Gypsy/Travellers action plan: 2023

More and better homes

Additional capital investment

Making an additional capital investment up to £2m between 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 in public sector Gypsy/Traveller sites, designed to improve quality of life. 

June – September 2023 focus

COSLA will present the report to members of the Gypsy/Traveller community through site visits and hear their feedback as part of developing engagement going forward. 

A learning session will be held with local authorities to embed good practice and develop solutions to challenges in delivering participatory approaches to site engagement to inform Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund projects going forward. 

Housing and investment

Reviewing our housing and investment programmes to ensure the needs of Gypsy/Travellers are included and are appropriately and collectively resourced.

June – September 2023 focus

We will continue to work with the six Councils identified for round one and round two funding for demonstration projects under the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund to monitor progress and provide learning opportunities. 

We have commissioned an evaluation of the Fund and Interim Site Design Guide which will aim to gather the key points of learning from the demonstration projects to inform future projects and a final Site Design Guide. Local authorities developing sites are sharing experiences and we will publish supplementary material to the Interim Guide during 2023. 

Looking ahead to next steps in funding, we will start development of a business case that looks at possible long term funding options for Gypsy/Traveller sites beyond 2026. 

Gypsy/Traveller accomodation needs

Working with Gypsy/Traveller communities so that we have a better understanding of their accommodation needs and preferences. Gypsy/Traveller accommodation will be considered as part of our approach to, and engagement on, housing to 2040. We are developing a vision for how we want our homes and communities to look and feel in 2040 and a route map to get there. 

June – September 2023 focus

We plan to commission work on an Accommodation Needs Toolkit - this has a practical focus, aimed at improving the way that Housing Need and Demand Assessments, Local Housing Strategies (LHS) and Development Plans reflect the needs of Gypsy/Travellers and helping Local Authorities to meet their duties under the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 in relation to Local Development Planning and Evidence Reports. 

Public sector sites

Taking action to ensure that all public sector sites meet the minimum standards and work with residents as part of this process. 

June – September 2023 focus

The Scottish Housing Regulator will continue to monitor, assess, and report on landlords’ achievement of and ongoing compliance with the Minimum Site Standards.  SHR engages with those landlords whose sites do not comply with the standards. 

Two Landlords (two sites) report that they do not meet the standards. One of these is not currently inhabited and will meet the standards upon completion of work as one of the demonstration projects under the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund leaving one site. 

Testing positive approaches

Testing out positive approaches in five local areas that can strengthen the way we support families who are travelling. 

June – September 2023 focus

COSLA has commissioned research in partnership with Public Health Scotland, focusing on the impact of the Negotiated Stopping pilot on local authority delivery to roadside camps, the impact on health outcomes for Gypsy/Travellers camped roadside and Gypsy/Travellers views on the effectiveness of negotiated stopping on living standards.

COSLA will act on recommendations identified through the evaluation to develop an information resource for local authorities, community partners and third sector organisations on rights and entitlements to services and support (focusing on roadside accommodation and services). 

A stronger voice in planning

Through the review of national planning policy we will ensure that Gypsy/Travellers have a stronger voice, at both national and local level, in guiding the future development of their places. 

June – September 2023 focus

The definition alongside local development planning regulations was laid in Parliament on the 24th March and came into force on the 19th May. The final definition was informed by the consultations responses and engagement from the multiple in-person events run by Scottish Government and facilitated by MECOPP.  

Workshop on fuel poverty

Holding a workshop with Gypsy/Travellers with lived experience of fuel poverty to understand how the Fuel Poverty Strategy and our programmes may need to be adapted to reflect the particular needs of the community.

June – September 2023 focus

We are engaging with the Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel in respect of next steps with our strategy and expect their further advice to come forward to Ministers in early June. 

Fuel Poverty officials will consider the Panel’s strategy advice and recommendations on receipt, in order to take forward appropriate next steps, including those actions specifically related to the lived experience of the Gypsy/Traveller communities.