLER SITE, PROVIDED THAT:

1) THE SITE IS CONVENIENT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES;

2) THE NATURE, SCALE, SITING, DESIGN AND LEVEL OF TRAFFIC GENERATED WILL NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE CHARACTER OR APPEARANCE OF THE AREA, NOR THE AMENITIES OF OTHER LAND USERS;

3) ADEQUATE SITE SERVICES AND AMENITIES WILL BE PROVIDED; AND

4) IT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR THE SITE WHICH CANNOT BE MET BY EXISTING GYPSY AND TRAVELLER SITES.

Justification

8.55 The Council prefer to see most forms of development located within settlement boundaries and this applies to gypsy and traveller sites. However, because many gypsies and travellers run businesses from their homes, there may be the potential for a site within a settlement to conflict with the amenities of neighbouring land users. Sites outside of settlements may therefore be considered suitable. In all cases, however, sites should be accessible to and within a reasonable distance of local services and facilities, such as shops and schools, and therefore remote locations are not acceptable. All sites must have adequate on-site services and amenities to include a refuse collection point, access to drinking water and arrangements for the disposal of foul sewage.

Ark Housing Consultancy 29 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.56 The Borough has an existing traveller’s site, which cater for gypsies and travellers, namely the Redstone Travellers Site in the town of Boston. In considering planning applications by gypsies and travellers the Council will need to be satisfied that the Redstone and other authorised sites cannot meet their requirements. Future Development Plan Documents will identify suitable locations for gypsy and traveller sites if a housing need has been demonstrated.

6.3.4 South Holland District Local Plan

The South Holland Local Plan was adopted in 2006 and certain of the policies were ‘saved’ as from July 2009 pending adoption of the Joint Local Plan. Saved Policy HS19 relating to Travellers is reproduced below.

6.3.5 Sites For Gypsies And Travellers 4.97 Government advice on gypsy and traveller site provision is set out in Circular 01/06 (ODPM). Its main stated intentions are: “a) to create and support sustainable, respectful, and inclusive communities where gypsies and travellers have fair access to suitable accommodation, education, health and welfare provision; where there is mutual respect and consideration between all communities for the rights and responsibilities of each community and individual; and where there is respect between individuals and communities towards the environments in which they live and work; b) to reduce the number of unauthorised encampments and developments and the conflict and controversy they cause and to make enforcement more effective where local authorities have complied with the guidance in this Circular; c) to increase significantly the number of gypsy and traveller sites in appropriate locations with planning permission in order to address under- provision over the next 3 – 5 years; d) to recognise, protect and facilitate the traditional travelling way of life of gypsies and travellers, whilst respecting the interests of the settled community; e) to underline the importance of assessing needs at regional and sub- regional level and for local authorities to develop strategies to ensure that needs are dealt with fairly and effectively; f) to identify and make provision for the resultant land and accommodation requirements; g) to ensure that DPDs include fair, realistic and inclusive policies and to ensure identified need is dealt with fairly and effectively; h) to promote more private gypsy and traveller site provision in appropriate locations through the planning system, while recognising that there will always be those who cannot provide their own sites; and i) to help to avoid gypsies and travellers becoming homeless through eviction from unauthorised sites without an alternative to move to.”

Ark Housing Consultancy 30 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

4.98 The location of gypsy sites is a difficult and contentious issue. Whilst sites in urban areas could give occupiers easy access to a wide range of local facilities and services, such sites may often be more appropriate for general forms of housing where land use efficiency can be maximised 4.99 In both urban and rural areas it will be important to consider the effects of a proposed gypsy / traveller site on the amenities and character of the area as well as the effect on local residents. Sites need to be capable of accommodating the proposed pitches, and the containment and landscaping of sites is also essential. Demand for sites will normally be higher in rural areas and it is therefore important that there is a genuine, demonstrable need for such sites. 4.100 The Council’s previous Local Plan did not contain a policy relating to the provision of sites for gypsies and travellers. The Council has recently been faced with a number of retrospective planning applications for such accommodation. In order to assess future needs of gypsies and travellers the Council has established a Forum to bring travellers, the local community and other stakeholders together. The use of a Forum, and through pro-active engagement with these groups, will help to alleviate any potential conflicts and provide wider understanding of the needs of all affected parties. The Council has also undertaken an accommodation needs assessment (available as a background paper) which provides a sound base on which to determine and demonstrate how much accommodation is required and the nature of that accommodation. We are seeking to identify suitable sites which could be allocated through the LDF process or subject of planning applications if necessary in advance of that. We will have regard to the Government advice in Circular 01/06. 4.101 The Council encourages gypsy and traveller groups (or any individual or other body seeking to address gypsy / traveller needs) to consult the authority at the earliest opportunity before acquiring land on which they wish to develop, and on which planning permission would be required. The needs of gypsy and traveller groups will be taken into account when determining any resultant planning applications. Applications for permanent residential gypsy sites will be determined in accordance with the criteria in Policy HS19. Applications for transit sites or temporary stopping places will also be determined in accordance with these criteria but it may be possible for the criteria to be relaxed in such cases to reflect the particular proposals and the non-permanent nature of the accommodation offered. Policy HS19 - Sites for Gypsies and Travellers Planning permission will be granted for new gypsy and traveller sites where there is an unmet need, or a need arises unexpectedly, and provided that the following criteria are satisfied: 1) The site is within reasonable distance of a school, shop and other local services. 2) Sites should respect the scale of the nearest settled community and should avoid placing undue pressure on the local infrastructure. 3) The site would not have a significant adverse effect on the amenities of existing local residents or adjoining land uses. 4) The site is already, or is capable of being, successfully assimilated into both its immediate environs and the wider landscape.

Ark Housing Consultancy 31 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

5) The use of the site would not prejudice highway safety or give rise to problems of parking and highway access. 6) The site would have adequate connections to services including drinking water supply, electricity and waste water treatment. 7) The site would not be at high risk of flooding or rapid inundation. Where planning permission is granted careful consideration will be given to the landscaping and boundary treatment of the site, to the treatment of hard surfaced areas and to lighting proposals. The development of any ancillary structures or buildings including stables will be strictly controlled.

6.3.6 The South East Lincolnshire Local Plan

6.3.1 The principal document of the emerging South East Lincolnshire Local Plan is the Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document. This will contain the spatial vision and strategic aims for the area; a spatial strategy; ‘core’ policies and strategic sites for delivering the vision and aims; and a monitoring and implementation framework with clear objectives for achieving delivery. It will also contain a limited number of generic development control policies for use in determination of planning applications. A proposals map will also be adopted, and updated on each occasion a new or revised Development Plan Document is adopted, to show the geographic effect of the policies. The Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document is targeted at March 2014 for the Examination in Public and for adoption in July 2014.

6 .3.2 All subsequent DPD and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) must be consistent with the Strategy and Policies Development Plan Document. The Site Allocations DPD will identify sites allocated for specific uses to deliver the spatial strategy. It is targeted for Examination in Public in June 2015 and adoption in December 2015. Identification of broad locations for Traveller sites as part of this study will inform development of the Site Allocations DPD.

6.4 Findings of the Lincolnshire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment 2007

6.4.1 For the Boston Borough the GTAA 2007 identified 26 existing authorised pitches for Travellers and 6-9 pitches in South Holland. In terms of demand to 2012 it estimated a need for 6 new pitches within Boston Borough and 25 for South Holland District. The GTAA report also stated that further work would be required at a local level to confirm these figures.

6.4.2 It should be noted that the figures for South Holland used in the Lincolnshire study were drawn from the South Holland GTAA 2006. They were broken down to suggest that at least 15 additional pitches on small private sites were required together with a public transit site of around 10 pitches.

6.4.3 A review of GTAAs in the East Midlands was part funded by the East Midlands Regional Assembly and was undertaken in 2008. It concluded that:

“The Lincolnshire GTAA has notable elements of good practice which could be replicated in other assessments. The approaches to overcrowding and the work to obtain a sample of people living in bricks and mortar accommodation have enhanced the research.

Ark Housing Consultancy 32 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

However, there are also significant gaps in the surveying, notably around the absence of interviews with those on unauthorised developments and the small sample of those on unauthorised encampments. Whilst the assessment attempts to quantify the accommodation needs of these groups, the omission of them from the survey process means that information relating to overcrowding, household formation, specific moving intentions and characteristics and the wider social needs of those on unauthorised developments are not explored. The nature of these omissions is such that need is underestimated”.

6.4.4 The Review also commented upon the South Holland GTAA 2006 as follows:

It is important to note that the South Holland assessment predates the ODPM Draft GTAA Guidance issued in February 2006; research for the South Holland GTAA was conducted in 2005 and it was one of the earliest GTAAs. Consequently it did not benefit from the advice and recommendations provided by the guidance. This is evident in the absence of a thorough approach which makes allowance not only for current pitch requirements but also for future requirements created by overcrowding, household movement and family formation rates. Calculation of need is unlikely to be accurate due to these methodological deficiencies.

6.4.5 It is clear from the findings of the GTAAs Review that there is a likelihood of the earlier reports underestimating the total need for additional pitches for the travelling community.

6.5 Housing Strategy

6.5.1 Local housing authorities are required to produce Housing Strategies to direct the implementation of housing policies for their areas. A joint Lincolnshire Housing Strategy 2009-2014 was produced to which both Boston and South Holland contributed. The document contains a number of objectives and that of relevance to Travellers is headed ‘to develop approaches and frameworks to enable sustainable communities’. The key objective listed for Travellers states ‘identify requirements of Gypsy and Traveller communities’. The associated action plan requires an update of the County GTAA.

6.5.2 Boston Borough Council has reviewed its own Housing Strategy and adopted the Boston Borough Housing Strategy 2012-17 on 24th September 2012. It identifies four strategic priorities as:

1. Providing more homes. 2. Improving existing homes. 3. Living safely in your home. 4. Facilitating access to homes.

6.5.3 The document states: We are committed to meeting the housing and support needs of our Gypsy, Traveller and Showpeople community and have commissioned a Gypsy, Traveller and Showpeople’s accommodation needs assessment to inform our Development Plan Policies. We will continue to work closely with the County Council’s Gypsy and Traveller liaison team to meet the ongoing needs of this community.

Ark Housing Consultancy 33 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6.5.4 Under the first priority ‘Providing More Homes’ the document states:

Strategic Priority – Providing More Homes Issue – lack of affordable housing to help meet identified housing need Driver / Evidence Base The Governments Housing Strategy – “Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England”, Boston Homechoice Housing Register, Draft Coastal Lincolnshire Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) 2012, Draft Coastal Lincolnshire Economic Viability Assessment (EVA) 2012, Boston Borough Housing Demand Survey 2011 Action Lead/s Key Partners Resources Timescales / Outcome Monitoring 1.6 Reassess the Planning Policy. Gypsy and traveller Officer time. Final report That our accommodation Principal Housing communities. £20,000 to due autumn development needs of Gypsies Strategy Officer. Consultants. employ 2012 plans are and Travellers to Lincolnshire County consultants to based on identify any Council Gypsies and undertake a robust additional housing Travellers Liaison formal information requirements as Officer. assessment and take prescribed within from the South account of Section 8 of the East the housing Housing Act, 1985 Lincolnshire needs of as amended. Local Plan Joint Gypsies and Budget Travellers. arrangements.

6.5.5 The ‘South Holland District Council Housing Strategy 2006-2011’ makes specific reference to Travellers and states: Travellers The Council has adopted a policy on unauthorised encampments. In an agreed procedure with Lincolnshire County Council, travellers are not moved on without due consideration of their welfare and the availability of alternative sites/accommodation. The Council retains the right to evict travellers when they cause a nuisance or when they have an adverse impact on businesses or residential areas. There are two unauthorised sites in South Holland where travellers have settled and one private authorised site. The recent draft circular on Planning for Gypsy and Traveller sites indicates that this issue is to be addressed in a wider context at the regional level. The Council commissioned a needs assessment in 2005 from the consultants Opinion Research Services to provide a sound basis to determine need and demand. The assessment involved meeting families individually where they currently live. The results of the study will help to determine if sites need to be allocated through the Local Plan process. Our initial consultation with travellers in the District, including our new Travellers’ Forum, has shown that many would prefer to run their own sites. This input led to us broadening the survey approach to ensure that a wide range of possibilities were discussed with travellers.

6.5.6 It is clear that in terms of housing strategies there is a common intention to identify and address the accommodation needs of the travelling community.

6.6 Caravan Counts

6.6.1 For many years the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans present in each local authority area have been counted in both January and July. The results are submitted to the Department for Communities and Local Government who collate the figures. Travelling Showpeople are not included in the counts, although experimental counts commenced in January 2012. These counts are indicative of trends over time but are known to be unreliable in many instances. For example, some local authorities did not undertake an exhaustive search for caravans on the day of the counts and historic small sites with planning permission were often overlooked. The last nine returns for Lincolnshire, Boston and South Holland are set out overleaf.

Ark Housing Consultancy 34 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Table of CLG Caravan Counts – Last Nine Counts (Source: CLG Website)

Authorised sites (with planning permission)

Unauthorised sites (without planning permission) All Sites Private Caravans

No. of Caravans Temporary Permanent All Socially Planning Planning Private No. of Caravans on Sites on No. of Caravans on Sites on Total All Rented Permission Permission Caravans Gypsies own land land not owned by Gypsies Caravans "Not "Not Area Count "Tolerated" tolerated" "Tolerated" tolerated" Lincolnshire Jan 2012 114 9 160 169 18 46 4 1 352

Jul 2011 92 4 166 170 13 54 3 4 336

Jan 2011 99 3 149 152 13 36 2 6 308

Jul 2010 97 40 47 87 53 56 0 5 298

Jan 2010 86 34 30 64 7 97 0 3 257

Jul 2009 82 .. .. 92 6 117 7 4 308 Jan 2009 97 .. .. 87 1 105 1 3 294

Jul 2008 99 .. .. 86 38 81 0 3 307 Jan 2008 118 .. .. 78 40 67 35 42 380

Boston Jan 2012 48 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 48 Jul 2011 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 35

Jan 2011 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 36

Jul 2010 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31

Jan 2010 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31

Jul 2009 31 .. .. 0 0 0 0 0 31

Jan 2009 31 .. .. 0 0 0 0 0 31 Jul 2008 31 .. .. 0 0 0 0 0 31

Jan 2008 39 .. .. 0 0 0 0 0 39 Ark Housing Consultancy 35 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Authorised sites (with planning permission) Unauthorised sites (without planning permission) All Sites

Private Caravans

No. of Caravans Temporary Permanent All Socially Planning Planning Private No. of Caravans on Sites on No. of Caravans on Sites on Total All Rented Permission Permission Caravans Gypsies own land land not owned by Gypsies Caravans "Not "Not Area Count "Tolerated" tolerated" "Tolerated" tolerated" South Holland Jan 2012 0 2 42 44 0 40 0 1 85

Jul 2011 0 0 40 40 0 29 0 4 73 Jan 2011 0 0 31 31 0 36 0 4 71 Jul 2010 0 0 23 23 0 30 0 1 54

Jan 2010 0 0 0 0 0 38 0 1 39 Jul 2009 0 .. .. 22 0 38 0 2 62 Jan 2009 0 .. .. 22 0 38 0 1 61

Jul 2008 0 .. .. 22 6 40 0 1 69 Jan 2008 0 .. .. 25 10 37 35 37 144

Ark Housing Consultancy 36 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6.6.3 It should be noted that detailed analysis of caravan count trends will be misleading due to recent changes in authorising sites. In South Holland the unauthorised sites that are ‘not tolerated’ in the counts above include those at Cranmore Lane, Holbeach; Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough; Drain Bank, , and Travellers Lodge, Beck Bank, Gosberton Clough. Of these the Cranmore Lane site is no longer occupied as the local authority secured a land swap arrangement and the Travellers moved to the authorised site opposite Northons Lane in early 2012. Detailed examination of planning records also now reveals the Drain Bank site to have a lapsed personal planning permission but the site appears to be tolerated. It has therefore been included in the unauthorised category. The occupiers of Travellers Lodge, Beck Bank were granted a temporary planning permission for five years in November 2011. Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough remains unauthorised on land owned by Travellers.

6.6.4 The one unauthorised ‘not tolerated’ site on private land is an individual described as a ‘hippie’ living in a camper van located on land in the vicinity of Pinchbeck Road/Enterprise Way, Spalding.

6.7 Policy For Dealing With Unauthorised Traveller Encampments

6.7.1 A joint policy for dealing with unauthorised traveller encampments was drawn up and adopted by and five district councils, including South Holland. Unfortunately Boston and Lincoln declined to participate and so the countywide protocol has not been fully implemented.

6.7.2 The document would have provided a useful approach to assessing the circumstances of travellers and the impact of the encampment on the settled community. A proper assessment will be expected to be evidenced in any legal proceedings to secure possession of any site in question and should be pursued as a matter of good practice.

Ark Housing Consultancy 37 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

7. Location of Sites

7.1 Sites Indentified in the Lincolnshire GTAA 2007 and South Holland GTAA 2006

7.1.1 The 2007 Lincolnshire GTAA does not give total figures for the actual number of sites or encampments within the area of study. Instead it refers to the number and location of responders to the survey conducted at that time.

7.1.2 The caravan count figures quoted in the Lincolnshire GTAA Report indicate Travellers’ caravan numbers on unauthorised and not tolerated sites across South East Lincolnshire as being between 1 and 47 from July 2004 to July 2006. All of these sites and encampments were in the South Holland District. The counts determined that there were no local authority or socially rented Traveller sites in South Holland but between 14 and 17 caravans were located on authorised private sites. The only local authority site identified was located in Boston, where there were 24 pitches accommodating between 34 and 47 caravans. Boston Borough had no private authorised sites or unauthorised sites.

7.1.3 One site occupied by Travelling Showpeople was surveyed at The Moorings Yard, Long Sutton, for the earlier GTAA. The review of current sites indicates that the following sites for Showpeople are thought to have the benefit of planning consent, although confirmatory records cannot be located:

Westhorpe Road, Gosberton, PE11 4EN – Winter quarters only. The Moorings Yard, Dockings Holt, Long Sutton.

Show and Circus People are not recorded in the CLG caravan counts, although experimental counts were carried out in 2012. This indicated 6 Showpeople’s caravans located on the above two sites in South Holland in January 2012 and none in Boston.

7.1.4 The Lincolnshire GTAA interviewed 6 respondents on the transit site at Clay Lake, Cowbit; 15 at the Redstone local authority site, Boston, and 4 Showpeople at The Moorings Yard, Long Sutton. None were conducted with Travellers in bricks and mortar or at unauthorised encampments. There appears to be no attempt to locate all sites within the South East Lincolnshire area.

7.1.5 The earlier South Holland GTAA conducted 34 interviews as follows:

Clay Lake Transit Site 8 Cranmore Lane, Holbeach 5 Five Acres, Broad Drove, Gosberton Clough 5 Drain Bank, Cowbit, Spalding 4 Penny Hill, Holbeach 8 Baulkins Drove, 2 Gedney roundabout 2

Of these sites, that at Cranmore Lane has now been closed and the occupiers transferred to the authorised site opposite Northons Lane, Holbeach. The Gedney roundabout was an unauthorised encampment that is no longer present. No evidence of a site or encampment at Penny Hill was found.

Ark Housing Consultancy 38 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

7.2 Current status of known sites and encampments

7.2.1 The tables set out in Appendix 1 show details of sites that were identified from the review of planning applications and consultation with stakeholders. The tables are organised into categories:

Authorised sites with planning consent and sites subject to current applications for planning consent likely to be approved. Unauthorised sites. Recent history of unauthorised encampments.

7.2.2 The map below shows known sites within South East Lincolnshire boundaries in 2012.

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Ark Housing Consultancy 39 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

7.2.3 A summary of current known sites is shown below.

Authorised Sites

Location Caravans & Pitches Notes

Redstone Traveller Site, (24 pitches) Site owned by Lincolnshire CC Redstone Road, Boston but managed by Boston BC. Pitches rented to occupiers. Land opposite Northons Lane, 10 pitches & up to 30 caravans Pitches now privately owned Holbeach off A151 after land swap and development by South Holland DC. Stable Farm, Short Drove, 1 static caravan and 1 touring Private, family owned. Gosberton Clough, PE11 4JT caravan (1 pitch) Travellers Lodge, Beck Bank, 3 mobile homes and 3 touring Private, family owned. Formerly Gosberton Clough, Spalding, caravans known as Cockrams Yard. Lincs. PE11 4LE (3 pitches) Southview, South Drove, 1 static caravan and 2 touring Private, family owned. Spalding Common, PE11 3ED caravans (1 pitch) Childers South Drove, (Pecks 4 mobile homes and 5 touring Private, family owned. Drove East) Spalding caravans (4 pitches) Childers South Drove, (Pecks 1 mobile home and 1 touring Private, family owned. Drove East) Spalding caravan (2 pitches) Land off A16 north of Childers 1 static caravan and 1 touring Private, family owned. South Drove, (Pecks Drove caravan East), Spalding (2 pitches) The Stables, Baulkins Drove, 1 mobile home and 1 touring Private, family owned. Sutton St James, PE12 0JU caravan (1 pitch) Westhorpe Road, Gosberton, 3 caravans (Caravan count Private, family owned. PE11 4EN January 2012, assume 3 pitches) The Moorings Yard, Dockings 3 caravans (Caravan count Private, family owned. Holt, Long Sutton January 2012, assume 3 pitches) Clay Lake, Cowbit, Spalding, Can accommodated approx. 30 Privately owned transit site with Lincs. (Formerly known as The caravans on 15 pitches. rented pitches. Owner exercises Hawthornes) PE12 6BL control over who may stay. Adjacent to the Romany Museum. Land off Centenary Way, Sutton Not yet developed Stopping place Bridge,

Ark Housing Consultancy 40 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Unauthorised Sites

Location Caravans & Pitches Notes

Five Acre Park, Gosberton 1 mobile home, 4 static Local evidence indicates 3 Clough caravans and 10 touring pitches have never been caravans (10 pitches). Only 7 permanently occupied and have pitches believed to be been used only on a temporary permanently occupied. basis for visitors.

Land off Drain Bank/A16, 2 static caravans and 2 touring Private, family owned. Appears Spalding caravans to be tolerated as temporary (2 pitches) planning permission lapsed.

Land in the vicinity of Pinchbeck 1 camper van Believed to be single male Road/Enterprise Way, Spalding. ‘hippie’ occupier probably best treated as a vulnerable homeless person.

7.2.4 Included as authorised sites are those at Pecks Drove East that at one time had a temporary planning permission that has elapsed. However, due to the length of occupation the local planning authority now regard the occupation as established.

7.2.5 The Redstone site in Boston is owned by Lincolnshire County Council but managed by Boston Borough Council. It is the only local authority rented site in South East Lincolnshire and is primarily occupied by English Romany Gypsies. Rent of £39.50 per week is charged. The occupiers of the site are well settled and any vacancies are often taken up by households that have formed on the site in an extended family setting. The officer at Boston Borough Council with responsibility for site management has advised that one household who currently resides on a pitch with other family members has been on the waiting list for a pitch of their own since April 2012, but has refused an offer. One household from Mildenhall has just been allocated a vacant pitch. However, when a pitch is about to be vacated, word of mouth amongst the travelling community tends to generate requests to be accommodated despite the fact that the households concerned are not on a waiting list. Recent enquiries have been from Travellers on sites in and Mildenhall. Vacancies tend to be filled immediately. In the last three and a half years only 3 vacancies have arisen to be taken by new tenants.

7.2.6 Unauthorised encampments are those of short duration on the roadside or temporary incursions on local authority or private land. There have not been many unauthorised encampments in the last two years. Those that have arisen have been during the Summer months and of relatively short duration of a few days up to three weeks. The exception was the encampment at Tydd Bank that remained for up to 9- 10 weeks. Locations occupied are:

Queens Bank/Martins Road, Cowbit Land near Cowbit Development land, Wash Road, Kirton Tydd Bank, Sutton Bridge Stockwell Gate, (twice) Land to rear of The Star, Whaplode Land near Plover Close, Boston Lincoln Lane Car Park, Boston Ark Housing Consultancy 41 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

7.2.7 Historic caravan count figures also indicate a low incidence of unauthorised encampments with the exception of an incursion of Irish Traveller caravans back in January 2008.

7.2.8 Land off Blazegate, Gedney, is believed to be owned by three Irish Travellers. Their intention is to develop a new site for three pitches although no planning application has yet been made and the land is not currently occupied.

Ark Housing Consultancy 42 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8. Analysis Of Survey Data

8.1 Sample Size

8.1.1 The target for completed survey questionnaires was 40 households and 39 interviews were achieved during the period from April until mid-August 2012. Extensive efforts were made on the part of the survey team to build trust, and understanding of the reasons for conducting the study and Travellers did engage reasonably well with the process. Visits were made jointly with members of the Gainsborough Traveller Initiative and the County Council’s Traveller Liaison Officer. Relationships developed with particular Travellers and land owners were also used to try and derive further information.

8.1.2 The numbers of households interviewed on the various types of site are:

Local Authority Private Private Unauthorised Bricks & Authorised Authorised Authorised Sites Mortar Rented Sites Rented Sites Owner (Transit) Occupied Sites 11 9 10 6 3

However, more than one household was in occupation of some pitches and data was obtained from respondents for 56 households in total.

8.1.3 No New Travellers or Show/Circus People were located for interview during the survey. However, there is known to be a long standing site for Winter quarters for Circus People in Gosberton. It is located to the rear of a pair of semi-detached houses that probably offer the Winter accommodation. A site for Showpeople is known at Long Sutton. It is probable that these two sites are in use during the Winter months but no interviews were secured during the study period. One person who might be described as a ‘hippie type’ is believed to occupy a camper van on land in the vicinity of Pinchbeck Road/Enterprise Way, Spalding, but no interview could be secured. He could be regarded as a New Traveller, but may be better dealt with as a vulnerable homeless person.

8.1.4 In the following sections of the report the percentage figures in the tables may not total to 100% due to the effects of rounding. Percentages represent that for the number of respondents answering the question.

8.2 Baseline Number of Sites and Pitches

8.2.1 A baseline for the type of site, and number of pitches, has been established from a review of planning application decisions, notifications received and observations made during the survey as shown in the table below. The pitch numbers shown are a reflection of the manner of actual household occupation of the sites rather than counts of caravans.

8.2.2 It should be noted that there are now only three unauthorised sites at Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough; Drain Bank/A16 junction, Spalding; and, land in the vicinity of Pinchbeck Road/Enterprise Way, Spalding. Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough, comprises 10 pitches but only 7 are permanently occupied. However, all 10 pitches are separately owned by Travellers and will need to be replaced as part of the land swap arrangement currently being explored. The Drain Bank site had the benefit of a temporary personal planning consent that has now lapsed, but the site appears to be tolerated at present. The Pinchbeck Road/Enterprise Way location has been

Ark Housing Consultancy 43 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

excluded as the occupier of a camper van should be regarded as a homeless vulnerable person.

Local Authority Private Private Private Unauthorised Authorised Authorised Authorised Authorised Sites & Rented Sites Rented Sites Owner Occupied Showpeople Encampments (Transit) Sites Sites Total number 24 15 24 6 (assumed from 12 of pitches January 2012 caravan count) Vacant pitches 0 Variable 0 0 3 Site capable of Only by using Not within the The majority are Sites were Not within the extension the amenity present small family vacant as they present space in the boundary. sites and could are only used as boundary at Five centre of the site only be winter quarters. Acre Park, – not extended for Gosberton recommended. occupation by Clough. the families in occupation. Potential for Holbeach is not more pitches at extendable Drain Bank. within the present boundary but additional land could be acquired.

8.2.3 Historically the incidence of unauthorised encampments is low and reasonably stable. One major incursion arose on land not owned by Travellers where 38 caravans were recorded in South Holland during the January 2008 count. The caravan counts since July 2008 indicate the presence of between 1 and 4 caravans in the South Holland District and none in Boston Borough. A more detailed analysis from records maintained by the Traveller Liaison Officer of encampments in 2011 and up to the end of August 2012 shows that there were 6 unauthorised encampments in South Holland in 2011, with the maximum number of caravans at any one time being 5 and the maximum stay being 9-10 weeks. There were no such encampments in South Holland in 2012. In Boston there was one encampment of 9 caravans in July 2011 and another of 2 caravans in August 2011. An encampment of 4 caravans arose in August 2012 that briefly occupied a car park in Boston. No data was able to be gained from this encampment and in all cases in Boston Borough the encampments lasted less than a week.

8.3 Ethnicity

8.3.1 The ethnicity of the respondents by tenure is shown in the following table.

Private Private LA Authorised Authorised Unauthorised Unauthorised Bricks & Ethnicity Authorised Rented Sites Owner Occupied Sites Encampment Mortar Rented Sites (Transit) Sites English Romany 10 6 6 5 3 Gypsy

English Traveller 2 2 1

Irish Traveller 1 1

Welsh Gypsy or

Traveller Scottish Gypsy 1 1 or Traveller

Ark Housing Consultancy 44 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.3.2 English Romany Gypsies comprised 77% of all respondents; English Travellers 13%; Scottish Travellers 5% and Irish Travellers 5%.

8.4 Age Structure and Composition of Households

8.4.1 Two respondents refused to answer this question. A separate survey of all 24 pitches was made for the Redstone site by the Site Manager and these figures are included below.

Local Private Private Authority Authorised Authorised Unauthorised Unauthorised Bricks & Authorised Owner Rented Sites Sites Encampment Mortar Rented Sites Occupied (Transit) Sites No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % No. % Adult 2 10 15 25 16 44 2 15 age not given Child 1 5 12 20 age not given 0-5 4 10 5 24 2 3 4 11 2 15 6-10 4 10 3 14 4 7 1 3 2 15 11-15 1 2 1 5 4 7 2 6 5 38 16-24 3 8 2 10 7 11 6 17 1 8 25-44 8 20 3 14 9 15 4 11 1 8 45-59 7 18 5 8 3 8 60-74 8 20 3 14 3 5 75+ 4 10 1 5 39 21 61 36 0 13

8.4.2 Two respondents refused to answer this question. One respondent on an unauthorised site has one further family household staying during the Winter months and these have been included in the data below. Some responses covered multiple households on the same pitch.

No. in Household No. % 1 11 21 2 19 33 3 11 19 4 4 7 5 7 12 6-9 4 7 10+ Total 56

8.5 Concealed and Newly Forming Households Requiring Accommodation

8.5.1 When grossed up for the total number of pitches the survey data and partial age analysis indicates that up to 29 households may require accommodating on residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers within the first 5 years. Of these 11 could be considered as concealed households and 18 as newly forming, one of which resides in bricks and mortar accommodation.

8.5.2 Of the 18 newly forming households that could require accommodation a proportion could be expected to form a new household by marriage or co-habitation within the Gypsy and Traveller community elsewhere in Lincolnshire or surrounding counties. There is also likely to be a degree of ‘over-claiming’ of need. In the absence of definitive data it is suggested that a correction factor of a 20% reduction be applied to Ark Housing Consultancy 45 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

the pitch requirement to account for these variables. This adjustment figure is commonly used in GTAA calculations and produces a pitch requirement from newly forming households of 14. By way of cross-checking the CLG has suggested a figure for household formation of 3% per annum compound. Calculated against an estimated total of 76 Gypsy and Traveller households permanently based in the area over 5 years this produces a figure of 13 new households forming. The estimate would therefore appear to be robust.

8.5.3 Taken together the number of concealed and newly forming households requiring accommodation within South East Lincolnshire in the next five years is therefore 25 (11 concealed + 14 newly forming).

8.5.4 One respondent may wish to move from bricks and mortar to a site; one would be prepared to occupy a site with planning permission and privately owned by a Traveller in South Holland District. The great majority of respondents would prefer a site in a rural location by Travellers from their family.

8.6 Length of Occupation and Reasons for Staying

8.6.1 The length of time each of the respondents who identified their present site as their main accommodation had occupied the site was determined as set out below.

Local Private Private Length of Stay Authority Authorised Authorised Unauthorised Bricks & Authorised Owner Rented Sites Sites Mortar Rented Sites Occupied (Transit) Sites

A day or two Less than one week Less than 1 month Less than 3 1 months Less than 6 1 1 months 6 months to 1 1 year 1 year to 5 1 3 1 years 5 years to 10 2 3 4 years Over 10 years 8 1 3 2

It is clear that respondents occupying authorised permanent pitches are settled and have been in occupation for a number of years. The majority of occupants of the unauthorised site at Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough, who state this as their home site have been on site for over 5 years. Similarly, the site at Drain Bank/A16, Spalding, has been occupied since April 2004.

8.6.2 The reasons why respondents chose to occupy their present site were examined. A number of respondents gave multiple answers to this question. 82% of all respondents described their current site as their main accommodation or home. The following table shows the reasons respondents gave for being settled on their current site and 29% advised that they had always lived there. 74% of respondents had a

Ark Housing Consultancy 46 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

family connection to the area and whilst most related this answer to the immediate locality two respondents mentioned connections to Peterborough and one to

Grantham. 29% were staying for work purposes. ‘Other’ reasons given for settling at the site included “nowhere else to go”, “space became available”, “forced off area by Irish so had to move”, “lived nearby before” and “privacy”. The main reasons for settling are based around it being the traditional home, family connections, for work purposes and the general quality of life and area.

Reason No % of responses

Always lived here 9 29%

Family connection to area 23 74%

It is on/near traditional travelling routes 0 0%

Work in area 9 29%

Schools / education 2 6%

Health facilities 1 3%

Closer to other facilities / services 2 6%

Quality of area 7 23%

Quality of life 10 32%

Other 9 29%

No response 8

8.6.3 Six respondents from the Clay Lake transit site were only in the area for a holiday or to visit friends and family. Of these one travels permanently and the others have home base accommodation in Blackpool, Derbyshire, Durham and Lincolnshire. One was also seeking work in the area. One respondent on the authorised Holbeach site was visiting family and lives in bricks and mortar in Carlisle.

8.6.4 When asked if they were intending to move from the present site the responses are shown below.

Ark Housing Consultancy 47 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Local Private Private Intention To Move Authority Authorised Authorised Unauthorised Bricks & Authorised Rented Sites Owner Sites Mortar Rented Sites (Transit) Occupied Sites No 8 2 6 1 3

Don't know 2 1

Only when forced 1 4 to move on Yes within a 5 1 month Yes within 3 months Yes within 6 months Yes within a year 1

Yes within 3 years

Yes within 5 years

Wish to move but 1 1 cannot No response 1 1

The reason given for not being able to move is that there are no permanent pitches available elsewhere. Those in bricks and mortar accommodation have lived in their home for a number of years, are mostly settled and have no intention of moving.

8.6.5 Of those intending to leave their current site the reason given at Clay Lake was that the families always travelled at this time of year. 78% of respondents from the Clay Lake transit site intend to travel in the near future. Two respondents were concerned that their site (Clay Lake and Five Acre Park) was not permanent in nature and one simply didn’t like their site (Redstone) due to location and quality of the site.

8.6.6 Two respondents on the Five Acre Park site expressed a wish to move to a site provided from a land swap to be organised by South Holland District Council.

8.6.7 One respondent desired a move to either a site in Peterborough or a house in either South Holland or Peterborough in order to establish a permanent home. They claim they are on waiting lists both for the Peterborough site and housing in the two areas.

8.6.8 One household currently accommodated on a permanent authorised family site stated that they would like to move to bricks and mortar accommodation or a mobile home at some unspecified time in the future. However, they wanted housing for travellers on family owned land with provision for storing a caravan to go travelling from time to time. One household on the unauthorised Five Acre Park site would like to move to bricks and mortar housing in the future and would welcome assistance with a tenancy or mortgage and in managing finance, including benefits. They are not on a housing waiting list.

8.5.9 For those that wished to move, but cannot, the reasons given included an inability to afford to purchase a site and to meet moving costs. One respondent mentioned family reasons. The most common response was the lack of alternative pitches available on sites. One respondent could not move for health reasons.

Ark Housing Consultancy 48 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.7 Overcrowding

8.7.1 Three respondents felt that they were overcrowded. Of these one was accommodated in a three bedroomed local authority house. The household comprises a mother and 7 children, one of whom also lives elsewhere with his father. The family do not intend to move to a site and this issue is therefore one to be resolved by the appropriate housing service.

8.7.2 The second respondent resides at the Clay Lake transit site and the objection here is to having to use shared amenities. There is no evidence to support a claim of overcrowding of the pitch or caravan. The third respondent (Redstone Site) cites the amenity building being too small for a person with disabilities but again the accommodation appears adequate in terms of size.

8.7.3 No overcrowding is therefore relevant to the calculation of need for pitches.

8.8 Adequacy of Current Site

8.8.1 74% of respondents considered their current site to be adequate for their needs. Of the 26% who do not consider their site adequate they were evenly distributed across the Redstone (local authority), Clay Lake (private transit) and Five Acre Park (private unauthorised) sites.

8.8.2 Concerns relating to Redstone included it being too small with poor layout and size of pitches, need for more storage space for personal and business use, in need of repair, inadequate toilet and washing facilities.

8.8.3 In the case of Clay Lake the concern was the temporary nature of the site and inadequate access to facilities.

8.8.4 With Five Acre Park the issues were that it was too big, lacked amenities, lacked lighting, gave rise to lack of security and neighbour problems, was poorly laid out, remote from facilities such as shops and poorly managed.

8.9 Satisfaction With Current Site

8.9.1 One respondent gave no answer and one was neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with their site. 89% of respondents stated they were satisfied or very satisfied with their sites. Of those that expressed that they were fairly dissatisfied, one from the Redstone site mentioned lack of parking and hazard from lorries turning together with the ‘poor quality of the site’.

8.9.2 The second respondent from the unauthorised site at Gosberton Clough cites lack of basic amenities, poor drainage and lighting, harassment and vandalism as reasons for concern. A lack of privacy and no control over who enters the site are mentioned, together with a location remote from a hospital where treatment visits have to be made.

8.9.3 The ‘very dissatisfied’ respondent is on the Redstone site and has concerns at the poor amenities and facilities for an elderly relative who has suffered a serious health problem. The level of noise and location in an industrial area are also regarded as bad.

Ark Housing Consultancy 49 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.10 Travel Patterns

8.10.1 The survey has shown that Travellers on authorised sites are settled and travel only to access work opportunities, to visit family and friends or to go to fairs and for holidays. There are no set travel patterns for Gypsies and Travellers, although it is likely that Showpeople households have an established itinerary of visits to fairground locations and return to their home quarters during the Winter. 78% of respondents have travelled in the last 12 months.

8.10.2 Frequency of travel is set out below.

Travel frequency

Number who have travelled only once in last 12 months 22%

Twice in last 12 months 35%

Three times in last 12 months 17%

Four times in last 12 months 4%

Number who have travelled >5 times in last 12 months 22%

8.10.3 The majority of respondents (56%) travel on a seasonal basis, mainly in the Summer, with many mentioning visits to Appleby and Stow Horse Fairs. One reported regular visits to and from Kings Lynn. Travel is usually undertaken by the household alone or in small family groups of up to 5 households. 70% of respondents do not have a set pattern of travel. The majority travel in the Summer months for holidays, to visit events such as Horse Fairs and as a way of life. At other times of year holidays and way of life are the main reasons given. Travel for work purposes increases during the remainder of the year.

8.10.4 A wide variety of national locations and places within Lincolnshire were given when respondents were asked where they travel to. The Traveller Liaison Officer suggests that Traveller’s links and movements in the south of the County are generally to Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Wisbeach and Mildenhall.

8.10.5 15% of respondents had moved in the last 12 months due to eviction or enforcement action relating to unauthorised locations.

8.10.6 Other than the Irish Travellers identified during the survey no evidence was found of Travellers from other EU States.

8.11 Migration and Cross-Border Movement

8.11.1 This issue is not easily addressed as many published GTAA reports do not provide detailed analysis of movement patterns. In consequence it may be that some Travellers have been counted in more than one GTAA. The findings of GTAAs for areas close to South East Lincolnshire are briefly set out in Appendix 3.

8.11.2 The GTAAs concluded that travelling was largely for work purposes or for holidays, visiting family and friends or attending fairs and other events. Travel tended to take place in the Summer months, although recent work in District shows travel to the East Coast resort areas at Easter as well as in the Summer. Travelling Showpeople also resort to the and areas during the summer season to work the resort fairgrounds. Another reason given for travelling was

Ark Housing Consultancy 50 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

moving as a result of eviction from an unauthorised encampment. There seems to be no set pattern to travelling and some Travellers do so on a continual basis.

8.11.3 There was little evidence of recent migration to South East Lincolnshire revealed during the survey. One respondent on the unauthorised Five Acre Park site had moved less than six months ago from Ringstead. One respondent on the Redstone site moved three months ago from the West Midlands to join her partner already accommodated on the site and one new letting has been made to a household from Mildenhall. Apart from these cases all other inward migrations had occurred more than five years ago. One household moved from Essex and five households came in from Cambridgeshire or Norfolk. One stated they came from “all over”. No respondents indicated they would move permanently away from a residential site in a definite timescale. One respondent from a transit site indicated a desire to move to a house in South Holland or a house or site in Peterborough for which they were on a waiting list. It appears that any vacancy arising on the Redstone rented site might attract households to move from Cambridgeshire, Norfolk or the Grantham area, due to family connections.

8.12 Crime and Harassment

8.12.1 The following table indicates the incidence of crime or harassment against respondents.

Crime/Harassment Experienced % of in Last 12 Months at this Site Respondents Loss of your property from this site 7% Deliberate vandalism/damage to 11% your property on this site Harassment/intimidation in around 18% this site

8.12.2 Other criminal acts reported included the burning down of a mains services block at the unauthorised Five Acre Park site about 5 years ago by local people protesting about the site. One report of racism was made and two reports of problems associated with schools. The first involved conflict with local parents, and the other, school bullying and violence outside the property where the family are housed that necessitated calling the police.

8.12.3 15% of respondents have left a site due to harassment by local people or other Travellers.

8.13 Education

8.13.1 Some appropriately aged children attend school or receive education services via the Gainsborough Traveller Initiative but the numbers are difficult to quantify. Travel distances to school vary from 0.5 miles to 5 miles, which reflects the rural location of some sites. Five responses indicated that the current accommodation or site affects their child’s schooling, with one citing travelling, and four being afraid to send children to school due to local hostility. Five responders reported that their children receive educational help

Ark Housing Consultancy 51 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.14 Health

8.14.1 Nineteen households answered the question regarding registration with a doctor. 89% of respondents were registered with a doctor and had to travel between 1 and 4 miles to visit the surgery.

8.14.2 Eleven households answered the question regarding registration with a dentist. 82% of respondents were registered with a dentist and had to travel between 1 and 4 miles to visit the practise.

8.14.3 Five respondents gave information in relation to disability or limiting long term illness. On the Redstone site one respondent has a member of the family aged 25-44 who is registered as disabled and suffers from walking difficulty, visual and hearing impairment. Movement is limited and adaptations to the home are needed to improve access, and, washing and sanitary facilities. A hoist would be beneficial to access a bath or bed. Care and support is provided by the family and Social Services, and, regular visits are made to a doctor or hospital.

8.14.4 Also on the Redstone site a household member aged 45-59 is recovering from a broken back and suffers from arthritis. Movement around the home is not restricted and no adaptations are required but they are unable to work.

8.14.5 One household on an owner occupied authorised site has a person aged 60-74 who suffers from an unspecified long term illness where another member of the household acts as a carer. There is no limitation on movement.

8.14.6 Two households on the unauthorised Five Acre Park site report health issues. One has a family member who has suffered an accident and needs to attend hospital for skin grafts. In the other household a person aged 45-59 suffers from an unspecified long term illness that does not limit movement in the home.

8.15 Work

8.15.1 Fourteen households refused to answer a question about work. 20% of respondents are self employed; 16% are employed; 4% are unemployed; 12% are retired; 8% are disabled and cannot work, and, 40% keep the home.

8.15.2 Of 28 respondents, 32% live at their site for reasons of permanent work; 18% for seasonal work and 50% live there for reasons other than work.

8.15.3 The nature of work undertaken includes: Landscaping, tree surgery and gardening. Domestic and school cleaning. Car repairs and car parts. Scrap metal dealing. Groundwork. Fruit picking. Agricultural worker. Cladding, guttering and drainage work. Interior design. Keeping the home. Managing the Romany Museum.

Ark Housing Consultancy 52 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.15.4 Only one respondent reported difficulty in travelling to work. Of sixteen respondents, 69% have no difficulty in finding work. Of the 31% that reported difficulty, 2 respondents cited prejudice against travellers, 1 was disabled and 1 mentioned the effect of the recession. Of 22 respondents, 91% had not had to move site due to difficulty getting work. Of 20 respondents, 35% sometimes travel outside of Lincolnshire to access work and a significant majority work in .

8.16 Views on Future Accommodation Requirements

8.16.1 Respondents were asked whether more transit sites or stopping places were needed. 52% of respondents thought that more sites were needed; 19% thought they were not needed and 29% didn’t know. The point was made that there is generally little control of who moves on to transit sites and a number of families would not wish to mix with others on the same site. A strong message was that more simple stopping places were preferred to fully serviced transit sites. The same view was also expressed by respondents in the recent East Lindsey GTAA.

8.16.2 Few preferred locations for such sites were given but four mentions were made of the vicinity of Boston and two for unspecified locations in ‘South Holland’. Skegness and elsewhere in East Lindsey District received two mentions.

8.16.3 Respondents considered the use of the sites would be by those making visits to relatives, travelling as a way of life or those forced to travel through lack of authorised available pitches. Mention was made of Irish Travellers using such sites but stressed that this group does not mix with Romany Gypsies.

8.16.4 When asked if more permanent pitches were required 69% said yes; 10% said no; and, 21% didn’t know. Responses were fairly evenly split between local authority or private provision of new sites. Suggestions were offered that people would like to own their own sites but could not afford to do so without assistance. A number of responders considered that local authorities could find and acquire sites that could then be sold on to Travellers to develop their own site

8.16.5 Asked about their ideal site respondents gave a variety of suggestions on size of site. The highest suggestion was 37% in favour of 6-10 pitch transit sites/stopping places. In relation to permanent sites opinion was more divided between 6-10, 16-20 and 21- 25 pitch sites. There was no obvious correlation to the type of site currently occupied. The responses received are set out in the table below.

No. of Transit Site/Stopping Place Permanent Site Pitches % of % of No. responses No. responses 1 – 5 2 8.3% 4 16.0%

6 – 10 9 37.5% 6 24.0%

11 – 15 3 12.5% 2 8.0%

16 – 20 4 16.7% 6 24.0%

21 – 25 3 12.5% 5 20.0%

26 – 30 1 4.2% 0 0.0%

Over 30 2 8.3% 2 8.0%

Ark Housing Consultancy 53 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

8.16.6 Evidence gathered from other GTAAs and anecdotally from stakeholders suggests that smaller permanent sites suitable for occupation by an extended family are preferable to large sites. This view is supported by the survey responses on the preferred tenure of a site where 77% of respondents said a site owned by them or their family with planning permission granted. 15% preferred a local authority rented site.

8.16.7 84% of respondents would prefer a site in a rural location and 16% in an urban location. 60% of respondents prefer a site in South Holland and 30% in Boston. No specific locations were offered as suggestions for additional sites, although comments were made that the existing unauthorised site at Gosberton Clough would be alright if improvements were made to the site. Another comment related to the general area off the A16 outside Spalding.

8.16.8 When asked how close to the settled community a site should be the responses are set out in the table below. The clear majority would prefer to be 250 metres, or more, away. Proximity to settled community % of responses Immediately adjacent 25.0%

10 – 99m 0.0%

100 – 250m 8.3%

More than 250m 25.0%

More than 1km 41.7%

8.16.9 The responses to the preferred location of sites in relation to services and facilities are shown in the table below.

Ark Housing Consultancy 54 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Distance from Service

Amenity < 5 mins 6 - 15 mins > 15 mins Don’t know

% % % % No. No. No. No. answering answering answering answering GP 4 57.1% 3 42.9% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Shopping facilities 4 50.0% 4 50.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Dentist 3 60.0% 2 40.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Local hospital 3 42.9% 4 57.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Pharmacy/chemist 1 20.0% 4 80.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Park/open space 2 40.0% 2 40.0% 0 0.0% 1 20.0%

Local schools 2 28.6% 5 71.4% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%

Public transport 1 33.3% 1 33.3% 1 33.3% 0 0.0%

Childcare facilities 1 25.0% 3 75.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% Sports/leisure 1 25.0% 3 75.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% centre Council or neighbourhood 1 25.0% 3 75.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% office Cultural or recreation 1 25.0% 2 50.0% 1 25.0% 0 0.0% facilities Main travelling 1 25.0% 2 50.0% 1 25.0% 0 0.0% routes Care for 1 20.0% 4 80.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% sick/elderly

8.17 Affordability

8.17.1 Sixteen respondents answered questions about their ability to finance purchase of their own site. Of these 19% considered that they could afford to develop a site but 62% can’t afford it, with a further 19% saying they didn’t know.

8.17.2 Feedback from a number of respondents indicated that they have difficulty raising a mortgage, particularly if they have no fixed postal address. They suggested that a good way forward would be for a local authority to buy land and sell it to them for development of pitches with an associated loan that would be paid back over a period of years. Support in the gaining of planning permission would also be welcomed.

8.18 Stakeholder Analysis

8.18.1 A range of stakeholders were consulted during the study to determine the current state of provision of services for Travellers. The findings of the consultations are set out in Appendix 2 and cover the following areas:

Ark Housing Consultancy 55 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Education Services Health Services Crime and Disorder Employment and Economic Inclusion Equality Issues Housing

8.18.2 Each section sets out the position in relation to the individual service areas and also offers examples of best practice from around the country to illustrate useful approaches that stakeholders may wish to consider.

8.19 Case Studies

8.19.1 In order to develop understanding, and to bring to life the circumstances faced by Travellers in the South East Lincolnshire area, four short case studies were carried out. These are set out in Appendix 4 and are drawn from people on the following types of site.

Authorised local authority site. Authorised private transit site. Unauthorised but tolerated site. Bricks and mortar housing.

Ark Housing Consultancy 56 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

9. Calculation of Need for Pitches

9.1 Derivation of Figures and Assumptions Made in the Accommodation Need Assessment Calculation for Permanent Residential Pitches for Gypsies and Travellers for Years 1 to 5.

9.1.1 In order to arrive at figures for use in the calculation of need for pitches, the data from the survey, where appropriate, has been grossed up for the total household population to inform the assessment. However, it is appropriate here to rely more upon site specific data and knowledge of the personal circumstances of the households occupying the various sites.

9.1.2 The survey figures of numbers of households are the result of a more comprehensive study compiled over a period of time rather than the individual biannual counts produced on just one day. The Lincolnshire County Council, Traveller Liaison Officer and staff of the Gainsborough Traveller Initiative, have been extremely helpful in providing data and access to the travelling community.

9.1.3 For the purposes of the calculations the actual or estimated number of households has been used where practicable in preference to relating households to the number of caravans on site as this will fluctuate according to circumstances.

9.1.4 Calculations have been carried out for Gypsies and Travellers requiring pitches.

9.2 Current Residential Supply

9.2.1 Household population living on authorised local authority and private sites: This figure is derived from the collated site data list generated from examination of planning decisions, consultation with town and parish councils and the survey. This approach is preferred to use of data from the biannual CLG counts, which record numbers of caravans and not pitches or households. Some households occupy more than one caravan and using the biannual count figures could therefore result in a degree of double counting. The number of residential pitches covers all of those authorised by grant of planning consent and includes the recent approval of a single family owned private site in Sutton St James that has been occupied for over 9 years.

9.2.2 There are no unused pitches on the local authority Redstone site or on privately owned residential sites.

9.2.3 The private sites are all in family ownership and are not available to households outside of the family. No vacancies can therefore arise from this source. The number of existing authorised pitches expected to become vacant is based upon the vacancy churn on the Redstone site. In the last three and a half years there have been 3 vacancies filled by new tenants. Based on these figures it is assumed that one vacancy will arise per annum and the calculation therefore shows 5 vacancies in the first 5 years.

Ark Housing Consultancy 57 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

9.3 Residential Demand

9.3.1 The number of households seeking permanent site accommodation in the area reflects two cases currently located on an authorised transit site. They will probably each require a rented local authority provided pitch.

9.3.2 The need from unauthorised encampments arises from one individual living in a camper van. It is questionable whether this person should be regarded as a Traveller for the purposes of the study as he could not be accommodated on a site with other Travellers currently resorting to the area and may be more appropriately dealt with as homeless and vulnerable. He has therefore been excluded from the calculation.

9.3.3 The figure for unauthorised developments where planning permission is not expected covers the 7 permanently occupied pitches at the Five Acre Park site in Gosberton Clough. This unauthorised encampment will be relocated once South Holland District Council secures an authorised site for it. Also included is the 2 pitch site at Drain Bank/A16, Spalding, where a temporary personal planning consent has lapsed but the site appears to be currently tolerated.

9.3.5 Whilst there are a number of other small sites where temporary planning permission has expired the occupiers have lived on the sites for so long that their occupation is now considered established. These cases are included as authorised sites in the residential supply figure. One site of 3 pitches has a temporary planning permission due to expire in November 2016.

9.3.6 There is little apparent migratory flow to and from the area for residential pitches. One household joined their family on an unauthorised site within the last six months from a location outside of South East Lincolnshire. One newly forming household is known to be moving to Kings Lynn. No other information came to light regarding potential inward migrations of new households other than a recent letting arising at Redstone to a family from Mildenhall. One household on a transit site may move to a site or house in Peterborough or to a house in South Holland. This will not affect the residential calculation as they do not want a residential pitch in the study area. Given the small numbers involved it has been assumed that the net effect on pitches of migratory flow is zero.

9.3.7 Of those Travellers in bricks and mortar there will be no need for site provision other than one case that is included under newly forming households. The figure here is therefore zero.

9.3.8 The survey suggests 25 households likely to require accommodation in the area in years 1-5. Of these, 11 households might be considered concealed and in need of a pitch as they are currently occupying family pitches on authorised sites or are on unauthorised sites where there is no current restriction on pitch/caravan numbers. 2 concealed households will need a rented local authority provided pitch.

9.3.9 There are likely to be 14 newly forming households requiring pitches in South East Lincolnshire. Of these 1 will probably seek a rented local authority pitch.

9.3.10 The needs calculation for residential pitches based upon the CLG Guidance methodology is set out in the following table.

Ark Housing Consultancy 58 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

9.3.11 Calculation For Supply Of Permanent Residential Pitches

Current Residential Supply Current supply of occupied local authority residential site pitches in local authority area. 24

Current supply of occupied authorised privately owned site pitches in local authority 24 area.

(a) Total Pitches 48 Number of unused local authority pitches and vacancies on privately owned sites available in local authority area. 0

Number of existing pitches expected to become vacant (LA & private) 5

Number of households in residential site accommodation expressing a desire to live in bricks and mortar housing. 0

New local authority pitches planned for delivery in 2012. 0

Pitches on sites with planning consent but not yet developed 0

Applications for planning permission for new private sites likely to gain approval in 0 2012/13.

(b) Total Pitch Provision Available 53 Residential Demand

- Seeking permanent site accommodation in area (Clay Lake transit site). 2

- On unauthorised encampments. 0

- On unauthorised developments for which planning permission is not expected. (Gosberton Clough 7 permanently occupied pitches & Drain Bank/A16 2 pitches) 9

- On authorised developments where temporary planning permission will expire (Beck Bank, Gosberton Clough) 3

- Currently overcrowded. 0

- Migratory flow to and from South East Lincolnshire. 0

- In housing but with a need for site accommodation. 0

- Concealed households 11

(c) Total household demand 25

(d) Current shortfall in pitches [(a) + (c) – (b)] 20

(e) Expected household formation years 1-5 14

Extra pitch need years 1-5 [(d) + (e)] 34

9.3.12 The analysis indicates 5 pitches will be needed on a local authority rented site by households seeking accommodation from a transit site or concealed or newly forming households. This need during the initial five year period should be met by vacancies arising on the Redstone site. However, although not included in the calculation, separate rented provision may need to be made for the individual living in a camper van. He would not be accepted by Travellers on the Redstone Site and a move to Ark Housing Consultancy 59 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

bricks and mortar rented accommodation as a homeless vulnerable person might be feasible.

9.3.13 Demand is evident for up to 34 additional residential pitches on Traveller owned sites. This can best be met by expansion of existing small family owned sites to accommodate additional pitches for households of their extended family or the establishment of new small scale sites in largely rural settings. However, account must also be taken of the intended relocation of the 10 pitch unauthorised site at Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough. Evidence indicates that only 7 pitches are permanently occupied and this is reflected in the demand calculation. South Holland DC is currently seeking suitable land on which a site can be developed for a land swap arrangement to be negotiated with the owners of pitches at Five Acre Park. Certain of the existing pitches are very large and, for example, it is known that one pitch is occupied by five households of an extended family. All 10 pitches are owned by Travellers and any new site provision must take this into account when establishing the required number of pitches.

9.3.14 The site at Drain Bank/A16, Spalding, has a lapsed planning permission and is therefore classed as unauthorised. It has been in place for over eight years and consideration may be given to granting a permanent permission with conditions to ensure that the visual impact is reduced. This would remove the need for two of the required new pitches.

9.3.15 Projecting newly forming households solely from the age profile is difficult given the number of respondents that failed to provide age details for their children. It is therefore suggested that a figure for household formation of 3% per annum compound is applied for years 6-10 and 11-15 as suggested by CLG. This calculation identifies a further need for 15 additional residential pitches in years 6-10 and 17 pitches in years 11-15. The majority of pitches will be required on privately owned residential sites. Those arising from the local authority rented site could probably be met through vacancies arising over the periods concerned, but it is impractical to determine with any precision the likely split between site types that far in the future. Whilst there is minimal indication that newly forming households desire to leave the area at present this position could alter in the future.

9.3.16 These figures can never be more than an estimate due to the small numbers involved in the calculations and should be treated with caution. Wherever practicable the circumstances of the individual occupiers of sites have been taken into account, but where specific data is lacking figures have been grossed up as appropriate to the relevant group.

9.4 Need for Plots at Permanent Residential and Seasonal Sites for Showpeople

9.4.1 It was not possible during the survey to make contact with Show or Circus People as their sites are used for Winter quarters only. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the present provision for travelling Showpeople is adequate to meet their needs, but this may need further investigation should any planning application for Showpeople’s plots be made at a future date.

9.4.2 Planning records for the long established sites at Gosberton and Long Sutton are not available, but it must be assumed that they are authorised. As the locations are used as Winter quarters it was not possible to secure interviews with the occupiers. The Circus People site at Gosberton is at the rear of a pair of semi-detached houses and it may be that the occupants are housed here or have use of the facilities. Ark Housing Consultancy 60 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

9.4.3 The occupiers of both the sites are known to accommodate caravans on site during the Winter and it appears that there is adequate space for them. The occupiers have not submitted any planning applications and are not known to any housing provider. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary it has been assumed that their needs are met on the present sites. Further investigation of their circumstances could usefully be made when the households are in occupation over the Winter period.

9.5 Need for Transit or Stopping Place Pitches

9.5.1 Taking account of the strongly held views of the Travellers that fully serviced transit sites were not liked, the need appears to be for provision of pitches at simple stopping places with basic amenity provision.

9.5.2 The information gathered during the study indicates a relatively low level of incidence of unauthorised encampments. Development of the 10 pitch stopping place at Sutton Bridge for which planning permission has been obtained should meet the needs arising from travels to and from Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for the foreseeable future. This will meet the requirement in Planning Policy For Traveller Sites for a 5 year supply of such sites. The research indicates this as the most popular route for Traveller movements through South East Lincolnshire. The stopping place is most likely to be used throughout the summer season and perhaps during Easter.

9.5.3 Clay Lake Caravan Park acts as a private transit site and is owned and managed by a locally influential Romany Gypsy family. Entry to the site is at the behest of the owner and not everyone is accepted. Fluctuations in vacancy levels were observed at Clay Lake across the study period. However, there was at every visit capacity to absorb further caravans at short notice. The site provides for accommodating travellers from the East Midlands using the A1/A16 routes via Stamford.

9.5.4 Although there is no provision for stopping places in and around Boston to serve the A1/A17 routes via Newark or A1/A52 route via Grantham, the town is a relatively short travel distance by vehicle from Clay Lake or Sutton Bridge using the A16 and A17 respectively. These two sites should therefore meet the need for transit and stopping place provision for the foreseeable future, unless travel patterns change significantly. If the Sutton Bridge site is not developed there will be a need for a stopping place of similar size at an alternative location, perhaps nearby or in Whaplode or in the vicinity of Boston. There may still be the odd occasion when large groups of Travellers converge on one place, but this is a rare occurrence in South East Lincolnshire and is impossible to plan for.

9.5.5 In the adjoining East Lindsey District there are known to be regular seasonal movements of Travellers to the East Coast resorts of Mablethorpe and Skegness. Travellers from the Clay Lake transit site are known to have set up unauthorised roadside encampments in these locations during the summer months when taking holidays or visiting friends and family. It is likely that East Lindsey will need to consider provision of additional stopping place provision around Mablethorpe and Skegness. Most of the Traveller’s journeys to these resorts appear to be made via routes around Lincoln rather than through South East Lincolnshire and should not impact on the need for a stopping place at Sutton Bridge or the Boston area.

Ark Housing Consultancy 61 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

10. Identification of Broad Locations for Additional Site Provision

10.1 The identified need for additional pitches indicates that small scale family owned residential sites are needed. If development of the stopping place that has planning permission for 10 pitches is developed at Sutton Bridge then no additional transit or stopping place provision should be necessary. If this site is not developed some equivalent provision should be made elsewhere along the main trunk road network.

10.2 These needs should be considered when identifying broad locations for additional pitch provision. Comment is offered on locations for stopping places should provision prove necessary.

10.3 Constraints

10.3.1 There are a number of constraints that will limit the locations at which additional site provision can be delivered. Locations where residential Traveller site development would not be expected to be permitted include:

International, national and locally designated sites of importance for biodiversity: All international sites (Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, and Ramsar sites), national sites (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and locally designated sites including Local Wildlife Sites.

Designated heritage assets: A World Heritage Site, Scheduled Monument, Listed Building, Registered Park and Garden, Registered Battlefield or Conservation Area designated under the relevant legislation.

Mineral Safeguarding Area: An area designated by Minerals Planning Authorities which covers known deposits of minerals which are desired to be kept safeguarded from unnecessary sterilisation by non-mineral development.

Safeguarding zone: An area defined in Circular 01/03: Safeguarding aerodromes, technical sites and military explosives storage areas, to safeguard such sites.

Designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, areas of high landscape value or countryside character areas.

Unremediated contaminated land.

Coastal change management areas and designated flood plains.

10.3.2 The most significant constraint in relation to locations for additional residential Traveller sites is the risk of flooding from coastal inundation or rivers and watercourses. Risk is categorised using the sequential test definitions drawn from the Technical Guidance to the National Planning Policy Framework, March 2012, as:

Zone 1 – Low Probability - This zone comprises land assessed as having a less than 1 in 1000 annual probability of river or sea flooding in any year (<0.1%). Appropriate uses: All uses of land are appropriate in this zone.

Ark Housing Consultancy 62 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Zone 2 - Medium Probability - This zone comprises land assessed as having between a 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 annual probability of river flooding (1% – 0.1%), or between a 1 in 200 and 1 in 1,000 annual probability of sea flooding (0.5% – 0.1%) in any year. Appropriate uses Essential infrastructure and the water-compatible, less vulnerable and more vulnerable uses, are appropriate in this zone. The highly vulnerable uses are only appropriate in this zone if the Exception Test is passed.

Zone 3a – High Probability - This zone comprises land assessed as having a 1 in 100 or greater annual probability of river flooding (>1%), or a 1 in 200 or greater annual probability of flooding from the sea (>0.5%) in any year. Appropriate uses The water-compatible and less vulnerable uses of land are appropriate in this zone. The highly vulnerable uses should not be permitted in this zone. The more vulnerable uses and essential infrastructure should only be permitted in this zone if the Exception Test is passed. Essential infrastructure permitted in this zone should be designed and constructed to remain operational and safe for users in times of flood.

Zone 3b – The Functional Flood Plain- This zone comprises land where water has to flow or be stored in times of flood.

Local planning authorities should identify in their Strategic Flood Risk Assessments areas of functional floodplain and its boundaries accordingly, in agreement with the Environment Agency. The identification of functional floodplain should take account of local circumstances and not be defined solely on rigid probability parameters. But land which would flood with an annual probability of 1 in 20 (5%) or greater in any year, or is designed to flood in an extreme (0.1%) flood, should provide a starting point for consideration and discussions to identify the functional floodplain. Appropriate uses: Only the water-compatible uses and the essential infrastructure that has to be there should be permitted in this zone. It should be designed and constructed to: remain operational and safe for users in times of flood; result in no net loss of floodplain storage; not impede water flows; and not increase flood risk elsewhere.

Essential infrastructure in this zone should pass the Exception Test.

10.3.3 The Technical Guidance to the NPPF, March 2012, identifies residential Traveller sites as highly vulnerable and as such the location of any new site should be in an area of no risk of flooding or in Zone 1.

10.3.4 Guidance also indicates that stopping places may be located in areas of flood risk but only in Zones 1 or Zone 2 if suitable safeguards are in place. They should not be located in Zone 3 unless the Exception Test is passed.

Ark Housing Consultancy 63 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

10.3.5 The Exception Test is set out in the National Planning Policy Framework and to be passed: it must be demonstrated that the development provides wider sustainability benefits to the community that outweigh flood risk, informed by a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment where one has been prepared; and a site-specific flood risk assessment must demonstrate that the development will be safe for its lifetime taking account of the vulnerability of its users, without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and, where possible, will reduce flood risk overall. Both elements of the test will have to be passed for development to be allocated or permitted.

10.4 Site selection Criteria

10.4.1 Current local plan policies for both Boston Borough and South Holland District have been examined. The criteria set out in saved Policy HS19 of the South Holland Local Plan seem to offer a comprehensive and reasonable basis on which to assess site suitability, but it must be noted that specific criteria should be adopted in the new Local Development Plan. The criteria encompass and expand upon those in the Boston Local Plan, Policy H17. The criteria against which broad locations will be assessed are therefore as follows:

1) The site is within reasonable distance of a school, shop and other local services. 2) Sites should respect the scale of the nearest settled community and should avoid placing undue pressure on the local infrastructure. 3) The site would not have a significant adverse effect on the amenities of existing local residents or adjoining land uses. 4) The site is already, or is capable of being, successfully assimilated into both its immediate environs and the wider landscape. 5) The use of the site would not prejudice highway safety or give rise to problems of parking and highway access. 6) The site would have adequate connections to services including drinking water supply, electricity and waste water treatment. 7) The site would not be at high risk of flooding or rapid inundation.

10.4.2 The following assessment of locations takes account of the above criteria, but further concentrates on two main issues, namely:

1. The details of Traveller site and unauthorised encampment locations, and their expressed preferences for site location; and,

2. The level of flood risk as the major constraint on development.

10.5 Assessment of Locations – General Issues

10.5.1 South East Lincolnshire comprises the Borough of Boston and District of South Holland and can be classified as predominantly fenland in character; low-lying and flat with ‘big skies’ and open vistas. The local economy is largely based around agriculture, with its associated food processing and distribution industries. A high proportion of agricultural land within the area is classified as Grade 1 and it has become a centre for supply of high value produce, such as vegetables.

Ark Housing Consultancy 64 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

10.5.2 The Borough of Boston is bounded to the east by the Wash, to the south-east by the River Welland and to the north-west by the River Witham. The principal town is Boston and the larger villages are Kirton, Sutterton and Swineshead. Further settlements are, Bicker, Butterwick, Fishtoft, Leake Commonside, Old Leake and Wrangle.

10.5.3 The District of South Holland is similarly bounded by The Wash to the east and is crossed by the three rivers, Nene, Glen and Welland. The principal town is Spalding, followed by the towns of Holbeach, Long Sutton, Crowland, Sutton Bridge and the main village of Donington. Villages that act as minor service centres for the surrounding areas include Cowbit, , Fleet Hargate, , Gosberton, Moulton, Moulton Chapel, Pinchbeck, Sutton St James, Weston and Whaplode.

10.5.4 The primary roads that serve the area are the A16, A17, A52, A151, A1101 and A1121, and this network of routes link the main towns and villages across South East Lincolnshire. The roads are largely single carriageways, but are capable of accommodating traffic generated by Travellers. The secondary road networks are often narrow and less well maintained in many cases. However, of necessity they do accommodate the movement of large agricultural vehicles and equipment and therefore may be capable of carrying vehicular and caravan traffic generated by Travellers. It should be noted that stretches of the A16 and A17 are raised above the level of the surrounding land and consideration will need to be given to the feasibility of gaining vehicular access to sites in these locations. Use of the minor roads that lead off of the trunk roads might be a practicable source of access to nearby sites.

10.5.5 Those locations within the more remote agricultural areas, accessed solely by the secondary road network, were eliminated from the study on the basis of poor vehicular access and basic infrastructure, and the related costs of providing both to a satisfactory standard. The use of Grade 1 classified agricultural land should also generally be discouraged for development of Traveller pitches or plots.

10.5.6 All rest areas, lay-bys or lorry parks adjacent to A or B category roads were excluded from the study on the basis of road user and pedestrian safety. All car parks located within town centres were eliminated due to access arrangements in the existing settlements and a basic inability to reconcile the use with town centre activities. This would not meet any 'good neighbour' criterion. All locations that were only accessible through residential estates were eliminated.

10.6 Assessment of Locations – Preferred Locations

10.6.7 Locations mentioned by Travellers during the survey as locations for residential sites included Gosberton Clough and the A16 near Spalding, possibly around Cowbit.

10.6.8 Information gathered on unauthorised encampments from town and parish councils adds little to the list of encampments detailed in Appendix 1 other than mention of Irish Travellers on an industrial estate in Wash Road, Kirton, and at roundabouts in the vicinity of Sutterton.

10.6.9 The known incidence of unauthorised encampments suggests locations for stopping places off of the A16 or A17 south and south east of Spalding, such as Cowbit,

Ark Housing Consultancy 65 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Whaplode or Sutton Bridge; and, south of Boston around Kirton or Sutterton. The well used transit site at Clay Lake, Cowbit, adds weight to this as a likely location.

10.6.10 The following map illustrates the main road network traversing South East Lincolnshire.

© OpenStreetMap contributors

10.7 Application of the Site Selection Criteria

10.7.1 South Holland DC has planning permission for the development of a temporary stopping place of 10 pitches on land off Centenary Way, Sutton Bridge, although development has yet to take place. This location should meet the need for stopping places for Travellers using the A17 to or from Kings Lynn, Cambridgeshire and north Norfolk.

Ark Housing Consultancy 66 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

10.7.2 The NPPF Technical Guidance indicates that residential Travellers sites should only be permitted in areas of low flood risk (Zone 1) and that transit sites or stopping places may be located in areas of medium flood risk (Zone 2) if suitable safeguards are in place. However, technical studies, such as the Boston Borough Strategic Flood Assessment (AECOM Limited, October 2010) and South Holland, Update of Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, (Royal Haskoning, January 2010), consider the relative probability of flooding when related to the degree of protection offered by flood defences that may mitigate the risk in practice. Any specific site proposal coming forward should be measured against the advice contained in these documents.

10.7.3 An area in Zone 1 that demonstrates need by virtue of an existing unauthorised site is Gosberton Clough. The existing site is accessed off a narrow country lane unsuited to large caravan traffic. Whilst the nearby village of Gosberton offers a small primary school, doctor’s surgery, church and foodstore there are few other facilities. The larger village of Donington is approximately 8 miles away from the existing site and provides a small selection of shops and a high school. A residential site accessed off the A152 between Gosberton and Donington would appear to offer suitable access to services and facilities. There is sporadic development of largely single detached houses interspersed with agricultural holdings along the length of the road. The village of lies on the A152 roughly half way between Donington and Gosberton. If agricultural land is made available for development of a site it could be achieved with minimal impact on the settled community. A similar alternative is a site located off the B1397 in the vicinity of Gosberton, but a drainage watercourse adjoins the road to the west of the village and could affect access.

10.7.4 The ‘central corridor’ running through South Holland District south of the A151 is mainly classified as Zone 1 for flood risk. Apart from the occasional village such as Moulton Chapel the area is generally remote and unsuited to residential site development. However, the area between Cowbit and Spalding around the A16 has a number of existing authorised private residential Traveller sites and an authorised transit site. The area is clearly favoured by Travellers with the A16 being a main travel route through Lincolnshire. Stopping places are not required given the presence of the Clay Lake Transit Site but small scale residential sites suitable for single or extended family occupation would be appropriate in this area, particularly in the vicinity of the A1073 and B1357 roads. However, the areas close to the village of Cowbit, and outside of the River Welland functional flood plain, are mainly residential in nature and it may be difficult to find available land. Agricultural land is evident to the west along the B1357 that could potentially be developed. The area is reasonably convenient to the shops and facilities offered in the major town of Spalding.

10.7.5 Areas off the B1165 eastwards from Low Fulney may also be developable for small scale residential sites. There is in fact a holiday caravan park in Low Fulney that demonstrates the general suitability of the area. The road links to the B1357 to Moulton and has sporadic residential ribbon development with a few commercial premises interspersed with farmland. The area is in reasonable travelling distance of Spalding with its shopping and recreational facilities.

10.7.6 The village of Deeping St Nicholas is also on the A16 trunk road approximately five miles south west of Spalding and lies in low risk Flood Zone 1. The line of the A16 is

Ark Housing Consultancy 67 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

bisected by a railway line that leaves parcels of land between the tracks and the road that could be developable. However, ribbon housing development is evident opposite these areas of land and objection from the settled community is highly likely to any site proposals. Further out of the village the development becomes more sporadic with houses and commercial premises interspersed with agricultural activities. This area could offer opportunities for small scale residential development. However, this is an area that has no history of encampments or settlement by Travellers and was not mentioned by them during the survey. Despite this it is within a reasonable distance of their preferred areas of Cowbit and the A16 near Spalding and may therefore be worthy of consideration.

10.7.7 Further north the A16 passes Kirton and on to Boston. Kirton and the town of Boston have experienced unauthorised encampments of short duration in the last two years. This probably reflects their location on the main route through the area that leads on to the East Coast. The use of the Relative Probability of Flooding maps show that the Kirton area is at a low probability of actual flooding despite lying in the high risk Flood Zone 3. The area could therefore be considered suitable for temporary stopping places. Areas to the south-west and north-east of Boston along the line of the A16 are also determined to be low probability of actual flooding. The area between Kirton and the boundary of Boston is largely agricultural in nature except for the vicinity of the village of Wyberton. The landscape is similar between Boston and Sibsey and temporary stopping places could be developed if required.

10.7.8 To the west of Boston the area south of the A1121 road and swinging around to Wyeberton is also considered a low probability of actual flooding despite lying in the high risk Flood Zone 3. A railway line and the South Forty Foot Drain run parallel to the south side of the A1121 and prohibit access to the land from the road. The A52 also crosses this area and could provide an access route to the surrounding land via the minor road network. This area could be suited to a temporary stopping place and there is in fact an existing large holiday caravan park located off the B1192 Fen Drove. This demonstrates accessibility and availability of services in the area.

10.7.9 The area in the vicinity of Swineshead and Bicker along the lines of the A17 and A52 is largely in low risk Flood Zone 1 and could offer opportunities for temporary stopping places. There is no known history of encampments in the area but its proximity to Boston could be worthy of consideration.

10.7.10 A number of unauthorised encampments have arisen in the vicinity of Whaplode, a village off the A151 between Holbeach and Spalding. An area to the west of the village lies in low risk Flood Zone 1 and could be a suitable location for a stopping place if Sutton Bridge is not developed. The area outside of the village is largely farmland with a few commercial premises related to agriculture. Land to the north of the A151 road might be suited to a stopping place, whereas that to the south lies at a lower level than the road itself and could pose access difficulties.

10.7.11 The other major through route crossing South East Lincolnshire is the A17 trunk road, which passes close to Sutton Bridge, Long Sutton, Holbeach, Sutterton and Swineshead. An unauthorised encampment was reported at Tydd Bank, Sutton Bridge, which remained in place for 9-10 weeks in 2011. This is the only such encampment recorded in this area which lies close to the River Nene.

Ark Housing Consultancy 68 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

10.7.12 Authorised Winter quarters for a Showman are located in Long Sutton. However, the Sutton Bridge and Long Sutton areas are both identified as being within the high risk Flood Zone 3 and are also classified as ‘red’ high risk of flooding in the traffic light system used in the South Holland, and Rutland Water Cycle Study 2011 conducted by Scott Wilson. Other locations in South Holland with similar classifications are Fleet, Pinchbeck and Surfleet. It is believed that a family of Irish Travellers owns land off Blazegate, Gedney, and hope to develop a three pitch residential site. However, it is suggested that these areas should be avoided for further residential Traveller site development.

10.7.13 Further details of specific site suitability are given in Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments, which also provide indicators to the following issues that relate well to the site selection criteria:

Physical and environmental constraints Capacity of infrastructure Access to amenities Access to public transport Benefits to the community Availability Viability Timeframe

10.7.14 In terms of deliverability it is perhaps best in any site search to concentrate on land holdings of the local authorities or other public bodies. Any sites coming forward from a ‘call for sites’ as part of the Local Plan process should also be given consideration.

Ark Housing Consultancy 69 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

11. Funding for New Site and Pitch Provision or Site Improvements

11.1 Homes and Communities Agency Grants

11.1.1 The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) became responsible for allocation of grants for Traveller site development or improvement from April 2009. It has since invested £16.3m in 26 schemes across the country providing 88 new or additional pitches and 179 improved pitches.

11.1.2 Traveller Pitch Funding of up to £60m is available as part of the Affordable Homes Programme, to support local authorities, housing associations and other delivery partners to provide good quality public sites to help meet the need for accommodation for these communities.

11.1.3 In January 2012 the HCA announced confirmed allocations for £47m of this funding to support 71 projects across the country, for the provision of new Traveller sites and new pitches on existing sites, as well as the improvement of existing pitches.

11.1.4 The HCA is now seeking bids for the remaining £12.1m of Traveller Pitch Funding.

11.1.5 Guidance from the HCA on how to bid for this funding is in the Traveller Pitch Funding continuous market engagement (CME) bidding guidance. Further information on the programme is available at annex 1 of the 2011-15 Affordable Homes Programme Framework document.

11.1.6 This is not a one-off bidding opportunity and will be run on a continuous market engagement basis. The programme will remain open to receive bids until April 2014 or until all funding is fully committed, whichever occurs first.

11.1.7 The first round of allocation decisions will be made in the autumn 2012. Bids for consideration in the first round of CME allocations had to be submitted by 30th September 2012. Further bidding rounds should follow for as long as funding is available. Bidders are advised to contact their local HCA area office to discuss their proposals before applying for funding.

11.2 Local Authority and Community Sector Initiatives

11.2.1 Wessex Reinvestment Trust Three local authorities are working with Wessex Reinvestment Trust to assist Travellers in raising finance to develop their own sites. This is achieved via Wessex Home Improvement Loans (WHIL), a Community Development Finance Institution, which is a not-for profit organisation acting as the delivery agent for local authority provided funding or via grant support from the HCA.

11.2.2 This loan scheme has been designed to provide finance to Gypsy and Traveller communities. Local Authorities, in partnership with WHIL, can provide finance to Gypsy and Traveller communities to assist with installing essential utilities, including electricity and water supplies, or to help towards the cost of purchasing a permanent site on which to live. Borrowers can make overpayments or fully repay the loan at any time during the loan term without penalty. All loans are secured by an equitable

Ark Housing Consultancy 70 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

mortgage and registered at the Land Registry, meaning that the property or land cannot be sold or change ownership without the WHIL loan being repaid. It is therefore important that Travellers do not commit themselves to a loan which they cannot afford as their home may be at risk.

11.2.3 The process involves contacting the Housing Department of the relevant Council if a Traveller would like to apply for a Gypsy and Traveller Loan and requesting that a referral to WHIL is made. Once the cost of the works has been identified and the Traveller has confirmed that they would like to be visited by a WHIL Home Loans Adviser, they will be contacted and a visit arranged to complete a financial assessment. The purpose of the visit is to assist the Traveller in the completion of the application form and to ensure that the repayments are affordable.

11.2.4 South Gloucester Council bid for HCA funding to create a revolving fund for Travellers to develop their own sites. The funding was to be distributed by Wessex Reinvestment Trust.

11.2.5 Mendip Community Land Trust Scheme Mendip District Council did offer the Mendip Community Land Trust Scheme to support Travellers to establish their own sites. Unfortunately this scheme is no longer operating but an explanation of the basis of the scheme could prove of interest to Boston BC, South Holland DC or Lincolnshire County Council.

11.2.6 A Community Land Trust is a legal entity, like a Company or a Co-Operative, which holds assets, such as land, for a group of people. The Trust exists independently of its members and its assets cannot be sold on for profit but are held, in perpetuity, to preserve their use for a specific purpose. The intention of the scheme was to offer a way for groups to set up small scale, family sized sites which are self managed and offer high, long term security for the residents.

11.2.7 Sites are funded through renewable loans. This means that the costs of establishing and developing a site are covered. Repayments take place over an agreed term and money repaid is lent out to other groups to enable them to set up sites in the same way.

11.2.8 Sites set up as a Community Land Trust are owned and managed by the residents, not the local Council. Just like any other landowner, residents are free to design and manage a site in an independent manner.

11.2.9 The stages of the process are as follows:

1. The first stage is to form a group composed of people who wish to live together. This can be friends or a family or a group of families.

2. Once formed, the group would work closely with the planning department of the local authority in looking for suitable land for a site.

3. The group would establish a Community Land Trust (CLT), which would enter an agreement with the landowner for the purchase of the land.

4. A planning application is submitted by the CLT, following discussion with the Planning Department.

Ark Housing Consultancy 71 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

5. When planning permission is gained then the land is bought and the site is developed in the way outlined in the planning application.

6. The loan repayments begin and the funds repaid are lent out again for other groups to do the same.

11.2.10 A similar option is to look for low cost ownership models open to Boston Borough and South Holland District Councils. One suggestion made is that the two Councils, or the County Council, purchase suitable land, say at agricultural value, obtain planning permission for a site and sell on a non-profit basis to a travelling family with a need and with local connections. The money could then be recycled to purchase the next site.

11.2.11 From interviews with Travellers and people working with them there is no real desire for a shared ownership product. There is a problem with sustainability with this model as Travellers are very clear that they want control and full ownership of a site if they purchase it. There is also an issue of ongoing liability for the local authority or registered provider partner.

11.3 Private Sector Funding

11.3.1 Travellers can of course seek to access development funds from private sector financial institutions. However, in the present economic climate banks and other funders are reluctant to lend to anyone thought to represent a high level of risk of default. Travellers are likely to fall into this category and will therefore find it extremely difficult to access private sector loans.

Ark Housing Consultancy 72 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

12. Conclusions

12.1 The key points to emerge from the study are:

1. That in years 1-5 of the plan period there is a need for 34 additional residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers. The demand for 34 additional residential pitches is for pitches on Traveller owned sites. This can best be met by expansion of existing family owned sites to accommodate additional pitches or the establishment of new small scale sites in largely rural settings. However, account must be taken of the intended relocation of the 10 pitches on the unauthorised site at Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough, by way of a land swap. Five rented pitches are likely to be required and these may be met by vacancies arising at the Redstone, Boston, site.

2. At present a 5 year supply of deliverable sites, for both residential and transit sites or stopping places, as required by Planning Policy For Traveller Sites has not been identified. This could give rise to pressure to approve temporary planning permissions for site developments as the lack of a 5 year land supply will be a significant material consideration when considering any planning applications coming forward. To assist in formulating the 5 year supply consideration could be given to granting of permanent planning permission for existing sites subject to temporary consents or where permission has lapsed. Imposition of conditions could seek to mitigate the visual impact of such sites where necessary. Investigation could also be made of the family owned authorised sites where concealed or newly forming households are evident with a view to encouraging applications to extend the number of pitches available on those sites. Plainly, the early relocation of the unauthorised site at Five Acre Park, Gosberton Clough, is a major factor in meeting the 5 year supply requirement.

3. Special provision may need to be made for the single ‘hippie’ type Traveller living in a camper van at land in the vicinity of Pinchbeck Road & Enterprise Way, Spalding. Contact with this individual should be established to determine his specific accommodation needs as he may become homeless as surrounding development proceeds. He has not been included in the calculations for future pitches as he would not be accepted by other Traveller groups and may best be dealt with as a vulnerable homeless person.

4. In years 6-10 a further 15 residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers could be required and again those requiring rented accommodation are likely to be met on the Redstone site from vacancies arising. The majority of pitches will be needed on privately owned residential sites. During years 11-15 a further 17 pitches may be required.

5. The following areas could offer locations for small scale residential family sites:

Vicinity of Donington or Gosberton Vicinity of Cowbit or Low Fulney and close to the A16 around Spalding. Vicinity of Deeping St Nicholas

6. The numbers of Irish Travellers resorting to the area is very small. One household on the Redstone site has an Irish Traveller member and one private authorised site is occupied by an Irish Traveller family. Land at Gedney is

Ark Housing Consultancy 73 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

believed to be owned by Irish Travellers but no development has taken place and no planning application made in respect of the land. There are no known New Travellers staying in the area other than the occupant of the camper van mentioned in paragraph 3 above. There appears therefore to be no need to provide for separate residential pitches for the benefit of Irish Travellers or New Travellers. Provision of stopping places should meet the needs of these groups.

7. There is a strong message from the Travellers that simple stopping places should be provided rather than fully serviced transit sites with all amenities. Stopping places could comprise a grass field with water supply and means of disposing of foul waste. Such sites could be occupied by any type of Traveller but different groups should not be mixed on such sites at the same time.

8. Any need for transit site provision and stopping places is capable of being met by the existing private transit site at Clay Lake, near Spalding, and development of the local authority10 pitch stopping place that has planning permission at Sutton Bridge. In the event that Sutton Bridge is not developed an alternative site of similar size in that vicinity, or near Whaplode, or one in low flood risk areas around Boston, would meet the need. Delivery of the stopping place development should take place within the first 5 years to meet the land supply requirements of Planning Policy For Traveller Sites.

9. The need for winter quarters for Travelling Showpeople was not able to be assessed as they were unable to be contacted during the study. It is assumed that as both the Showman’s site at Long Sutton and the Circus People site in Gosberton are of long standing the existing provision is meeting current need. Neither party have made any contact with the local authority to indicate any problems with the sites or accommodation. However it is recommended that their circumstances are further investigated when the households are in occupation during the winter months.

10. Consideration should be given as to how the on-going needs for accommodation of Travellers and site delivery targets are to be maintained and updated. This GTAA report should be used as the baseline for the future and perhaps a more detailed appraisal could be conducted at the twice yearly caravan counts in order to maintain the currency of the information. This could then be used to inform an annual review of site and land supply targets going forward.

11. The local planning authority should consider and adopt specific criteria to guide the allocation of sites in development plans and against which planning applications coming forward for unallocated sites may be judged.

12. The local planning authority should also consider adoption of a rural exceptions planning policy to permit the development of small affordable traveller sites for family occupation by those with demonstrable local connections.

13. Some complaints were made regarding the condition of the Redstone site. Consideration should be given to updating and improving the facilities on the Redstone site and an application for Homes and Communities Agency funding could be considered.

14. Consideration should be given to initiatives to assist Travellers to purchase suitable land for small scale family site development. Some form of revolving capital loan fund might be practicable and the HCA could be approached to provide start-up grant funding.

Ark Housing Consultancy 74 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

15. Efforts should be made to seek agreement on the terms of a county-wide protocol for dealing with unauthorised encampments that addresses the current concerns of Boston Borough Council, who have thus far declined to adopt it.

16. As the travelling community are clearly one of the most deprived groups in society, with poor educational attainment and suffering clear health inequalities, greater efforts should be made by all service providers to improve recording of the presence and needs of this group. Partnership approaches to meeting the most pressing needs should be pursued.

17. Any future health related Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for Lincolnshire should address specifically the health inequalities suffered by the travelling community.

18. That a protocol is established between local housing authorities and registered providers to identify and monitor the housing circumstances of Gypsies and Travellers in relation to bricks and mortar accommodation. It should include their accommodation needs, tenures and housing and transfer requests to ensure that the particular needs of this community are considered and met.

Ark Housing Consultancy 75 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Appendix 1 – Site Listings

Authorised Residential Sites Location Status Caravans Redstone Traveller Authorised local authority site of 24 (24 pitches) Site, Redstone Road, pitches. Boston Land opposite Provision of a permanent gypsy site with 10 pitches & up to 30 Northons Lane, 10 pitches, each accommodating up to 3 caravans Holbeach caravans. Ref: H09-0813-08 Stable Farm, Short Authorised site with personal condition for 1 static caravan and 1 Drove, Gosberton occupation by Mr Manning, his widow & touring caravan Clough, PE11 4JT resident dependents. Change of use (1 pitch) granted for 1 static caravan & 1 touring caravan. Ref: H08-0062-11 Travellers Lodge Authorised - Temporary consent (5 years 3 mobile homes and 3 (formerly Cockrams from 8 November 2011). Personal touring caravans Yard), Beck Bank, occupation condition for Mrs Herriet (3 pitches) Gosberton Clough, Bower, Mrs Charlotte Bower & Mr Tom Spalding, Bower - 3 pitches. Ref: H08-0467-11 Lincs. PE11 4LE Subsequent appeal against conditions withdrawn 1.3.12. Southview, South Authorised private site only for use by 1 static caravan and 2 Drove, Spalding gypsies & travellers, maximum of 1 static touring caravans Common, PE11 3ED & 2 touring caravans. Refused 17.8.2005. (1 pitch) Granted on appeal 25.8.2006. Ref: APPP/A2525/A/05/1192166

Childers South Drove, Planning consent granted prior to A16 4 mobile homes and 5 (Pecks Drove East) construction dividing the site in two. Ref: touring caravans Spalding H16-0985-82 & H16-757-80-7721. (4 pitches) Regarded as established due to length of occupation. Childers South Drove, Planning consent granted prior to A16 1 mobile home and 1 (Pecks Drove East) construction dividing the site in two. Ref: touring caravan Spalding H16-0985-82 & H16-757-80-7721. (2 pitches) Regarded as established due to length of occupation. Land off A16 north of Planning consent granted prior to A16 1 static caravan and 2 Childers South Drove, construction dividing the site in two. Ref: touring caravan (Pecks Drove East), H16-0985-82 & H16-757-80-7721. (2 pitches) Spalding Regarded as established due to length of occupation. The Stables, Baulkins Site occupied for 9 years. Personal 1 mobile home and 1 Drove, Sutton St planning permission approved 29.10.12. touring caravan James, PE12 0JU for Mr S manning, his widow and resident (1 pitch) dependents for 1 static and 1 touring caravan. Ref: H20-0287-06.

Ark Housing Consultancy 76 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Authorised Showpeople Sites

Location Status Caravans Westhorpe Road, Authorised Circus People over winter 3 caravans (Caravan Gosberton, PE11 4EN accommodation site. No planning count January 2012, records available. assume 3 pitches) The Moorings Yard, Showpeople’s site. No planning 3 caravans (Caravan Dockings Holt, Long records available. count January 2012, Sutton assume 4 pitches) Authorised Transit Sites and Stopping Places Clay Lake, Cowbit, Authorised gypsy & traveller transit Can accommodated Spalding, Lincs. (adjacent site. Not for occupation by travelling approx. 30 caravans to Romany Museum) showmen. Ref: H16-0315-07 on 15 pitches. PE12 6BL (Formerly The Hawthornes) Land off Centenary Way, Provision of a gypsy and traveller Not yet developed Sutton Bridge, caravan site with 10 pitches - no more than 1 caravan & 2 vehicles per pitch. Temporary stopping place. Ref: H18-1077-08 Unauthorised Sites

Location Status Caravans Five Acre Park, This is a 10 pitch unauthorised site 1 mobile home, 4 Gosberton Clough with pitches owned by the occupiers. static caravans and 10 South Holland DC is in negotiation for touring caravans. 4 a land swap to relocate the occupiers pitches unoccupied at to a permanent site. Only 7 pitches time of survey. It is have ever been permanently occupied. thought that 3 pitches have only been occupied by visitors. Land off Drain Bank/A16, Occupied since April 2004. Planning 2 static caravans and Spalding consent granted on appeal. Personal 2 touring caravans consent for 2 years to Smith, Webb & (2 pitches) Wilson. Limited to two families. 1 mobile home & 2 caravans for Smith family + 1 mobile home & 4 caravans for Webb/Wilson family. Ref: H16- 0772-04 and appeals APP/A2525/C/05/2002386 and APP/A2525/A/05/1174845. Site appears to be tolerated. Land in the vicinity of Unknown landowner. Surrounded by 1 camper van believed Pinchbeck Road & new developments. to be occupied by a Enterprise Way, Spalding. single man for some years. Not included in calculations and probably best treated as a vulnerable homeless person.

Ark Housing Consultancy 77 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Unauthorised Encampments In Last Two Years

Location Date Duration Ownership Caravans Queens Bank/Martins 11.5.2011 2-3 weeks LCC 4 caravans Road, Cowbit Stockwell Gate, 17.5.2011 2 weeks LCC 1 caravan Whaplode Land near Cowbit 16.6.2011 1-2 weeks Private 2 caravans

Development land, Wash 18.7.2011 Less than LCC 9 caravans Road, Kirton 1 week Land near Plover Close, 2.8.2011 Less than LCC 2 caravans Boston 1 week Land to rear of The Star, 22.8.2011 1-2 weeks Private 1 caravan Whaplode Stockwell Gate, 30.8.2011 Less than LCC 2 caravans Whaplode 1 week Tydd Bank, Sutton Bridge 31.8.2011 9-10 LCC 2 caravans weeks Lincoln Lane Car Park, 17.8.2012 Less than Boston 4 caravans Boston 1 week Borough Council

Ark Housing Consultancy 78 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Appendix 2 Stakeholder Analysis - Findings Relating To The Travelling Community 1. Education Service Provision

1.1 Central government commitment to promoting equality in education for Gypsy and Traveller children is reflected in a range of policy statements and guidance.

1.2 A progress report by the ministerial working group on tackling inequalities experienced by Gypsies and Travellers, produced by CLG in April 2012, commits funding of just over £201m for ethnic minority achievement via the Dedicated Schools Grant, to help schools improve the performance of ethnic minority and Gypsy and Traveller pupils. Schools can use this funding to ‘buy in’ support or specialist advice, to employ an additional teacher or teaching assistant or to fund community outreach work with local Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils. The funding can be retained at local authority level to provide centralised Traveller Education Support Services.

1.3 In addition, the following government commitments are made in the report:

That Gypsy and Traveller pupils will be specifically highlighted as a vulnerable group in the revised Ofsted framework

To pilot a Virtual Head Teacher for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils in a small number of local authorities

To look again at the impact of legislation that under certain circumstances protects mobile Gypsy and Traveller families from prosecution for their children’s non-attendance at school and to do this in parallel with a review of statutory guidance

To take steps to assess the impact of school-based commissioning, alternative provision and early intervention on the most vulnerable pupil groups

To publish next year the results of an Ofsted survey on prejudiced-based bullying, which will pick up bullying of minority pupils

To collect and publish case studies from the highest performing schools for Gypsy and Traveller pupils

1.4 At present, Gypsy and Roma pupils, along with pupils of Irish Traveller heritage, are amongst the lowest-achieving groups at every Key Stage of education, although individual pupils can and do achieve very well. In 2011, just 25% of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils achieved national expectations in English and mathematics at the end of their primary education, compared with 74% of all pupils. At the end of secondary education, just 12% of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils achieved five or more good GCSEs, including English and mathematics, compared with 58.2% of all pupils.

1.5 Attainment gaps are a complex issue and the underperformance of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils may be due to a combination of factors, including financial deprivation, low levels of parental literacy and aspiration for their children’s academic achievement, poor attendance and bullying. There is a particularly strong link

Ark Housing Consultancy 79 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

between deprivation and underachievement and in primary schools, 43.2% of all registered pupils registered as either Gypsy, Roma or of Irish Traveller background are currently eligible for Free School Meals; this figure rises to 45.3% in secondary schools and 57.5% in Special Schools. Those pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals are already benefiting directly from the Pupil Premium, which is providing an additional £488 per pupil in 2010-2011 to help raise their attainment. This figure will rise to £600 per pupil in 2012-2013, when the premium will be extended to all pupils who have been eligible for Free School Meals during the past six years, whether or not they currently qualify.

1.6 The Government is clear that schools and local authorities are best placed to respond to local needs and priorities, and should take a lead in tackling the underperformance of disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils. But for them to succeed, they must be given the freedom and funding to do so. This year just over £201m has been provided for ethnic minority achievement via the Dedicated Schools Grant, to help schools improve the performance of ethnic minority and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils, as well as those with English as an Additional Language. Schools can use this funding to ‘buy in’ support or specialist advice, to employ an additional teacher or teaching assistant or to fund community outreach work with local Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils. Where Schools Forums wish it, the funding may be retained at local authority level to provide centralised Ethnic Minority Achievement and Traveller Education Support Services.

1.7 Two further relevant publications are 'Aiming High: Raising the Achievement of Gypsy Traveller pupils' (Department for Education and Skills (DfES), 2003) and 'Aiming High: Partnerships between schools and Traveller Education Support Services in raising the achievement of Gypsy Traveller pupils' (DfES, 2005).

1.8 The main themes of the guidance include: addressing the barriers to inclusion through race equality strategies and clear policies for tackling racist bullying; a welcoming ethos and culture of respect; high teacher expectations for the achievement of Traveller pupils; ethnic monitoring to measure and address differential achievement levels; an inclusive curriculum that values Gypsy and Traveller cultures; involvement of parents and the communities; encouraging regular attendance; and promoting innovative methods for ensuring continuity of learning.

1.9 Gypsy and Traveller children remain highly disadvantaged in terms of access, inclusion and achievement, and are 'the groups most at risk in the education system' (DfES, 2003).

1.10 Gypsy and Traveller children's achievement remains sharply below that of all other groups and this inequality is increasing.

1.11 Education for all children in the county is the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council, and includes a statutory duty for the education of Traveller children. In Lincolnshire this has been supported by the directly funded Traveller Education Service (TES). However, following the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review announcement in October 2010, Lincolnshire County Council decided to dispense with all Traveller teaching staff, learning support assistants and the Early Years worker.

1.12 The Equality and Human Rights Commission report that: ‘There is general agreement about the very significant role of TESs in promoting educational inclusion

Ark Housing Consultancy 80 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

and racial equality through their work with schools and with the communities. Their wide-ranging work includes outreach, advocacy, facilitation of access, promotion of communication and trust between schools and Gypsy and Traveller parents, curriculum development, in school support, in-service training, and inter-agency liaison and development. Many TESs now employ members of the communities as liaison workers or teaching assistants allocated to schools, which greatly enhances the development of trust and understanding between schools and communities. Some TESs are underfunded and all TESs have experienced a series of changes to their funding regime in recent years. TESs remain of crucial importance in promoting education for Gypsies and Travellers and it is essential that they are adequately and securely funded.’

1.13 The Equality for Minority Communities (EMC) department of the County Council has taken responsibility, since September 2011, for meeting the education needs of Gypsies and Travellers.

1.14 EMC confirms there are 325 to 350 known Gypsy and Traveller children across the County, although some of these children may now be over the age of 16. In the South East Lincolnshire area, there are 90 children, of which 15 are housed in bricks and mortar.

1.15 The County Council seeks to promote unhindered access and full integration of Traveller pupils into mainstream schooling. The service offers advice and support to schools and training to provide schools and relevant agencies with information on, and awareness of, Traveller background and cultures.

1.16 The outreach work with families aims to encourage an understanding of educational issues, including pupil enrolment and regular attendance in school.

1.17 The Gainsborough Traveller Initiative (GTI) has worked alongside the County Council, although its services do not extend to cover the whole of the County, but it is currently working with Gypsy and Traveller communities in Gainsborough, Lincoln, Boston and Spalding.

1.18 The GTI Business Plan aims to deliver by 2015 the following educational outcomes: 100 Travellers aged 11+ will gain accredited qualifications and be both more confident and able to pursue employment opportunities by the end of year five 30 early years Travellers (0 - 5) will receive good quality school provision and be helped and supported to transfer into mainstream settings by the end of year two and thereafter.

Its broader aims are to: Consolidate, refine and develop existing services in response to local needs. Explore and develop new partner providers. Operate the Free School Provide educational services to Travellers across a broader area

1.19 GTI is currently working with Lincoln University, hosting 10 MSc Social Work students this year (compare to 4 students in 2011). Students are asked to develop courses for young travellers that lead to an accredited qualification.

Ark Housing Consultancy 81 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

1.20 GTI’s remit is broader than education alone, in terms of facilitating Gypsy and Traveller access to a wider range of services. In a recent survey of travellers needs conducted by GTI, the key needs requested were:

Early Years and alternative provision for secondary age children Help to get jobs (qualifications, CV writing, work experience, etc) Help to get to further education Computer skills Parenting skills Improved reading and writing Practical courses Educational trips

These surveys also confirmed that Travellers in other parts of the county want similar services to those already provided in Gainsborough, Lincoln, Boston and Spalding.

1.21 Good Practice in Other Areas

1.22 Cambridgeshire County Council Team for Traveller Education aims to address inequalities of achievement and access to education by Gypsy and Traveller children. Team priorities include meeting the needs of highly mobile pupils to secure access and attendance at school, transfer to secondary school and maintenance of attendance at secondary school. Although the main focus is on statutory education, the team also works in pre-school settings, with Further Education, Adult and Community Learning and the Youth Service as well as the voluntary sector.

Advisory teachers work with groups of schools across a geographical area while school focused teachers and Teaching Assistants are allocated to work in specific schools. Home-school liaison officers work with schools, parents and young people to support attendance and parental involvement in school activities or parent-teacher discussions. They work across a range of schools, within a given area.

Ark Housing Consultancy 82 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

2. Health Services Provision

2.1 In March 2007 the Department of Health published a “Commissioning Framework for Health and Well-being” which introduced Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNA) by which Primary Care Trusts and top tier Local Authorities would “describe the future health, care and wellbeing needs of local populations and strategic direction of service delivery to meet those needs”. This would then help to provide personalised services, promote health and well-being, prevent ill health and reduce health inequalities.

2.2 The Health and Social Care Act 2012 emphasises the importance of the JSNA as the starting point for strategy development and commissioning decisions. It provides the new statutory Health and Wellbeing Boards with the following three required functions:

To oversee the production of the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

To develop a Joint Health and Well-being Strategy (JHWS)

To develop joint commissioning intentions and ensure all commissioning intentions meet the needs identified by the JSNA and are in line with the JHWS

2.3 A progress report by the ministerial working group on tackling inequalities experienced by Gypsies and Travellers, produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in April 2012 seeks to identify ways to improve health outcomes for Gypsies and Travellers within the proposed new structures of the NHS and makes the following commitments on health:

To work with the National Inclusion Health Board, the NHS, local government and others to identify what more must be done to include the needs of Gypsies and Travellers in the commissioning of health services

To explore how health and wellbeing boards can be supported to ensure that the needs of Gypsies and Travellers with the worst health outcomes are better reflected in Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and joint health and wellbeing strategies

To identify gaps in data and research, and look to identity the specific interventions that produce positive health outcomes

To work with the Inclusion Health working groups to identify what more needs to be done to improve maternal health, reduce infant mortality and increase immunisation rates

To embed the Inclusion Health programme in training for all health professionals with the aim of developing a strong, stable and capable workforce, that can drive change and make a difference to the lives and health outcomes of the most vulnerable

2.4 The Lincolnshire Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board will have no decision making powers until July 2013, when it becomes a committee of the County Council. It will then make recommendations to health and social care organisations.

Ark Housing Consultancy 83 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

2.5 The JSNA and JHWS priorities for Lincolnshire, produced in 2011, are:

Promoting health lifestyles Improving health and wellbeing for older people Delivering high quality care for major causes of ill health and disability Improving health and reducing health inequalities for children Reducing worklessness

2.6 A JSNA report is produced every year and is used by the shadow Health and Wellbeing Boards to write a JHWS. Whilst the Lincolnshire JSNA Overview 2011 has an action plan that explains how healthcare, health improvement and social care services will be changed to improve people’s health and wellbeing, it does not refer, in any category, to the specific health needs and requirements of the Gypsy and Traveller community in Lincolnshire.

2.7 Key findings from a Race Equality Foundation Briefing Paper produced in 2008 and titled ‘The health of Gypsies and Travellers in the UK’ are that:

The health status of Gypsies and Travellers is much poorer than that of the general population, even when taking into account controlling factors such as variable socio-economic status and ethnicity Poor access to, and uptake of, health services is a major factor in Gypsy and Traveller health Gypsy and Traveller health receives scant attention in policy documents on health inequalities Examples of good practice exist, but these need to be funded and replicated across more localities

2.8 A 2012 Better Health Briefing Update to the 2008 paper notes the current NHS restructuring has forced PCTs, Local Authorities and emerging Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and Health and Wellbeing Boards to look at how to meet the health and social care needs of their local population, including Gypsies and Travellers.

2.9 However, the challenge is to ensure that Gypsies and Travellers are included in health needs assessments, as these will inform Health and Wellbeing Boards and CCGs of the health outcomes that they need to achieve. The paper concludes that comprehensive and inclusive Joint Strategic Needs Assessments are essential, as they are a vital link to the commissioning of future services.

2.10 Health service provision for Gypsies and Travellers in Lincolnshire is currently described as informal, disjointed and reactive. No one person or team has overall responsibility for coordination and delivery of health service provision to the Gypsy and Traveller Community. In addition, the systems for recording health information across the County are not linked and this is cited as creating additional difficulties.

2.11 Health service provision is to some degree currently evolving countywide. The County Council Traveller Liaison Officer is currently working with Health Visitors to ensure that a named Health Visitor is able to attend authorised sites and also unauthorised sites to conduct health needs assessments.

Ark Housing Consultancy 84 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

2.12 Prior to the disbanding of the County Traveller Education Team, many of the health care professionals and support services that were required were contacted through the Team. Contact is now made through:

Gainsborough Traveller Initiative (GTI) County Council Traveller Liaison Officer Hospital Liaison Officer (particularly through Maternity Services) Child Health System

2.13 The GTI in particular aims to deliver the following health outcomes as part of its strategic 2011 – 2015 Business Plan:

GTI Strategic Aim: All of the main Traveller communities in Lincolnshire will be encouraged to register with G.P.'s and relationships with a number of health professionals will be developed so they can be introduced to the communities to ensure that preventative health care matters such as screening, immunisation, dental checks and sight testing take place. Sexual Health Education (traditionally a taboo subject) will be introduced in an appropriate and sensitive way.

GTI Business Plan Actions

Identify which Travellers have a GP and which GPs they are in order to create a database of registered Travellers in the county (in partnership with NHS Primary Trust)

In partnership with NHS develop strategic plan to comprehensively address the health of Traveller communities

Organise and provide training to G.P.s and other health professionals including dentists

Organise health events on sites e.g. health MOT days, healthy cooking sessions, on-site health awareness sessions

Develop the role of Traveller Cancer/Health champions

In partnership with the NHS explore approaches to tackling difficult and sensitive health issues (e.g. sexual health) within Traveller communities

Develop GTI’s role as a link to specialist health services

GTI Business Plan - Planned Outcomes:

Production of a comprehensive health directory with all contact details for use by GTI on behalf of Travellers allowing more efficient use of health professionals.

New relationships with health professionals, including dentists.

Improved health status within the traveller community, including measurement by uptake of different services by Gypsies and Travellers including:

Ark Housing Consultancy 85 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

stopping smoking health screening sexual health services engagement with health champions

2.14 A 2012 report produced by the GTI ‘Narrowing the GAP’ details the health outcomes of work carried out to develop partnerships between health services and the Travelling communities on authorised sites in Gainsborough and Washingborough, which are evidenced by:

Improved relationships and confidence in health professionals Greater engagement with NHS services Babies being weighed on site Families requesting information on infant immunisation programmes, specifically in relation to their own child Increased confidence in the knowledge that a health visitor visits the sites once a month, particularly important for transient groups of people who regularly move around the country Families feel valued as a result of services being delivered on site New links being developed with school nursing teams to bring services to children and young people on sites An identified health champion from Public Health is raising awareness of cancer related illness to families on the sites A more responsive service for families at times of need has resulted in them seeing a health professional quickly instead of waiting to see a GP. This is a result of the commitment shown by individuals and not part of the routine service delivery

2.15 In addition, during 2012, the GTI organised a training event for health care professionals to enable them to become more aware of the challenges of working and engaging with Gypsy and Traveller communities.

2.16 Implementation of the following initiatives would further enhance health service delivery to Gypsies and Travellers in the immediate future:

A named individual Health Visitor responsible for carrying out Welfare Assessments with people on unauthorised sites

A named individual health visitor responsible for the families on each designated Traveller site – building trusting relationships

Monthly drop in health visiting clinics on authorised sites

Provision of well women and well men health checks; including healthy lifestyle

Health education information should be provided on all authorised sites, including sexual health education for younger people and the effects on health due to substance misuse, particularly drugs and alcohol

Provision of information and support on smoking cessation and smoke free homes Ark Housing Consultancy 86 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

2.17 As has been noted, the longer term and strategic challenge is to ensure that Gypsies and Travellers are included in health needs assessments, as these will inform Health and Wellbeing Boards and CCGs of the health outcomes that they need to achieve. Comprehensive and inclusive Joint Strategic Needs Assessments, which includes the health needs of the Gypsy and Traveller Communities in Lincolnshire, are a vital link to the commissioning of future services.

2.18 These findings will then inform the strategy for addressing health inequalities amongst Gypsies and Travellers in Lincolnshire.

2.19 Good Practice in Other Areas

2.20 Joint Strategic Needs Assessments - Cambridgeshire Travellers 2010, commissioned by Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridgeshire PCT provides an example of the successful incorporation of Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) into JSNAs.

2.21 The Health and Social Care Needs of Gypsies and Travellers in West Sussex (October 2010) commissioned by NHS West Sussex and West Sussex County Council and conducted by the Office for Public Management provides a good source of information.

2.22 Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (GATE) is a community members association for Gypsies and Travellers who live in, or resort to, Leeds. It has been funded by the NHS to carry out a Health Needs Assessment that will provide up to date, accurate information regarding the health status of Gypsies and Irish Travellers in Leeds

Ark Housing Consultancy 87 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

3 Crime & Disorder

3.1 Crime Statistics for Lincolnshire:

3.2 In 2010/11, there were 44,992 recorded crimes in Lincolnshire, or 64 per 1,000 population. This compares with a national average of 76 crimes per 1,000 population.

3.3 The 2010/11 British Crime Survey, which includes data on unrecorded as well as recorded crime shows in 2010/11, there were an estimated 37,608 personal crimes in Lincolnshire, or 535 per 10,000 population. This compares to the national average of 837 personal crimes per 10,000 population. The BCS 2010/11 also estimates that there were 75,312 household crimes in Lincolnshire or 2,536 per 10,000 household. This compares to the national average of 2,496 crimes per 10,000 households

3.4 In 2010/11 there were 37,952 recorded incidents of anti-social behaviour in Lincolnshire. This represents a reduction of 5% in the level of incidents from 2009/10, compared with a national reduction of 8%.

3.5 The findings of a 2009 Equality and Human Rights Commission report, ‘Inequalities Experienced by Gypsy and Traveller Communities: A Review’, a section of which is an analysis of the Gypsy and Traveller experience within the criminal justice and legal system, are that:

‘Within the criminal justice system – because of a combination of unfair treatment at different stages and other inequalities affecting the communities – there is a process of accelerated criminalisation at a young age, leading rapidly to custody. This includes: disproportionate levels of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders against Gypsies and Travellers, instead of the use of alternative dispute resolution processes; high use of remand in custody, both because of judicial assumptions about perceived risk of absconding and lack of secure accommodation; prejudice against Gypsies and Travellers within pre-sentence reports, the police service and the judiciary; and perpetuation of discrimination, disadvantage and cultural dislocation within the prison system, leading to acute distress and frequently suicide.’

3.6 A progress report by the ministerial working group on tackling inequalities experienced by Gypsies and Travellers, produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in April 2012 seeks to identify ways to tackle hate crime against Gypsies and Travellers and to improve interaction with the National Offender Management Service and makes the following commitments:

A new cross-Government hate crime action plan is published, setting out the vision and approach for tackling hate crime

Promote better recording of all hate crimes, to help the police to better focus resources

The Association of Chief Police Officers to issue a refreshed Hate Crime Manual which will include specific guidance for police officers on working effectively with Gypsy and Traveller communities

To collect and publish local examples of what works in preventing and tackling hate crime for Community Safety Partnerships

Ark Housing Consultancy 88 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

The Association of Chief Police Officers to develop an information pack and self- reporting form specifically tailored for Gypsy and Traveller communities as part of its True Vision Website resource

The National Offender Management Service to monitor the population of Gypsies and Travellers in prison and under probation supervision, to ensure access to activities is appropriate and meets the needs of Gypsies and Travellers through their rehabilitation

To regularly review the good practice guidance provided to staff on equality and diversity to ensure information and cultural awareness of Gypsy and Traveller culture is incorporated and adequately addresses the needs of Gypsy and Traveller offenders

To revise the equalities training provided to new entrant prison officers with an expectation that sessions on race equality will include Gypsy and Traveller issues and awareness

To introduce a cluster arrangement of prisons overseen by a Lead Governor who will have greater discretion to commission the offender learning and skills provision required locally to best meet the needs of the offenders they are managing

3.7 The report ‘Improving Support for Victims in Lincolnshire’ was researched and written by the Victims’ Services Advocates (VSA) project in 2011. The VSA project was commissioned by the former Victims Commissioner in anticipation of the arrival of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Lincolnshire.

3.8 The report aims were to:

Summarise current support for victims in Lincolnshire Identify what victims need from local services Propose a course of action by the PCC to meet these needs

3.9 The report findings are that cuts to specialist support within Gypsy and Traveller communities are a concern. The extensive traveller community across Lincolnshire requires a trusted, experienced and consistent support worker who can also facilitate information flow from and to the traveller community and all agencies such as health, education, police and social care. Gainsborough Traveller Initiative provides this specialist support but only within Gainsborough and Lincoln, although some services have been extended to Boston and Spalding since the publication of this report. The service provided by GTI, which integrates and supports the Gypsy and Traveller community, is not available elsewhere in Lincolnshire. The stakeholders agreed “That the travelling community was left some way behind”.

3.10 The recent removal of a police single point of contact for the Lincolnshire traveller community raises concerns, as this person built up trust within the traveller community and provided support and information to traveller families and enhanced their trust and contact with the criminal justice system.

Ark Housing Consultancy 89 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

3.11 Feedback from the community reported a lack of engagement by the police who often drive, in pairs, into and out of site without engaging with the community or parking up and observing them for short periods of time before driving off.

3.12 Gypsies and Travellers in Lincolnshire felt that general response by any agency to a call to a traveller site was to attend in numbers (by the police) or by other agencies with the police. Prejudging individuals within the travelling community as being a risk to agencies attending they felt affected the quality of service they received from all agencies.

3.13 The VSA report recommends that the PCC should ensure the provision of bespoke support for Gypsies and Travellers is reviewed on an interagency basis. This support is currently only available in Gainsborough and Lincoln due to lack of funding.

3.14 The police authority has signed up to the countywide policy for ‘Dealing with Unauthorised Encampments’ (only the local authorities for Boston and Lincoln are not signed up to this document). This policy has been revised as a protocol, in line with statutory guidance and good practice. The Police Authority was willing to commit itself to the protocol, but consensus was not achieved between the local authorities.

3.15 Good Practice states there should be a joint protocol and agreement between all relevant authorities, which provides consistency in the decision making process in relation to unauthorised encampments. Travellers should understand it, and it is a recommendation of this report that the draft protocol is reviewed again prior to county-wide adoption.

3.16 Good Practice in Other Areas

3.17 A Countywide Traveller Unit (CTU) became operational in Northamptonshire in December 2003. The CTU is a single multi-agency unit including Police, Local Authorities and Health Services. Travellers are represented on the CTU consortium advisory board. A Traveller Action Group has been formed which is recognised and consulted with by statutory agencies.

Enforcement policies followed extensive consultation with the Traveller community. Enforcement action in response to unauthorised encampments is seen, by both the Travelling and settled community, to be consistent – Firm but Fair, directly linking with antisocial behaviour and the state that previous encampments were left in.

The number requiring police evictions has rapidly reduced as occupation of inappropriate locations and antisocial incidents has fallen; since 2006 all evictions have been carried out by the CTU Police Officer and Support Officer alone.

The number of caravans on unauthorised encampments has shown a sustained reduction with (150 in Northampton in 2000 reducing to zero in January 2008.

Police recorded incidents reduced from 1246 in 2000 to 428 in 2007 and to only 2 in January 2008.

3.18 In Leicestershire there is a single Multi-Agency Travellers Unit (MATU) which works on behalf of all the authorities in Leicestershire, including the unitary City Council who have formally delegated their function to the County Council along with the two staff they had.

Ark Housing Consultancy 90 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

This has enabled the MATU to provide a consistent approach to dealing with unauthorised encampments, managing sites and providing services across the whole area and to make best use of the staff time available. It offers a 'one stop shop' for all enquiries and complaints.

The MATU includes a dedicated police Sergeant who is based at their office as well as strong links with the Travellers’ Health and Education services.

The budget for 2010/11 was around £143K (of which £111k is staffing. There have been further service level agreements with housing related support workers. The funding is split across all the participating authorities.

Direct line management for the MATU Manager falls within the County Council’s Property Department and he reports to link officers in all the other authorities.

The MATU also manages all 3 of the local authority Traveller sites in the area along with two site managers.

There is currently no capital programme for sites but the 3 sites operated are self financing.

Ark Housing Consultancy 91 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

4 Employment and Economic Inclusion

4.1 The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) Gypsy and Traveller Strategy for England and Wales, reporting in 2004, noted a lack of systematic data on Gypsy and Traveller employment. However, it reported anecdotal evidence which indicated that 'unemployment is high among Gypsies and Travellers and few of the general programmes set up to tackle unemployment have initiatives or schemes developed specifically for Gypsies and Travellers, who need training in practical skills as well as opportunities to obtain qualifications for skills they already have.’

4.2 A progress report by the Ministerial Working Group on Tackling Inequalities Experienced by Gypsies and Travellers (DCLG April 2012) acknowledges this lack of evidence and, in response to this, commissioned work with Gypsies and Travellers to help gain greater understanding of the barriers the communities face in engaging with employment services. This work was supported by discussions with external organisations working with the Gypsy and Traveller communities, a review of existing research, and also a review of existing Departmental and Jobcentre Plus guidance.

4.3 The findings were that many Gypsies and Travellers felt their poor literacy skills impacted on their understanding of the requirements of the Jobseeker’s Allowance regime, as well as significantly disadvantaging them in seeking employment. They also felt they lacked qualifications and softer skills such as confidence and motivation that would help them in gaining employment.

4.4 Prior to the publication of this report, some changes had already been introduced, with Jobcentre Plus moving to a model of support, where claimants are assigned to one Adviser for the duration of their claim. In addition the Work Programme, introduced in June 2011, now allows providers the flexibility to develop support tailored to the needs of the individual and Universal Credit will be introduced in 2013. Also, Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants who are required to actively seek and be available for work have access to skills training, which includes vocational skills, basic skills and softer skills such as confidence and motivation.

4.5 Current approaches to supporting financial inclusion for marginalised communities and individuals are laid out in the 2007 Treasury document 'Financial Inclusion: An action plan for 2008-2011'. The core elements of this policy involve ensuring that all members of society are able to 'manage their money on a day-to-day basis, effectively, securely and confidently; plan for the future and cope with financial pressure, by managing their finances to protect against short-term variations in income and expenditure, and to take advantage of longer-term opportunities; and deal effectively with financial distress, should unexpected events lead to serious financial difficulty'.

4.6 In April 2008, the Communities and Local Government (CLG) stated that it ‘recognises that many Gypsies and Travellers can have difficulties accessing mainstream financial products such as bank accounts and low cost loans. This creates problems for the Gypsy and Traveller community in purchasing land to develop private sites. It also creates other practical difficulties such as site residents being unable to make savings through arranging direct debit payments, for example to utility companies’.

Ark Housing Consultancy 92 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

4.7 To address these issues, the 2012 report focuses on improvements to Gypsy and Traveller engagement with Employment and Banking Services and makes the following commitments:

To provide personalised support to Gypsies and Travellers via the Work Programme and where needed, Gypsies and Travellers will have access to appropriate skills support

To include Gypsies and Travellers as a monitoring category processing and management information systems with changes being made for the introduction of Universal Credit in 2013

To improve internal guidance and staff awareness of Gypsies and Travellers as an ethnic group

To ensure Gypsies and Travellers are represented on the Department for Work and Pensions’ Ethnic Minority Advisory Group

Measures to improve financial inclusion for Gypsies and Travellers will include ensuring that communities are aware of the services that credit unions offer. The British Bankers Association and the Association of British Insurers have both agreed to work with the Gypsy and Traveller community and community groups have been asked to set out examples of the specific barriers faced in accessing financial products and services

To promote examples of good practice through the Knowledge Hub website

4.8 Reflecting the national trend, there is a lack of data on employment and unemployment statistics for Gypsy and Traveller People in Lincolnshire. The limited and anecdotal evidence on Gypsy and Traveller employment practices and preferences, collated in interviews for the GTAA, does indicate a strong preference for self-employment often associated with working in family groups and undertaking employment such as gardening, scrapping metal, building and tarmacing. It is reported that changes to the law on cold calling have changed this and made it much harder to earn a living now

4.9 There is also some evidence that female Gypsy and Traveller expectations are changing. Some hard evidence shows that a number of female students, living on settled sites, are working on apprenticeship courses (6 from the Gainsborough site).

4.10 Good Practice in Other Areas

4.11 Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council have received EU funding in support of a Gypsy and Traveller Employment Support Project. It aims to provide specialised one-to-one support for Gypsies and Travellers in Central Bedfordshire offering employability skills and work placements and will run until 2013.

4.12 The Irish Traveller Movement in Britain set out a number of proposals for developing good practice in economic inclusion. In Ireland, training opportunities accessible through Traveller Centres are advertised in journals such as 'Voice of the Traveller'. The proposals are predominantly based upon the Irish model and suggestions include replicating the Traveller Training Centres, which provide basic literacy and practical skills training and act as a conduit to further education or preparation for entry to Leaving Certificate courses (equivalent to A-Level).

Ark Housing Consultancy 93 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

5 Equality Issues

5.1 The Equalities and Human Rights Commission provides a useful summary of The Public Sector Equality Duty (the Equality Duty), which was created by the Equality Act 2010 in order to harmonise the previous race, disability and gender equality duties. The Equality Duty replaced these duties and came into force on 5 April 2011.

5.2 The duty covers age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation. In summary, those subject to the general equality duty must have due regard to the need to:

Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act.

Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

5.3 The Act outlines the requirements that having due regard for advancing equality involves:

Removing or minimising disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics.

Taking steps to meet the needs of people from protected groups where these are different from the needs of other people.

Encouraging people from protected groups to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.

The specific duties require public bodies to publish:

information to demonstrate their compliance with the Equality Duty, by 31 January 2012 and then at least annually, and

equality objectives, by 6 April 2012 and then at least every four years.

5.4 The Act states that meeting different needs involves taking steps to take account of these needs. It describes fostering good relations as tackling prejudice and promoting understanding between people from different groups. It states that compliance with the equality duty may involve treating some people more favourably than others.

5.5 Lincolnshire County Council believes it has a leading role to play in promoting equality and diversity in the community, in its work with partners, as an employer and as a provider of services to everyone in Lincolnshire. The approach to Equality and Diversity is to treat everyone fairly, commission and procure services based on their needs and help them feel part of the community and contribute to a fairer society. However, it has been noted that the health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment does not currently contain specific reference to an assessment of the needs of Gypsies and Travellers.

Ark Housing Consultancy 94 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

5.6 Lincolnshire County Council employs a Traveller Liaison Officer. The County Council owns 4 permanent Gypsy/Traveller sites and 1 transit site in Lincolnshire. It has produced a Public Sector Equality Duty Case Study on one of its permanent sites at Summergangs Lane

5.7 The Equality and Diversity strand that the case study relates to is to:

Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it

5.8 The refurbishment of the Summergangs Lane Gypsy and Traveller Site coupled with the recent changes to their tenure has provided the Gypsies and Travellers with a high quality site with improved facilities and better security of tenure.

5.9 The Equality for Minority Communities (EMC) Department of the County Council has taken responsibility since September 2011 for meeting the education needs of Gypsies and Travellers. In correspondence with the team, it has been confirmed that no formal records of Gypsy and Traveller pupils is kept and the information that is available is kept on an informal basis. This informal information reveals there are 325 to 350 known Gypsy and Traveller children across the County, although some of them may now be over the age of 16.

5.10 Schools are required to keep information on Gypsy and Traveller pupils. However, many Gypsy and Traveller families do not declare themselves, due to the fear of discrimination.

5.11 Boston Borough Council Equality and Fairness Strategy 2010 – 2013 states its equality aims as:

• To make Boston a place where everybody is welcome • To make our services easier to access • To provide fair and equal treatment that meets individual needs • To ensure that Boston is a place where everyone can reach their potential

The highest priority equality objectives for 20010 - 2013 are to:

• work with partners to improve reporting of Hate Crime and to reduce the incidents of Hate Crime • improve the way in which we provide information to residents • increase the number of people who say they receive fair treatment from local services • ensure our employees feel supported as a colleague based on their ethnicity, disability, gender, age, sexuality, religion or belief

5.12 The Corporate Equality Policy of South Holland District Council states as its aims: The aim of this policy is to promote equality of opportunity and fair treatment for all Elected Members, staff, job applicants, customers, partners and any people that the Council comes into contact with during the course of its day to day business.

The Council will aim to make sure that no unlawful or unfair discrimination takes place on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, ethnic

Ark Housing Consultancy 95 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

origin or nationality, disability, age or any other identified inequality in the District (such as deprivation or rurality).

In relation to service delivery and customer care it further states: In achieving the Council’s corporate vision, quality service delivery and customer care are essential. To achieve quality service delivery, our position on equality will be made clear to all service users and organisations that have or are seeking contracts with the Council.

Wherever practicable we will provide equal access to our services and information for customers throughout the District, regardless of their gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, ethnic origin or nationality disability or age.

All services provided by organisations either in partnership with the Council, or under contract for the Council will be required to operate in a manner consistent with this policy.

5.13 Good Practice in Other Areas

5.14 Leicestershire County Council established in 2009 a Multi-Agency Traveller Unit, which works to promote the County’s Equality and Diversity Strategy ‘Promoting Respect and Fairness’ including:

Leicestershire is cohesive and inclusive

 Social justice and mutual respect is promoted through all our services and in our employment practices

 The needs of all sections of the community are understood and all residents can access essential services

 Levels of hate incidents are reduced

Equality of access to life opportunities

 No individual experiences disadvantage because of their race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief

 People have equality of access to life opportunities, employment, learning and services that meet individual needs

5.15 Wychavon District Council has carried out a Gypsy and Traveller Scrutiny Review. They held a consultation event for Parish and Town Councils to get their input on the review and also consulted with Gypsy and Traveller communities as part of the review.

The three main outcomes of the review were:

1. Better relationships between the Council and local Gypsy and Traveller communities, specifically;

Consultation and communication mechanisms in place A protocol summarising the role of the local authority, key contacts and partners.

Ark Housing Consultancy 96 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

2. Breaking down barriers and building understanding between settled residents and the local Gypsy communities, specifically;

Understanding the tensions that exist and why Features/articles in community publications to build understanding and acceptance

3. Balancing supply of sites and demand for the future to help inform the planning process, specifically;

Pre-application engagement and advice Proper enforcement If requirements for new sites arise, setting out the principles that will need to be applied

Ark Housing Consultancy 97 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6 Housing

6.1 Liaison with Local Authority Housing Departments & Registered Providers

6.1.1 In order to determine the position regarding Travellers in bricks and mortar accommodation contact was established with the two local authorities and registered providers active within the South East Lincolnshire area.

6.2 South Holland District Council

6.2.1 The Housing Allocations Team ran a report, interrogating housing waiting list data. The Housing Register currently has 2227 applications registered. None of the applicants have described themselves as being ‘Gypsies or Travellers’.

6.2.2 In addition, the team confirm that, since April 1995, they only have a record of having housed 1 applicant who described themselves as being from this group. However, the staff did confirm that there is an assumption that if there were any Gypsies & Traveller’s on the register they wouldn’t necessarily state it.

6.3 Boston Borough Council

6.3.1 Discussions were also held with Boston Borough Council Housing Department, which is responsible for support and maintenance of the Joint Waiting List, Boston Homechoice. The Department was able to interrogate the housing information systems and to report that there have been 5 applicants for housing over the last three years who have identified themselves as Gypsies or Travellers, all of whom were residing at the Redstone Travellers Site.

6.3.2 This authorised site has been visited and surveys completed with residents who were willing to participate, as part of this GTAA. None of those interviewed, who are currently residing on the site, stated that they had applied on the waiting list for bricks and mortar accommodation. Only one interviewee confirmed that she would be willing to move to bricks and mortar, due to a disability, but she had not made an application for housing.

6.4 New Linx Housing Trust

6.4.1 During discussions with New Linx Housing Trust, it was confirmed that the RP has no policies directly relating to the Gypsy and Traveller Community, other than the more generally defined Policy and Practices relating to Equality and Diversity.

6.4.2 The RP was able to search its ethnic monitoring system. From this research, it was confirmed that no housed families or individuals identified themselves as Gypsies or Travellers when completing the RPs ethnic monitoring forms.

6.5 Boston Mayflower Housing

6.5.1 Boston Mayflower stated that the only information available to identify Gypsies and Travellers is kept by the local authority, as part of the Joint Waiting List, Boston Homechoice.

6.5.2 They were able to confirm that no families or individuals had approached them directly for housing from the Gypsy and Traveller community. Boston Mayflower do not maintain any information that would be able to identify Gypsies and Travellers in bricks and mortar and the Equality Monitoring Sheets do not request this information. Ark Housing Consultancy 98 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

6.6 Longhurst Housing Group

6.6.1 Longhurst do not maintain a waiting list, but allocate all of their available properties from nominations from the local authorities. There is no specific policy provision, other than the more general Equality Policy, and they are not able to identify housed Gypsies and Travellers as there are no markers on their systems.

6.6.2 There is some anecdotal evidence offered of second generation Gypsies and Travellers who have been housed (i.e. children of housed Gypsies and Travellers), but it is thought that there have only been approximately three families housed in the last five years.

Ark Housing Consultancy 99 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Appendix 3 Findings On Cross-Border Movements From Other GTAAs

1. Lincolnshire GTAA 2007 – Outside Research & Development

The study found that the main reason for travelling was for work or employment. A few respondents to the survey travelled for a visit to family or friends and two respondents for weddings, funerals or family gatherings. Among those respondents who had travelled during the previous two years, the majority did not have a similar pattern of travel every year.

Respondents on Local Authority sites were fairly settled, compared to those respondents on private sites and highly mobile Gypsies and Travellers in roadside encampments. 20% of respondents on Local Authority sites had travelled in the last two years, whereas on private sites 50% had travelled, and on roadside encampments 100% of a small sample had travelled. In bricks and mortar housing, of a small sample, 0% said they had travelled in the last two years. Despite low percentages having travelled from Local Authority sites and bricks and mortar, the majority would like to see more Transit sites, which might influence travel patterns. By contrast among Travelling Showpeople, 91.7% of respondents had travelled during the last two years.

Prevalent travel patterns of those who had travelled included, among respondents on Local Authority sites: travel in Lincolnshire and throughout UK. Among respondents on private sites: 10 out of 12 respondents travelled outside of the East Midlands region, one toured all over the UK, 2 travelled abroad to Canada and Australia. ‘Highly mobile’ Gypsies and Travellers on roadside encampments had travelled in Lincolnshire and throughout the UK. Showpeople had travelled in Lincoln, South Kesteven, outside Lincolnshire in the East Midlands, and in the rest of the UK.

2. South Holland GTAA 2006 – Opinion Research Service

21 of the survey respondents travel but the report does not provide specific details of cross-boundary migration. It does comment that the main reason for travelling is for work, largely in the Summer for seasonal gardening, fruit picking and other casual labouring jobs.

18 respondents expected to travel in the future, most within the next three months. One expected to travel within South Holland and a further two within Lincolnshire. Most respondents expected to leave the area when next travelling but only on a temporary basis.

15 of the 21 respondents wanted to maintain their current base within the District and it is clear that the majority of the population is settled even if the travel from time to time outside of the area.

3. North and North East Lincolnshire GTAA 2006 – University of Salford & Sheffield Hallam University

Of the six respondents on unauthorised encampments, all indicated that they would have liked to stay in the area. In terms of which specific area they would have liked to stay in, 3 would have liked to have stayed in ; 1 respondent preferred ;

Ark Housing Consultancy 100 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

while 1 respondent preferring either Grimsby or . One respondent did not provide a specific answer.

The vast majority of people reported that they never travelled or travelled seasonally, which generally means for short periods during the summer months. When questioned on location of travel one of the most common responses was ‘anywhere’ or ‘all over’: It was impossible to identify particularly popular destinations from this. A number of respondents mentioned Appleby Fair with a similar number mentioning other Fairs such as Cambridgeshire and Stow. There were diverse replies which included: Doncaster, Newark, Romford, Nottingham, Grantham, Cambridge, London, Manchester, and Lowestoft. However, in terms of the areas people noted, this could be broadly encapsulated by an East coast travelling pattern, along a broadly similar route to the A1.

4. Cambridgeshire Sub-region Traveller Need Assessment 2006 – Anglia Ruskin University

The survey found that travel patterns were complex. Most English Gypsies in the study area were ‘born and bred’ within the region, often having regional connections over several generations. Most of those surveyed were based within the region, moving between known sites, but also travelled elsewhere. For example, a Gypsy interviewed on one day might be encountered the next day in another district. It was difficult to distinguish those Gypsies/Travellers ‘residing in’ (i.e. ‘local’) from those ‘resorting to’ an area. Some respondents travelled in Europe as well as the UK, and one had a successful (over £1 million turnover) business based in both France and the UK. Few Irish Travellers claimed to travel in Ireland, more often around London and the Midlands (as well as the study area). Four of those interviewed were effectively internally displaced persons, having lost battles to get planning permission on land they owned, or been required to leave when council sites closed or private sites were full. They were found on unauthorised sites, but were reluctant to apply as homeless persons because they knew councils had no suitable accommodation to offer.

5% of respondents travelled in Cambridgeshire with a further 4% including travel to London and within the county. 7% travelled to the coast and to fairs whilst 19% claimed to travel “all over”.

5. Cambridgeshire Sub-region Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Need Assessment 2011 – Cambridgeshire County Council Research Group

This assessment is based upon a statistical model largely utilising secondary sources of data. It does not comment in detail on travel patterns or cross-border movements.

However, one interesting finding is that Travellers’ Liaison Officers advise that current thinking is towards providing more emergency stopping places rather than transit pitches.

6. Nottinghamshire GTAA 2007 – Tribal + Update 2010

Some people travel all year round but more said that they only travel through the summer and some travel all year except winter. They travelled to a broad range of locations throughout England and some travel to Ireland, Wales, Scotland and

Ark Housing Consultancy 101 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

beyond the UK. The Summer Survey also found that 66% of respondents travelled in the summer whilst only 12% chose to travel in the winter.

The following figures indicate percentages of Travellers who travelled to: Across East Midlands 10% Across the UK 68% Overseas 22%

In common with other reports respondents said they had to travel as they were continually moved on and had no authorised site to go to.

7. Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland GTAA 2007 – University of Birmingham

Travelling for respondents with permanent accommodation is now largely, although not exclusively, a summer activity. It is often a social event in that more than half normally travel either with other family members (beyond their immediate family) or other families.

This is also clear from the reasons given for travelling. Visiting family and friends was important. Visiting events – fairs, horse fairs and Christian Conventions and Missions – was also given by many as the reasons for travelling, and these involve meeting other Gypsies and Travellers. A minority specifically mentioned travelling for work, but for the majority travelling is a holiday. Linking all these aspects, and mentioned most frequently, was some form of words indicating that this is the culture and way of life to be kept alive and shown to children.

By definition, most of those interviewed on the roadside in the Study Area are active Travellers to some degree. The exceptions are the few on long-standing encampments, several of whom said they had travelled very little in the previous year. Most of those interviewed might be regarded as ‘permanent’ Travellers in the sense that they said that they had no base elsewhere.

Council owned transit sites are currently unimportant – not surprising since there are so few nationally.

Ark Housing Consultancy 102 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

Appendix 4 Case studies

1. In order to ‘bring to life’ the issues discussed in this report a number of short case studies were carried out with Traveller families. These are not exhaustive but should give a flavour of the day to day issues faced by the travelling community.

2. Case Study 1 – Redstone Site, Boston. Authorised Local Authority Site

Case study 1 is a 33 year old Irish Traveller originally from Dublin. Prior to moving to the Boston Redstone Site she was living in Walsall, recently moving from the area due to suffering repeated domestic abuse. The respondent lived in local authority bricks and mortar accommodation and received support regarding the domestic abuse from Social Services. The respondent has another child from this relationship who was taken into care a number of years ago.

The respondent is currently pregnant and living with a nine month old daughter and new Partner on this authorised local authority site. Her Partner is of Romany Gypsy descent and his family have a strong existing presence on the Redstone site. He is currently unemployed and seeking longer term employment, as such both are benefit dependent. The current accommodation is not suitable for her needs as she is registered disabled and suffers from both a visual and hearing impairment. Her situation has not yet been formally assessed whilst living in Boston, outside of visits from a midwife, and her disability makes simple tasks very difficult, presenting health and safety issues. With adaptations to the amenity building her situation could be significantly improved. For example having a shower fitted would enable her to wash with greater ease. The respondent noted that she no longer travels due to the difficulties associated with her disabilities.

She currently has no plans to move as she feels a safe distance away from her abusive ex-Partner. She would, however, be happy to move into bricks and mortar accommodation should she need to. Although she is relatively satisfied with the site and does not plan on moving, it may become too difficult for her Partner to provide on-going care and support, in which case she may be forced into alternative accommodation. The strain on her Partner could be reduced if a robust assessment of her needs is undertaken, inevitably leading to the necessary adaptations to her accommodation.

3. Case Study 2 – Clay Lake Caravan Park, Spalding. Authorised Private Transit Site

Case study 2 is a female in her 20’s, originally from Peterborough. She moved to South Holland due to family being located in the area. As well as family connections to the area, both the respondent and her child had suffered from bullying on previous sites in Peterborough by both local residents and other Gypsies.

She is currently living on an authorised private transit site at Clay Lake in Spalding with her two young children. She has two brothers also living on the site with their respective Partners and young children. She also has a Partner who is not based locally. This has been her main accommodation for the past four months. Although shared facilities are considered to be an issue, the fact the accommodation is temporary is her main concern. She believes there is a lack of availability of permanent sites nearby or in Peterborough and is currently on waiting lists for sites

Ark Housing Consultancy 103 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

and would consider joining a housing waiting list. A lack of affordability is also a key problem in this case as she feels she would be unable to afford a permanent or private site of her own. Currently she is paying a relatively high weekly rent to the Gypsy family who own the site, when related tothe lack of sole use facilities and space.

Ideally she would like to move to a private site with several generations of her family. As they are unable to afford this, availability of an affordable permanent pitch would suffice either in South Holland, Boston or Peterborough.

The respondent advised that she travels regularly, for perhaps a few weeks at a time, to locations around the country. However, she always returns to Peterborough or South Holland as a main base.

4. Case Study 3 – Five Acres Park, Broad Drove, Gosberton Clough. Unauthorised Private Encampment

Case study 3 is a self-employed mother in her thirties of Scottish Traveller decent from Perthshire. Her husband is of English Traveller decent from Lincolnshire, who is also self-employed. They have lived with their three children at the unauthorised Five Acres site at Gosberton Clough for over five years.

The respondent likened their current living situation to being “in-limbo” due to the on- going land swap negotiations led by South Holland District Council. The respondent stated a high level of unhappiness with her family’s living conditions at the site, commenting that the on-going enforcement action has resulted in a lack of private investment in key infrastructure by Travellers on the site. This includes but is not limited to poor water and sewerage systems, a lack of access to hot water, forced access to a shared electricity supply and poor access road surfacing and aesthetic features. The respondent felt that the families on the site would be happy to rectify these issues if there was some surety to their staying at this location. This surety is not available at present. In addition, concerns were raised around health and safety due to a lack of night-time lighting at the site.

The family is unlikely to move until an alternative site is found as part of the land swap. The respondent noted that the family travel less and less, with travelling limited to a few visits to see family throughout the year.

Locating at Five Acres Park was very much seen as an aspirational move for the family, who were keen to gain greater control of their living situation by moving to a private site. The respondent expressed a dislike of larger sites, both transit and local authority, due to her perception that these sites are more likely to foster anti-social behaviour from neighbours or intruders. However, the reality of the Five Acres site falls far below her initial expectations due to the aforementioned lack of infrastructure. The respondent is keen to progress with a land swap in the local area to put an end to the on-going negotiations and to create a better living environment for her family.

Ark Housing Consultancy 104 South East Lincolnshire GTAA

5. Case Study 4 – Deeping St. Nicholas. Local Authority Bricks and Mortar Accommodation

Case study 4 is an unemployed mother of seven living in local authority bricks and mortar accommodation in Deeping St. Nicholas. She originates from Manchester but came to Lincolnshire whilst travelling. The then pregnant woman had been living with six children in a small touring caravan on a grass verge and had been flagged up by Lincolnshire County Council Health and Traveller Education teams as in urgent need of support. The respondent agreed to move into a council house with the assistance of the County Council around two years ago. Previously she had been issued eviction notices and removed numerous times from multiple locations by the police.

The respondent commented that living in bricks and mortar was a positive experience due to the space available within the property and access to kitchen and bathroom facilities. She did express some desire to go travelling again, but noted that in reality this was unlikely to happen. The family do travel for short holidays to the likes of Skegness in the summer.

The researchers noted that across two visits the majority of children were present in the home, suggesting sporadic school attendance. A number of the children are receiving assistance from the Gainsborough Traveller Initiative who are well placed to advise of additional educational requirements.

The respondent expressed particular concern around the impact of the Coalition Government’s welfare reform policies, stating that a reduction in benefits would make life significantly more challenging. The researcher noted a degree of misunderstanding from the respondent regarding the likely effects of Welfare Reform on the family. Nevertheless, it highlights the confusion present across social housing tenants with regard to the changing political and funding landscape.

Ark Housing Consultancy 105 South East Lincolnshire GTAA