Improving Gypsy/Traveller sites: progress summary

Facilities & Amenities

It is important that good quality facilities and amenities are provided to site tenants. This standard has six indicators to determine whether it is being met.

Overall the self-assessments show that six sites – Aberdeenshire, Collin and Glenluce in Dumfries and Galloway, North Ayrshire, Newtonmore in Highland and Stirling - did not meet this standard on either one or more indicator. North Ayrshire Council, Highland Council and Stirling Council told us that these issues would be rectified by June 2018. Information from site residents indicates that there may be issues on six further sites – Angus, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Larkhall in South Lanarkshire, Tarvitmill in Fife and West Dunbartonshire – mainly in relation to the quality of the fixtures and fittings in the amenity blocks.

Indicator 1 – The amenity block has a wholesome water supply, with adequate water pressure

• The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 2001 and the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006 set the standard for 'wholesome' water supplies, and reflect a European Drinking Water Directive. There should be sufficient water pressure to allow appliances in amenity blocks (such as washing machines) to be used normally.

All site providers except one reported that this indicator is met. At one of the four sites provided by Highland Council, Newtonmore, renovations began in November 2017 to address this ahead of the June 2018 deadline.

The residents we spoke to and the questionnaire responses we received supported this.

Indicator 2 – The amenity block has a toilet available for the exclusive use of the occupants of the pitch

• The bathroom's main toilet and related fittings must be in a good and usable condition.

All site providers reported that their amenity blocks have toilets available for the exclusive use of the occupants of the pitch. This was supported by the residents we spoke to and the questionnaire returns. One site provider, Stirling Council, reported that as part of this exercise, they had identified that some flush mechanisms and toilet seats required to be replaced and this was being done.

Indicator 3 – Amenity block fittings (including toilet, and any shower or bath) should be of a good quality

• The bathroom hand basin and related fittings must be in good and usable condition.

All but two site providers reported meeting this indicator. North Ayrshire Council is currently undertaking work on their site to ensure this is rectified ahead of the June 2018 deadline. At the site at Collin in Dumfries and Galloway a number of the showers are affected by the subsidence previously mentioned. This causes the water to pool in the shower basins. This cannot be rectified until the wider issue of subsidence is addressed.

Indicator 4 – Amenity block kitchen fittings (such as storage cabinets and worktops) should be of a good quality

• The condition of the kitchen sink and kitchen storage cupboards (primarily doors, carcasses and worktops), and related fittings, should be in good and usable condition.

All but two site providers reported meeting this indicator. Both Stirling Council and Highland Council, at its Newtonmore site, are undertaking work to ensure that this indicator is met by June 2018.

These reports at indicator 3 and 4 are not wholly supported by what residents told us. Residents in Angus, West Dunbartonshire, the Larkhall site in South Lanarkshire and the Tarvitmill site in Fife all expressed dissatisfaction with the fixtures and fittings in their amenity blocks. In Angus, the Council was in the process of replacing all amenity blocks, West Dunbartonshire Council told us they are striving to ensure all standards are met by June 2018. In Larkhall, South Lanarkshire most residents we spoke to had an issue with the quality of the bathroom flooring that had been fitted and this was being redone. In Fife work is planned at all of the Council's sites but it is unclear if this will be complete at all three sites by June 2018.

Indicator 5 – There should be a hot and cold water supply to amenity block sinks

• The bathroom and kitchen should have a hot and cold water supply to hand basins and the bath/shower which is in good and usable condition.

All site providers report that they are meeting this indicator. This is largely supported by information from residents. Two residents at the West Dunbartonshire site told us that there is no hot water in their amenity blocks.

Indicator 6 – There should be adequate electrical sockets in the amenity block

• The kitchen must have at least 6 x 13 amp electrical power sockets securely mounted on the wall.

Aberdeenshire Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council and North Ayrshire Council reported not meeting this indicator. North Ayrshire Council reported carrying out work to address this. In Aberdeenshire and Dumfries and Galloway the significant investment required to bring the amenity blocks up to the standards will not be complete by the deadline. All other site providers report that this indicator is met and this was generally supported by what residents told us. Residents in Aberdeen told us there was a lack of sockets in the kitchen of their amenity blocks.