Guidance for undertaking Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessments

This statutory guidance has been produced to assist local authorities in discharging their duties under Part 3 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (“the 2014 Act”). The guidance is published under section 106 of the 2014 Act. Local authorities must have regard to this guidance when carrying out their functions under Part 3 of the 2014 Act.

Local authorities must undertake a Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessment (“GTAA”) for each review period and submit it to the Welsh Government for approval. Where the assessment identifies an unmet need for mobile home sites, local authorities must exercise their powers in section 56 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 to provide sites for mobile homes so far as may be necessary to meet those needs.

The accommodation needs of all Gypsies and Travellers must be identified, understood and addressed through the local authority’s overall planning framework and housing strategy on the same basis as other sectors of the community.

The needs identified in the GTAA process should be mainstreamed within the local housing strategy. Under section 107 of the 2014 Act, where a local housing authority is required under section 87 of the Local Government Act 2003 to have a strategy in respect of meeting the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers residing in or resorting to its area, the local housing authority must have regard to the guidance given by the Welsh Ministers in preparing its strategy.

It is important for local authorities to understand that the GTAA process does not replace their statutory duties to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within their area. Under section 55 of the 2014 Act, a person is homeless if they have accommodation, but it consists of a moveable structure or vehicle designed or adapted for human habitation and there is no place where the person is entitled or permitted both to place it and to reside in it.

The Welsh Government’s Anti-racist Wales Action Plan reflects the importance of culturally appropriate accommodation for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Its goal is:

“To recognise that safe, culturally appropriate accommodation is necessary in order for individuals to flourish in other parts of their lives and to address the lack of site provision and poor quality of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation in Wales”.

The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all sections of the community and Gypsies and Travellers must have the same access to culturally appropriate, safe and suitable accommodation as all other members of the community.

Applying a human rights-based approach and working collaboratively with Gypsy and Traveller communities is a core element of the GTAA process and essential to ensuring fairness and compliance with the local authority’s public sector equality duty and Welsh specific duties. This approach also aligns with the Guidance’s emphasis on co-production and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, all of which highlight the importance of inclusive and representative engagement:

• Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
• Equality Act 2010 (Statutory Duties) (Wales) Regulations 2011
• Sustainable Development Goals

The purpose of the GTAA is to ensure that adequate housing becomes a reality for Gypsy and Traveller communities. The Welsh Government has an overarching ambition to ensure everyone in Wales has access to adequate housing, which is culturally appropriate, in line with the criteria put forward by the United Nations’ Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The Welsh Government is committed to the principle of treating the Welsh and English languages on a basis of equality. The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 (the “Measure”) makes provision for the specification of standards of conduct in relation to the Welsh language. The current standards are specified in the Welsh Language Standards (No. 1) Regulations 2015.

The Welsh Language Commissioner has issued a compliance notice on the Welsh Ministers specifying which of the standards currently apply to any activity or service provided by or on behalf of the Welsh Ministers.

Each local authority is subject to its own Welsh Language Compliance Notice, which is enforced by the Welsh Language Commissioner.

The assessment of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs, and the duty to make provision for sites where the assessment identifies need, are statutory requirements under Part 3 of the 2014 Act.

Section 108 of the 2014 Act defines “Gypsies and Travellers” as:

1. Persons of a nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, including:
   1. 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
   2. members of an organised group of travelling show people or circus people (whether or not travelling together as such); and
2. All other persons with a cultural tradition of nomadism or of living in a mobile home.

A broad definition is necessary to achieve a full understanding of the accommodation needs of all those who form a part of these communities.

Romani Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised racial groups for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. The intention of the above definition is to ensure that other relevant ethnic groups are also included, as well as those from any other groups who follow a nomadic way of life. For example, New Travellers could be captured by the definition if they follow a nomadic way of life.

Members of these communities do not necessarily need to demonstrate a continued nomadic habit of life to be considered to be Gypsies or Travellers for the purposes of this assessment. Gypsies and Travellers living in bricks and mortar housing may want to move to a site in the future, and it will be essential for local authorities to also take their needs into account in GTAAs.

The requirement under the 2014 Act is for local authorities to provide suitable mobile home sites to meet the needs of Gypsies and Travellers within their area. Gypsies and Travellers should not be pressured into bricks and mortar because of a lack of available local authority sites.

Local authorities remain under a statutory duty to meet the accommodation needs identified in their latest approved GTAA where these remain unmet, even where they have submitted a draft assessment to the Welsh Government for the subsequent review period. If there has been a significant change in circumstances from the previous assessment, for example, where a previously identified need no longer exists, local authorities must explain the reason for this change in their draft GTAA.

This guidance was written in 2025, within the third GTAA cycle. The Cycle 3 GTAA covers the period 2022 to 2027. All Welsh local authorities must submit their Cycle 3 GTAA to the Welsh Ministers for approval by 24 February 2027.

Future cycles cover the period:

• 2027 to 2032: local authorities must submit their GTTA by 24 February 2032.
• 2032 to 2037: local authorities must submit their GTTA by 24 February 2037.
• 2037 to 2042: local authorities must submit their GTTA by 24 February 2042.

The requirement in section 101 of the 2014 Act is for each local authority to carry out an assessment of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers residing in or resorting to its area in each review period. Local authorities may choose at which point during each cycle they submit their GTAA to Ministers.

An understanding of Gypsy and Traveller accommodation issues is essential to enable local authorities to make properly planned accommodation provision for the community and avoid the problems associated with ad hoc or unauthorised encampments. A comprehensive GTAA and a clear strategy to meet the need which has been identified will greatly reduce the risk of unauthorised encampments within a local authority, as it is recognised that unauthorised encampments often occur because of the lack of authorised site provision.

Section 102 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 requires local authorities to submit their GTAA reports to the Welsh Ministers for approval. Each report must:

• detail how the assessment was carried out
• contains a summary of both the consultation carried out in connection with the assessment, and the responses (if any) it received to
• detail the accommodation needs identified by the assessment

The Welsh Ministers may approve the assessment as submitted, approve the assessment with modifications, or reject the assessment. If a GTAA is rejected, the local authority must either revise and resubmit its assessment for approval or undertake a new assessment.

The Welsh Ministers will assess each report to ensure it is robust, complies with each of the requirements of the 2014 Act, shows that the local authority has had due regard to this guidance and that the calculation of needs is evidence based and reached after proper consultation with relevant individuals.

Section 105 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 requires a local authority to provide the Welsh Ministers with such information (and at such times) as they may require in connection with the exercise of their functions under Part 3 of the Act.

The Welsh Ministers may ask for such information as they may require generally or in relation to a particular case.

In order to help ensure that the Welsh Ministers have all the information they need to approve a GTAA, local authorities should submit their full GTAA, together with all relevant evidence, to demonstrate that the assessment undertaken is comprehensive and has accurately identified all the outstanding accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers both residing in and resorting to their area.. When providing details of the identified accommodation needs, it is recommended that local authorities provide a breakdown in the form set out in Annex 5.

Local authorities must also set out a plan in their GTAAs to explain how they intend to address the accommodation needs they have identified.

Local authorities need to work closely with Gypsies and Travellers throughout the GTAA process and after the assessment has been approved. It is important that outcomes and next steps are communicated to community members, including children and young people, in an accessible format. In particular, it is recommended that local authorities provide direct feedback to all those who participated in the assessment to ensure they understand how their views have been considered.

Once an assessment has been approved by Welsh Ministers, it must be published by the local authority on their website.

Gypsies and Travellers will typically form only a very small percentage of the population as identified by the Office for National Statistics in any given local authority area. The known total may not include the members of these communities who declined to self-ascribe their ethnicity for fear of discrimination, stronger affiliation with other ethnicity categories (e.g. White Irish) or for other reasons, though attempts are made by the Office for National Statistics to gain more understanding of these issues.

Gypsies and Travellers may be living in bricks and mortar or on local authority or private mobile home sites. It is imperative local authorities assess the needs of all the population as part of the GTAA process.

Some of those living in bricks and mortar may have moved from living in mobile homes due to the lack of alternatives, possibly because the local authority where they reside had not provided enough site accommodation. The GTAA will need to assess whether individuals or families living in bricks and mortar due to limited alternative provision wish to move back to a local authority site when pitches become available.

A lead should be identified within the local authority to take the GTAA process forward and, ensure key progress targets and milestones are met. This should normally be the local housing authority as the strategic housing body.

The GTAA requires an in-depth Census style survey with both primary and secondary data collection.

A ‘primary’ data collection such as a survey is required to assess the needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities due to their small population size and particular accommodation needs. Using existing statistics (or ‘secondary’ data) alone to assess their accommodation needs would be unlikely to yield results which are statistically robust or up-to-date as limited reliable data exists regarding the accommodation requirements of these communities in each local area.

As a result, the GTAA will require a primary survey to be undertaken directly with the Gypsy and Traveller population (acquired through a census-style approach), in addition to a review of the available existing data. This process will be explained in more detail in Chapter 2.

Section 101 of the 2014 Act expressly requires a local housing authority to consult such persons as they consider appropriate when carrying out an assessment of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers in their area. Under section 102, the local authority must prepare a report detailing how their assessment was carried out, summarising the consultation undertaken and the responses received and setting out the accommodation needs identified.

If the Welsh Ministers consider that the local authority has failed to carry out a proper consultation, their assessment may be rejected. It is therefore very important for local authorities to ensure their consultation is thorough and effective.

Local authorities must determine who they consider it is appropriate to consult. This is expected to include the various communities within the scope of the definition of Gypsies and Travellers so that their needs can be properly assessed.

Most local authorities have sought to consult Romani Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities in their area when undertaking GTAAs. However, often this has been restricted to those living on local authority or private sites with planning permission. The needs of those on private sites without planning permission, using unauthorised encampments and those living in bricks and mortar housing must also be assessed through direct consultation, together with those who resort to the local authority area.

There should also be meaningful involvement of children and young people in the GTAA process, along with clear and accessible communication of outcomes. This will not only upholds their rights but will also support more informed, community-driven decisions.

In some parts of the country, New Travellers form a significant minority of the travelling population. Their needs must also be assessed by the relevant local authorities alongside those of the more traditional Gypsy and Traveller groups.

The needs of Travelling Showpeople must also be considered as part of the GTAA, as this group may, for example, need winter quarters within a local authority area.

When assessing GTAA reports, the Welsh Ministers will pay particular attention to the extent to which local housing authorities have demonstrated that they have consulted directly with members of all the Gypsy and Traveller communities residing in or resorting to their area. Reviewing data sources (as outlined in Chapter 2 ) and liaising with Gypsy and Traveller support organisations (see Annex 2) to identify and engage with community members may support this aim, but does not replace the need for direct consultation with those whose needs are being assessed.

To ensure the estimate of pitch need in a GTAA is robust, it is essential to secure a successful consultation with community members. Local authorities are advised to follow the ‘engagement checklist’ to ensure they reach as many community members as possible.

An interview log must be kept by local authorities to demonstrate to the Welsh Ministers how every effort has been made to engage with all Gypsies and Travellers in the area. The log of interviews must clearly state if repeated efforts to engage with community members have failed and give reasons for non-participation where available. A draft interview log has been provided at Annex 4.

Welsh Ministers may need to review the interview log when considering whether to approve or reject local authority GTAAs and it is therefore recommended that this is submitted along with the assessment.

Section 103 of the 2014 Act makes it clear that if a local authority’s approved assessment identifies a need for sites on which mobile homes may be stationed, the authority must exercise their powers in section 56 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 so far as may be necessary to meet those needs.

If a need for Gypsy and Traveller pitches is identified, the local authority must consider how to make the necessary provision and whether to use their powers under section 56 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 to secure the required sites.

Provision of local authority pitches and sites is likely to be the most effective llong-term solution to meet the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers, but local housing authorities may also wish to consider securing pitches on sites operated by registered social landlords or private Gypsy and Traveller sites where appropriate.

The following groups may be particularly likely to give rise to pitch need. Mobile home dwelling households:

• who have no local authority or private sites on which to reside
• whose existing site accommodation is overcrowded or unsuitable and residents are unable to obtain larger or more suitable accommodation
• who contain households who need to set up separate family units but who are unable to access a place on a local authority site or develop their own private site

‘Bricks and mortar’ dwelling households:

• whose existing accommodation is overcrowded or unsuitable (‘unsuitable’ in this context includes unsuitability by virtue of cultural aversion to bricks and mortar accommodation)
• which contain concealed households who are unable to set up separate family units and who are unable to access suitable or appropriate accommodation

The requirement of the assessment is to provide data which will accurately identify Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs.

The completed GTAA should equip local authorities with all the relevant data to inform their local housing strategy and Gypsy and Traveller site provision policies in their Development Plan.

Where a local authority has identified a need for additional sites, the GTAA should also set out how they will meet those needs and within which timescales.

The GTAA should state whether the local authority intend to exercise their powers under section 56 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 to meet the identified needs and include such other information as may be relevant to demonstrate how the authority will otherwise meet their duty to provide the required accommodation.

The assessment aims for Gypsies and Travellers will be the same as for other sectors of the community, that is, to identify outstanding need. However, the severe shortage of culturally appropriate Gypsy and Traveller accommodation will mean the process for undertaking the review is substantially different. Unlike other sectors of the community, Gypsies and Travellers may reside in the following types of accommodation:

• local authority sites
• private sites with planning permission
• private sites without planning permission
• bricks and mortar
• transit or temporary/negotiated stopping places
• unauthorised encampments

The accommodation needs of Gypsy and Traveller communities may differ from the rest of the population because of:

• their nomadic or semi-nomadic pattern of life
• the caravan-dwelling culture
• potential movement between housing and caravans
• the incidence of unauthorised encampments
• patterns of extended family living

Potential movement between different local authority areas may have the following implications for carrying out an assessment:

• the possibility of needing to work on a regional level in both carrying out assessments and delivering solutions to required site provision
• the timing of the GTAAs will need to be considered to align with other relevant local authorities
• different questions may need to be asked
• different data sources may need to be used

If an authority has little knowledge of, or reliable data on, Gypsies and Travellers, it is even more important that groups supporting these communities are engaged to ensure the assessment is accurate and reaches as many people as possible. The GTAA process must be redone at the very least every review period of 5 years to ensure the evidence remains up-to-date and robust. Local authorities can undertake GTAAs more frequently than this if they choose to do so. It is recommended local Councillors are made aware of the requirement to conduct a GTAA, meet the needs identified and of this guidance. Providing Gypsy and Traveller sites can be a complex issue within wider communities, and it may be helpful to ensure Council members are fully briefed and understand the statutory duties on each local authority at an early stage.

It is essential the assessment process has credibility and acceptance within the Gypsy and Traveller community. If not, it may be difficult to engage community members, which will undermine the accuracy of the survey. It is recommended that local authorities secure the involvement of Gypsy and Traveller communities at the initial planning stage of the GTAA process, who will be able to ensure the procedure to be followed reflects their diverse backgrounds and needs.

The local authority is responsible for deciding who should lead the GTAA process. This would normally be a local authority department, either Housing or Planning. Whoever is appointed should ensure the Housing and Planning departments work closely together, have suitable seniority to take ownership of the outcome, and ensure that due regard is had to the relevant Welsh Government Gypsy and Traveller guidance documents across the local authority.

Local authorities have the flexibility to decide to undertake individual GTAAs or regional GTAAs. While the responsibility to carry out the GTAA rests with individual local authorities, who must identify all outstanding accommodation needs for their own area, it may be possible to work in partnership with other authorities when deciding how best to meet those needs. The potential benefits of such an approach may be particularly relevant in relation to the Gypsy and Traveller community because of their mobility and travelling patterns, which are liable to cross local authority boundaries, and which in particular must be understood if appropriate transit provision is to be made. Working in regional partnerships may ultimately save costs and improve the data source and delivery of adequate accommodation.

Partnership working must aim to deliver:

• a better engagement with Gypsy and Traveller communities
• a better understanding of the accommodation need across the administrative boundaries
• a better understanding of travelling patterns to help inform the need for transit provision
• a common approach and consistency across the partnership area
• economies of scale
• reduced risks of double counting
• opportunities to work together to devise a concerted and strategic approach to Gypsy and Traveller mobile home site shortages

If local authorities wish to produce regional GTAAs, early discussions must take place with other local authorities in the region to identify the scope for partnership working. Welsh Government should also be informed. Any delays in the process of undertaking a regional GTAA will put local authorities at risk of breaching their statutory duty to submit the GTAA to Welsh Ministers within specified time limits in the 2014 Act. Therefore, early agreement of the process for commissioning joint GTAAs is essential in any regional partnership.

When assessing which local authority areas may wish to cooperate to understand regional needs, local authorities should consider the knowledge and experience of their officers and any views from members of the local Gypsy and Traveller communities. The area to be covered will largely depend on typical travel and movement patterns within the region or where existing sites are situated close to administrative boundaries. Community members should be able to explain the wider areas they consider to be relevant to authorities. The involvement of individuals from Gypsy and Traveller communities at an early stage in these discussions is vital to inform the partnership area and should produce the most effective results.

It is essential the data arising from jointly conducted assessments remains capable of disaggregation to each individual local authority level, to ensure each partner retains ownership of and accountability for their own information base. Individual authorities may need to produce their own stand-alone information if required, say in circumstances involving Development Plan hearings, a planning inquiry or appeal specific to the situation within each individual local authority.

Where national park authorities exist within the local authority area, the data must be capable of disaggregation within and outside the national park authority boundary. This is because the national park authorities are also required to produce Development Plans and the GTAA will provide evidence to underpin each plan.

Appointing a steering group for the GTAA will help to ensure the process is informed by all available expertise to produce the most effective assessment possible. It is important key stakeholders are aware of the appointment of the steering group and given the opportunity to be involved at an early stage. The group should include those who have established networks within Gypsy and Traveller communities and who hold accountability for meeting their accommodation needs. These may include representatives from:

• local authority Housing and Planning departments
• local Gypsy and Traveller community members
• organisations working to support Gypsy and Traveller communities, Annex 2
• other relevant services such as Traveller education services, Gypsy and Traveller liaison officers or health board officers who work closely with Gypsy and Traveller communities and who may have knowledge of communities in the area
• local authority councillors, for example, the Equality or Planning portfolio holder

It is also recommended, where practicable, to include a person with detailed knowledge of the assessment processes and outcomes in adjoining local authority areas.

The involvement of members of the local Gypsy and Traveller communities is a critical part of the steering group composition and should not be overlooked or delayed. Their contribution is key to help counter any perception that the assessment is being done ‘to’ Gypsy and Traveller communities, rather than ‘with’ them. Their involvement may also provide a crucial perspective on the travelling patterns of communities and the need (or otherwise) to work on a regional basis. They will also assist with ensuring the needs of the entirety of the Gypsy and Traveller community are included in the GTAA. It will also strengthen opportunities for the study to be well publicised amongst community members and explore the best way of engaging community members to gather the required information.

It should be noted that where any Gypsy and Traveller community members do not want to engage with the GTAA process, or they are not comfortable in talking to the local authority, it should not be presumed that they have no need for pitches. If this is the case, the steering group must consider other methods to capture their housing need. This could include use of Gypsy or Traveller stakeholder organisations or liaising with other community members who may be able to facilitate participation in the GTAA process on their behalf.

When inviting community members to participate in the steering group, community members themselves should be given an opportunity to nominate their chosen individuals. Organisations who work closely with these communities could also nominate those who they believe would be able to support the steering group’s aims. Although the views of individual community members may not be representative of everyone, they may offer a different perspective as members of the community whose accommodation needs are being assessed.

Community members may also be able to provide some advice on the appropriateness of proposed engagement techniques and likely questions from the community. Gypsy and Traveller representation on the steering group is likely to form a minority in terms of numbers. However, the local authority must ensure their views are given due weight as they are likely to be best placed to advise on the needs of their own communities.

The steering group will need to fulfil a range of responsibilities, including:

• recommending the geographical survey area
• designing the study aims and outcomes
• appointing researchers (in-house or external)
• publicising the study to stakeholders
• providing local knowledge to the researchers
• providing feedback to consultation participants and stakeholders
• overseeing a robust GTAA assessment of needs and plans to address needs

Once the extent of the survey area and any collaboration with other local authorities has been decided, the steering group will need to identify the aims and outcomes for the GTAA. Key outcomes must align with delivery of the local authority’s duties under Part 3 of the 2014 Act, including establishing a clear understanding of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and an accurate assessment of the number of mobile home pitches which have been identified as required within the area. Key outcomes should also include a plan to address that need.

The local authority are advised to use the Welsh Government questionnaire at Annex 3 to ensure key data is identified and analysed. However, the steering group may wish to consider adding additional questions to the questionnaire to capture any locally specific data and to achieve any other outcomes which may be required for any particular area. It is recommended any longer questionnaire is piloted with community members to ensure the length of the interview does not adversely affect participation.

Establishing clear outcomes will support the steering group in appointing researchers to undertake the evidence gathering and data analysis sections of the accommodation assessment. The appointed researchers can be in-house staff or external consultants.

Once the survey area and aims have been decided, including plans to how feedback will be given to those involved, researchers will need to be appointed to conduct the accommodation assessment study. Options include the use of:

• in-house staff: ideally from within the Gypsy and Traveller section or the housing department of the local authority
• specialist consultants, ideally with lived experiences

In reaching a decision on who will carry out the survey, local authorities will need to consider:

• the capacity and expertise of in-house staff
• the qualifications and track record of consultants, including evidence interviewers have undertaken cultural awareness training
• how effective each option might be in reaching the target group (e.g. previous relationship with Gypsy and Traveller communities or whether working with Gypsies and Travellers themselves may be useful to obtain better access to the community and secure the trust of those being assessed)
• the ability to analyse primary and secondary data to assess accommodation needs
• the robustness of the process, which will be vital for securing acceptance of the results
• the credibility of each option with both Gypsies and Travellers and the settled community
• resources and costs

Local authorities should be mindful that where researchers already have personal knowledge of the target communities, some community members may be hesitant to divulge personal and private information to them.

Each of these factors are important considerations when assessing commissioning options. Local authorities should consider making use of organisations and individuals who are trusted by the local Gypsy and Traveller communities as this is likely to yield a higher rate of participation and more engaged responses to the questionnaire. It may be possible to contract a trusted organisation to undertake the survey interviews, whilst maintaining local authority responsibility for analysing the survey responses.

The steering group must ensure those appointed to carry out the survey have both sufficient knowledge of the local Gypsy and Traveller community and suitable research skills to address the aims and objectives of the GTAA.

It is also essential that those carrying out the survey possess the research skills required to develop, administer and analyse the data received under the survey.

After identifying who will be carrying out the survey, the steering group should focus on providing support to the appointed researchers. It is recommended they utilise their networks within relevant local authority departments and Gypsy and Traveller communities to ensure the GTAA and survey is well publicised and that all interested community members know how they can participate.

The steering group may also provide relevant local knowledge where appropriate to those carrying out the survey, including a list of key contacts to assist them in producing a comprehensive study in a sensitive and engaging way that reflects the specific nuances of the communities they are working with. As part of this local authorities will need to consider and comply with data protection legislation and any restrictions on sharing data. Data security requirements should be always followed by both the local authority and the appointed researchers, with all personal data received in connection with the survey being processed and stored lawfully.

After the survey has been completed and submitted to the steering group, they should ensure feedback is provided to all participants and stakeholders (in compliance with data protection restrictions). Without accessible feedback, the participation of community members risks being viewed as tokenistic rather than meaningful, as individuals are not able to see how their involvement has influenced local policy. Worse still, a lack of feedback can be counterproductive as the same individuals may decline to participate in subsequent consultation processes because of a perception that “nothing ever changes.

Local authorities need to be aware the level of direct engagement with the Gypsy and Traveller community and the robustness of the analysis of the survey results will be scrutinised by Welsh Ministers as part of the assessment approval process.

A properly conducted assessment process and a clear plan to address the identified needs will help to ensure the local authority’s actions and to implement the assessment are as robust as possible.

As GTAAs may be considered during the planning process, it is important for local authorities to ensure the GTAA process is comprehensive, fair and transparent, ensuring the data reflects diverse backgrounds and needs. Local authorities should also be mindful that their approved assessments will be relied on as evidence to support and be incorporated within the Local Development Plan.

Key stakeholders, including third sector organisations, should already be included in the GTAA process as part of the project steering group. Nevertheless, wider consultation on the design and conduct of the assessment should also be undertaken with local agencies and the local Gypsy and Traveller communities. This process will involve mapping the local Gypsy and Traveller communities to ensure the researchers engage as many members as possible. It will also require testing of the survey methodology, including proposals regarding who will attend to ask questions, when interviews will be scheduled to take place, the appropriateness of questions, and the most effective phrasing to support maximum understanding and participation. The recommended GTAA questionnaire can be found at Annex 3.

It is crucial the purpose of the work is fully explained to the Gypsy and Traveller communities before the survey begins. Local authorities should allocate sufficient time to clearly explain what the GTAA is, set out each stage of the assessment process, and detail how the information collected will be used, ensuring accessible language to help all community members understand what will happen and when.

The intention is to help to secure support and buy-in for the process. The purpose of the data gathering must be made clear and it should be emphasised any data provided will be used only for the purposes of assessing and meeting accommodation needs. Where households seek to move between local authority boundaries, individuals should be asked to consent for their data to be shared for the specific purpose of discussing their accommodation needs with other authorities, as appropriate.

Local authorities will need to issue all those who provide personal data as part of the GTAA with a privacy notice outlining how their data will be held and processed and what their information rights are under data protection legislation.

It should also be made clear that while the information provided by individuals will be properly considered before any decisions are made on the need for site provision, the local authority is unable to commit to meet any specific requests which may be made as part of the survey, for example, a request for a new site at a particular location.

It is important stakeholders are regularly informed of the progress and outcome of the assessment. This feedback will ensure community members understand how their views have been considered and will add accountability to the process.

The GTAA methodology and testing process should comprise of 4 main components:

1. An analysis of existing data sources.
2. Conducting a specialist survey.
3. Assessing accommodation needs.
4. Developing a plan to address the need.

Some relevant information may already be held by local authorities or other agencies, and whilst this can be used to inform the assessment, given the small population size, care will need to be taken to ensure no individuals are identified or identifiable.

Secondary data sources

Local authorities may wish to access some of the following secondary data sources, where they are considered to be sufficiently reliable and up to date:

Census 2021:

• This data has been disaggregated to the local authority level by the Office for National Statistics. Some data is also available to show how many households live in each area and in which type of accommodation.

Housing records:

• In areas with local authority sites, information should be available from site management records. These may provide useful information regarding pitch turnover, pitch waiting lists and pitch assignment applications.
• Registered Social Landlords may also have data relating to Gypsy and Traveller residents or those on waiting lists.
• Supporting People may have access to information which may help to identify community members to be interviewed.
• As with other local authority housing records and waiting lists, this data may be out of date or incomplete and the households recorded may not be representative of the Gypsy and Traveller community.

Local authority planning records:

• Information relating to private sites will be available to the Local Planning Authority through the planning application process. This should include the number of caravans/pitches permitted on each site, whether the planning permission was granted on a permanent or temporary basis, and whether it restricted occupancy to named individuals.
• Local authorities should also have data on private sites without planning permission in their area, including the number of caravans or pitches on each site and details of any planning applications, appeals and/or enforcement action over the previous 5 years.

Again, some of this data may be out of date or incomplete. Nevertheless, it can be used with other information as a starting point to identify community members and help indicate the adequacy of current site provision and the extent of need for additional sites. Any use and interpretation of these figures should clearly note any limitations of the data.

An up-to-date and accurate GTAA may be useful evidence to demonstrate that there is an identified need for additional mobile home sites within a local authority area.

Caravan count:

• The caravan count will include the number of caravans on all types of sites: including local authority sites, unauthorised encampments, temporary/ negotiated stopping places and private sites with/without planning permission. The count, however, does not provide information on any additional household needs.
• In addition, it does not include any Gypsy or Travellers who are living in bricks and mortar and who wish to move to a mobile home site.

Again, whilst this data has limitations, it can help to provide a starting point for mapping these communities.

Traveller education records:

• Local authorities may, subject to data protection requirements, also have access to additional sources of data regarding local Gypsy and Traveller populations from their service providers, such as the health service or the Traveller Education Service (TES). The TES may have information on Gypsy and Traveller pupil numbers via the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) and other records. This data may record a higher level of Gypsy and Traveller population than the Census 2021.

Liaison officers / support organisations:

• Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Officers or organisations supporting these communities may well have much more detailed personal knowledge of the community, and local authorities or partnerships should where practicable draw on this when designing and carrying out their assessment (Annex 2)

Unauthorised encampment initial and welfare checks:

• Local authorities may also use information obtained when carrying out welfare checks on unauthorised encampments to help understand the need for permanent, transit or temporary/negotiated stopping places within their area and any preferred locations for these.

Departments with regular contact with Gypsies and Travellers should consider obtaining consent for any data they collect to be shared with other local authority departments for the purposes of accommodation assessments. As with all personal data, any processing will need to comply with the data protection legislation relating to the access and use of personal data.

There is likely to be relatively little secondary data available recording the number of Gypsies and Travellers living in bricks and mortar. Local housing records are unlikely to identify who or where they are. Ethnic monitoring categories often do not identify Gypsies and Travellers separately, and where they do, Gypsies and Travellers in settled housing may be reluctant to identify themselves as such as part of any census.

Local authority housing waiting lists may not fully reflect the accommodation needs of the Gypsy and Traveller community, particularly as many Gypsies and Travellers may not be looking for bricks and mortar housing. Useful data may be available if local authorities operate waiting lists which allow households to specify a need for mobile home pitches. If local authorities do not currently operate such waiting lists, they are recommended to start doing so (see the engagement checklist).

The records held by other service providers may also be incomplete, as they will record only those accessing the relevant services. The Race Equality Foundation / Zoe Matthews, The Health of Gypsies and Travellers in the UK (2008) gives further information about this.

Relying on existing secondary data alone will not therefore be sufficient when carrying out a GTAA. As such, assessments produced utilising only existing data are highly unlikely to be comprehensive or detailed enough for approval by Welsh Ministers. This data will give only approximations of need and will not provide the specific and up-to-date information required to undertake a robust and accurate GTAA.

The GTAA survey is conducted to collect data on the current and future accommodation requirements of Gypsy and Traveller communities. Based on this data, local authorities are expected to formulate actionable plans to ensure that these needs are met effectively. This approach ensures that the accommodation needs identified in the GTAA survey are translated into practical solutions and provisions. A GTAA is not just about identifying the accommodation needs of the community. It is intended to be a comprehensive process aimed at developing a strategic plan to address these needs.

To achieve the most accurate data and supported conclusions, local authorities or partnerships will need to undertake a census-like complete population coverage of GTAA survey responses, where reasonable attempts are made to contact and receive a response from all Gypsy and Traveller households in a local authority and a response or refusal-to-respond reason is recorded for each.

It is crucial those undertaking the assessment endeavour to contact all known Gypsies and Travellers residing in or resorting to the area to ensure the assessment is seen as legitimate by all participants and provides the most accurate assessment of unmet need.

When designing the survey, local authorities must consider how they can identify Gypsy and Traveller communities living in various types of accommodation.

Those undertaking surveys should aim to interview at least one representative from each household and avoid relying on a single response from only one person from each site. This will help ensure the information obtained is more representative of individual needs and that one person does not become a gatekeeper for the whole community or inadvertently misrepresent the accommodation needs of others. Relying solely on views conveyed by a single interviewee on behalf of an entire site is unlikely to properly represent the distinct voices of the whole community.

Local authorities will have quality data of Gypsies and Travellers on existing local authority sites. It is important the accommodation needs of concealed (or ‘doubled up’) households sharing local authority pitches are recorded and considered. The needs of the concealed household must be assessed separately to the needs of households who are agreed tenants of the pitch.

Local authorities are less likely to have complete knowledge of community members living in bricks and mortar housing. Some local authorities may have established Gypsy and Traveller specific pitch waiting lists or may record ethnicity on their wider social housing waiting lists. However, even this data is likely to be incomplete. Authorities should work with specialist professionals (such as Traveller Education Services, specialist health visitors or Gypsy and Traveller liaison officers) and community support organisations, Annex 2, where applicable, to better identify and involve these community members in their assessments.

Gypsies and Travellers on unauthorised encampments or private sites without planning permission also need to be identified, for example, via the Caravan Count or through monitoring undertaken by the local authority, or by proceedings relating to possession.

Some residing or resorting on unauthorised encampments may be well known to the local authority, whereas others may be less well known and less easy to identify. It will be especially important to explain to any unauthorised occupiers the GTAA survey seeks to understand the need for both residential and transit pitches.

Even where occupiers of unauthorised encampments have declined to participate in the survey, the reason for their encampment should have already been recorded through the unauthorised encampment log component of the Caravan Count and can be included in the GTAA through the analysis of existing data sources. Undertaking ongoing conversations about the need for permanent or transit provision within unauthorised encampment processes is important to capture the needs of community members who may not be resident in the local authority during the period of GTAA work.

Achieving responses from occupiers of private sites without planning permission may well be very difficult. This is because occupiers may suspect information is being collected to take enforcement action against the site, rather than to genuinely understand their needs. To help address this issue, it would be beneficial for local authorities to provide clear reassurance of their intentions and to stress this is not the purpose of the survey. Gypsy and Traveller members of the steering group are likely to know where unauthorised encampments exist within the area and may have some useful suggestions for how best to engage these households.

Researchers must maintain a log of appointments and interviews with community members to evidence the consultation undertaken. If unsuccessful on a first attempt, researchers should attempt to engage with households on at least 2 other occasions. They should record the date and time of each attempt on the interview log and the approach taken to try to engage the household (e.g. advance notice of appointment, unannounced visit, introduction by trusted intermediary etc).

The example interview log is at Annex 4. Local authorities may decide to amend the interview log template for use in their area. However, any personal data which may identify any individual must be removed from the version which is submitted to the Welsh Government.

Local authorities or appointed researchers must always seek to engage as many households as possible in the specialist survey.

Local authorities must be able demonstrate they have sought to reach as many households as possible through the GTAA process, the ‘engagement checklist’ below can help do this. Welsh Ministers will specifically examine engagement levels when assessing whether to approve any submitted GTAA.

1. Include Gypsies and Travellers on the GTAA project steering group. Reimbursing community members for their time can support their participation in the GTAA process and help ensure accurate and representative survey outcomes.
2. Visit every Gypsy and Traveller household identified through the data analysis process a minimum of 3 times, if necessary. Visits should be made at different times of the day to ensure the most likely opportunity to fit around work or caring responsibilities. This may involve visiting a household to agree a convenient time to revisit.
3. Publish details of the GTAA process, including contact details, to allow community members to request an interview, for example, on the local authority website, Travellers’ Times website and World’s Fair publication. Post details in a central place in local authority sites and in any relevant community centres etc.
4. Consult relevant community support organisations, such as those in Annex 2
5. If it is not possible to engage directly with community members on a site, local authorities may consider working through a trusted contact on the site to support and facilitate effective communication with all residents.
6. Develop a local authority waiting list for both pitches and bricks and mortar housing, which is made known to community members.
7. Ensure contact details of any other community members which may be provided to the local authority through the survey process are followed up and that their needs are also assessed.
8. To increase visibility and participation, consider holding on-site (or nearby) GTAA information community events to explain why community members should participate and encourage site residents to bring others who may not be known to the local authority.

Even where local Gypsy and Traveller communities have been fully identified, persuading everyone to undertake the accommodation assessment survey may not be straightforward. There may be a reluctance to provide information or a suspicion regarding the purposes for which the information will be used. Officers or support organisations who have the trust of the community, along with Gypsy and Traveller representatives, can play an important role in preparing the ground, explaining the purpose of the survey and introducing researchers.

Community members could also be invited to play a part in mapping the community within the local authority or partnership area.

Local authorities should consider holding community involvement events to ensure the purpose and nature of the GTAAs is well understood and publicised. These events should be held in locations which are accessible for most local community members. This may involve the use of any community facilities on local authority sites or nearby community facilities. Community members should be encouraged to bring along relatives or friends living off site who may need a pitch within the local authority area.

Local authorities may wish to consider share best practice on how they have engaged with community members and to work closely together to more effectively support Gypsies and Traveller s who travel across borders. It is important community members understand that the up-to-date need for any additional sites in the area is unlikely to be identified without the participation of as many Gypsies and Travellers as possible and that local authorities want to work with the community to deliver those pitches and sites. If local authorities can evidence that they have undertaken a thorough mapping of Gypsy and Traveller communities in their area and used their reasonable efforts to engage with the community, they will be more likely to be able to demonstrate the robustness of their GTAA.

In conducting the survey, it must be explained to those taking part that this exercise is designed to gain a clearer understanding of the scale of Gypsy and Traveller pitch needs, which the local authority is required to address, and to help it develop a strategy to meet those needs. However, this does not mean that the local authority will be able to meet the specific accommodation requests of all of those who have been interviewed as part of the study.

The duty following the assessment relates to providing mobile home pitches to meet the identified need. The local authority will not always be able to meet all preferences for pitches or sites at specific locations, but they should work with the community to see what realistically is able to be achieved. The allocation of available local authority site pitches is also a matter for local authorities to decide in conjunction with their other housing functions.

The universal questionnaire at Annex 3 includes a question which allows individuals to request to be included on the local waiting list for a mobile home pitch or bricks and mortar housing.

Cultural sensitivities must be carefully researched and considered during the design of the survey. Any changes to the wording of the template questionnaire need to be carefully assessed to ensure they do not offend any cultural sensitivities and should be explained when submitting the GTAA to the Welsh Government.

There will be important cultural sensitivities to consider when deciding how to carry out the survey. For example, the gender of the interviewer, the time of the interview or location of the interview might be considerations which should be discussed with the communities themselves.

Cultural sensitivities may affect the willingness of some individuals to participate. For example, some women may not be comfortable being interviewed alone in their mobile homes by male researchers. Where extended families are interviewed together, individuals should still be given the opportunity to respond separately and in confidence if they wish.

It is important for local authorities to consider the potential for genuine offence to be caused if interviewers have little understanding of the communities they are working with. It is recommended that local authorities ensure all interviewers are carried out by culturally competent people, who have undertaken Gypsy and Traveller cultural-awareness training prior to undertaking any interviews. Using known and trusted interviewers will help build confidence in the process and encourage people to share information more openly.

It is important to recognise the survey may involve interviewing members of several different communities with different cultural norms and practices.

Researchers need to be able to engage with members of each different community and with the most relevant community support organisations.

It is also recommended local authorities consider providing training for Elected Members prior to undertaking the GTAA, particularly any Councillors involved in the steering group, Planning Committee or Committee which will scrutinise the GTAA.

Consideration must be given to the appropriate timing for the survey. Seasonal changes should always be considered when deciding the timing of the survey. The local authority or partnership will need some knowledge of travelling patterns of the local Gypsy and Traveller population before a considered decision can be made as to when the GTAA survey will be carried out.

Account should also be taken of the fact some Gypsies and Travellers normally resident in the area may be away travelling themselves during summer months. Gypsies and Travellers and support organisations represented on the project steering group and those who administer the Caravan Count may be well-placed to provide advice.

Where neighboring local authorities are aware their Gypsy and Traveller populations regularly move across administrative borders it is recommended, they consider undertaking their GTAAs regionally or at a mutually agreed time to avoid the potential for double-counting and to determine the most suitable location for new sites. This may also include determining the most environmentally sustainable site across the region.

Traditional survey techniques, such as sending a mailshot to addresses, are very unlikely to deliver sound results. Gypsies and Travellers may be even less likely to respond to such a survey than other groups. Reasons for this include:

• high or seasonal mobility
• cultural differences may mean questions are regarded as intrusive or there is distrust of the process
• potentially lower levels of literacy within certain communities

Given the need to build trust and to ensure high levels of participation, face-to- face interview surveys are more appropriate as they tend to yield much higher response rates and more reliable data from these communities.

Where possible it is useful to achieve equal gender representation among interviewees. Flexibility and creativity in designing the times for visits to be undertaken including evenings and weekends should be considered carefully. The use of community involvement days at accessible facilities or trying to arrange set appointments for interviews may be helpful, as may arranging to return to the site during the evening. However, early evening appointments may be just as inconvenient if the family has young children and a bedtime routine. Agreeing appointment times with community members between late morning and early afternoon is likely to be most effective. However, this is likely to change on a case-by-case basis.

Local authorities must consider the right of children and young people to have their voices heard on decisions which affect them as required by Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Children and young people should therefore be given the opportunity to freely participate in the GTAA process in a way which is accessible and proportionate to their maturity and ability, and subject to parental consent and accompaniment as appropriate.

Children and young people should not only be recognised in the context of future housing provision, but also as individuals with current lived experiences. Including their views and giving them an opportunity to influence their living environments must be central to the GTAA process.

Local authorities have a duty to ensure these rights are upheld by actively involving children and young people in shaping the outcomes of accommodation assessments, in line with the principles of Article 12 of the UNCRC.Section D of the questionnaire addresses family growth. To identify any future growth, researchers should aim to interview the young people who may need their own accommodation during the GTAA review period.

Local authorities must ensure that appropriate checks have been undertaken through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for any interviewers that are likely to come into contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults as part of the survey. In addition, informed consent must be obtained before commencing the specialist survey.

The Welsh Government template questionnaire, based upon previous GTAAs, is at Annex 3. The questionnaire is comprised of 5 parts and seeks to ensure all the relevant data required to assist local authorities to properly assess needs is obtained.

It is recommended interviewers complete the questionnaire during a face-to-face conversation with each household in the local authority area. This process should avoid the risk of any literacy issues impeding participation and ensure a higher response rate than a mailshot, as well as providing the opportunity for community members to ask questions where necessary.

Section A of the questionnaire asks community members about their current accommodation arrangements. Analysis of this section will provide local authorities with the information required to understand the nature of the current accommodation supply. Whilst the analysis of existing secondary data may inform local authorities of how many local authority or private pitches are provided in the area, the answers to Section A will also identify how satisfied community members are with their current circumstances. This can help local authorities to recognise where site refurbishment or household adaptations are required. Grants, such as the Sites Capital Grant and the Disabled Facilities Grant, may be able to help in this process. It may also be possible to identify if site management arrangements need to be reconsidered.

Section B seeks to establish the structure of the household, including age, gender, ethnicity and any additional needs individuals may have.

The ethnicity column is not intended to capture any pre-set or legal definitions of ‘Gypsy’ or ‘Irish Traveller’ etc. Instead, this column should be used for interviewees to be able to self-ascribe how they see their identity. The purpose of this is to inform the local authority of the various cultural or ethnic groupings which may exist within their Gypsy and Traveller population, which may have some bearing on the eventual size and configuration of any new sites required.

The final column of the Section B table provides a broad opportunity for households to register anything which they believe local authorities need to know about their current accommodation. This may include a cultural aversion to a particular type of accommodation or other issues they feel should be considered.

Questions B2 and B3 should also help local authorities to understand whether there is likely to be overcrowding within the accommodation. More information on overcrowding on mobile home sites can be found in the Overcrowding section below.

Question B4 provides an opportunity for community members to request an application pack to join the local authority waiting list for mobile home pitches or bricks and mortar housing.

Section C enquires about accommodation aspirations and plans. Information gathered under this section will support local authorities to consider the viability of working with individuals to develop private sites and explore the accommodation aspirations of households who want to move.

Questions C3, C4 and C6 are designed to help local authorities consider what type of accommodation is likely to be required to meet the needs of each household.

Questions C2 and C7 (in addition to some questions in Section D) will help local authorities to assess whether any identified mobile home pitch needs may be met in the specific local authority where the household is currently residing or whether they could be provided in another local authority. If answers to these questions suggest the need could be met in other authorities, the local authority

undertaking the survey may discuss the potential for transferring the need with the other local authority. However, the unmet need would remain with the authority where the household currently resides if the other authority refuses to accept the transfer of unmet need.

Question C5 provides an opportunity for community members to make a note of any intention to develop a private site in the area. The question allows community members to request a discussion with the local authority, where the authority may assess the feasibility of their plans to develop a private site and provide general advice on the process to be followed. If the community member does not wish to provide their contact details, it would be helpful for the interviewer to signpost them to where they may seek advice about pursuing planning applications.

Section D will help local authorities to plan for anticipated family growth and the needs which are likely to arise from new households during the review period. Questions D1 to D3 will help the local authority to understand future demand for residential accommodation arising from existing households.

Questions D4 and D5 provide an opportunity for community members to inform the local authority of households living in other local authorities who want to move to enable them to reside in the same local authority as their family. If community members provide details of family members living elsewhere, the local authority should consider contacting them to assess whether they should form part of their GTAA.

Where a request for pitches arises from outside the local authority, the authority undertaking the GTAA may wish to discuss the circumstances and accept a transfer of needs from the local authority where the household currently resides. The household should be asked to consent for these discussions to take place and each local authority should consider issuing them with a privacy notice.

Under the 2014 Act, local authorities have a duty to assess the needs of those who reside or resort to their area. Questions D4 and D5 help assess the needs of those who resort to the area.

Care should be taken to ensure the GTAA captures not just those who may be resorting within the local authority area at the time the survey is taken, but also those who are known to resort to the area at other times of the year.

Finally, Section E addresses the issue of the need for transit or temporary/ negotiated stopping provision in the area and other local authority areas.

Analysis of this section will support the local authority to understand where the need for transit provision is required.

Sections A to D of the questionnaire relate to residential pitch needs arising in the specific local authority undertaking the survey. However, Section E asks for information on a wider geographic basis. This is because transit sites needs may best be met on a regional basis. Furthermore, most households interviewed by the local authority are likely to be local residents, so they are more likely to be travelling in (and therefore more interested in transit sites in) other local authority areas. Information gained from those who use unauthorised encampments is also vital to understand local need for transit or temporary/negotiated stopping places and should be factored into the GTAA to fully assess needs for temporary pitches in each local authority.

The answers to questions in Section E should be shared with the local authorities named by community members to ensure transit site needs are properly assessed in those areas. The answers to questions E2, E3 and E5 are likely to be of use to other authorities. The data shared does not need to include any personal or sensitive information or be attributable to any individual household.

If local authorities, through the steering group, decide they wish to include other questions relating to accommodation needs, they should include them as Section F of the questionnaire. To be most effective, additional questions should be developed in consultation with representatives of the local Gypsy and Traveller communities. Additional questions may include a mix of tick-box closed questions and more open questions where respondents are encouraged to expand their answers. Any additional questions should be included when submitting the GTAA to the Welsh Government.

This chapter will outline the process of using the data collected through the review of data sources and the specialist survey. It provides support in assessing needs and preferences, demand for accommodation in the specific local authority and in other areas, how to project net household formation, and how to make the final calculation of need for pitches.

Once the interviews have taken place and the review of data is complete, local authorities must assess whether there is a need to provide additional pitches for their area.

The GTAA results should identify the number of Gypsy and Traveller households which require additional pitches immediately, within the period under review and over the Local Development Plan period.

Once the data is collected and entered into Annex 5, the yellow boxes will populate automatically to identify the unmet need.

The results must include:

• the types of accommodation required to meet the identified needs (i.e. residential or transit sites, specific sites for Travelling Showpeople or Romani Gypsies/ Irish Travellers etc.)
• the number of households residing in the local authority area in unsuitable accommodation (i.e. overcrowded, living in bricks and mortar housing which is unsuitable due to cultural aversion etc.)
• the likely rate of net household formation (i.e. young adults needing their own pitches, migration and dissolution of households etc.)
• the number of households with a realistic opportunity to move to a different type of accommodation, which may free up spare pitches or bricks and mortar capacity
• the number of households on unauthorised encampments
• the number of private sites with no planning permission
• any temporary/negotiated stopping places that are known to be used in a local authority area, these must be taken into account when assessing accommodation needs, even if there are no families in resorting at that place at the time of the survey itself

Local authority duties under Part 3 of the 2014 Act focus on the requirement to provide mobile home pitches rather than other types of accommodation.

However, any need arising for bricks and mortar housing should also be considered as part of the Local Housing Market Assessment and included in the local housing strategy.

Before local authorities can consider demand for additional pitches in their area it is important to assess the current available residential pitch supply. This includes pitches on local authority sites, private sites, transit or temporary/negotiated stopping places and unauthorised encampments. Most of this data should already be available from local authority planning and housing departments.

Rows A and B: demonstrate how the number of occupied local authority pitches and private pitches (with planning permission) should be presented.

Row A: occupied local authority pitches (this data is available from the Caravan Count system and local authority housing records).

Row B: occupied private pitches (with planning permission).

Row C: vacant local authority and private pitches (with planning permission). This data will be available through completion of site surveys with occupants. Some site owners on private sites may not wish to lease their vacant pitches to non-family members. Therefore, only the number of vacancies on private sites which are available on an open basis should be entered into Row C.

Row D: local authorities and private pitches due to become vacant in the near future. To identify the number of new pitches which are expected to become vacant during the review period, local authorities can review their site management records to assess the annual pitch turnover over the previous 5-year period. Some site owners on private sites may not wish to lease their vacant pitches to non-family members. Therefore, only the number of vacancies on private sites which are available on an open basis should be entered into Row D.

Local authorities should review survey responses from questions A6 to A7 and Section C. Responses from these questions may detail the aspirations of households wishing to move. Local authorities can identify which responses are from households currently occupying local authority pitches by referring to responses to question A1. This information can be explored by local authorities to ascertain whether any of these aspirations can be met.

When considering those who are likely to vacate pitches on local authority sites in the near future, survey responses may identify households who have expressed a desire to move into bricks and mortar housing. Local authorities may include these pitches as being available for supply, only if they are able to demonstrate the household will definitely secure alternative accommodation. If this can be shown, these pitches can be included in row D.

Row E: new local authority pitches with planning permission. Only new Local authority pitches with planning permission should be included at this stage. Sites currently in the planning system but without planning consent must not be considered. This is because there is no guarantee the site will be deliverable until planning consent is granted, and including applications for sites which may ultimately be unsuccessful would under-estimate unmet need in the area. Nevertheless, if planning consent is approved for a site after the publication of the GTAA, the approved number of pitches will offset the identified unmet need.

Current levels of satisfaction with existing accommodation will provide some indication of whether households are likely to stay in their current accommodation. Some individuals may express a preference to leave mobile home accommodation and move into bricks and mortar housing, whereas others may express a preference or cultural need to leave bricks and mortar for mobile home accommodation.

When enquiring about current levels of satisfaction with existing accommodation (questions A2 and A7), it is possible improvements or adaptations to existing accommodation may be preferable to the individuals concerned instead of moving. Where appropriate, individuals may be helped to remain in their current accommodation through accessing the Disabled Facilities Grant or the Supporting People Grant to make that accommodation fit for their purposes.

The general amenity of a site and/or health and safety issues may be a reason for households wanting to move. Local authorities may be eligible to utilise the Welsh Government’s Gypsy and Traveller Sites Capital Grant to refurbish their sites.

In addition to the assessment of existing local authority pitches, local authorities should consider how many additional pitches with planning permission are due to become available. This will include private site pitches that will be openly available to rent, which should be included as part of the planned residential supply in row F. Only sites with planning permission should be included at this stage. Sites currently in the planning system but without planning consent must not be considered. This is because there is no guarantee the site will be available until planning consent is granted, so including applications for sites which may ultimately be unsuccessful would under-estimate unmet need in the area. Nevertheless, if planning consent is approved for a site after the GTAA has been approved and published, the additional number of authorised pitches will offset the identified unmet need.

Row F: new private pitches with planning permission. Only new private pitches with planning permission should be included at this stage. However, some site owners on private sites may not wish to lease their vacant pitches to non-family members. Therefore, only the number of new pitches on private sites which are available on an open basis should be entered into this row.

To establish current residential demand, Local authorities will need to analyse the data collected through the specialist survey and populate the following rows:

• (row G) local authority unauthorised encampments with a need for site accommodation
• (row H) on private sites without planning permission. (until planning permission is granted with all associated conditions met, the site continues to represent an unmet residential need).
• (row I) on existing local authority sites but in overcrowded conditions
• (row J) in bricks and mortar but with a cultural aversion to such housing or overcrowded
• (row K) new households which are expected to arrive or require accommodation in the area

Data collected through questionnaire sections A, C and D should support local authorities to properly assess total demand in their areas.

Gypsies and Travellers have often not been able to access culturally appropriate sites in the areas where they wish to live. Different local authority approaches to providing sites and enforcement action have sometimes caused communities to settle in inappropriate or unsuitable locations, for example, in an authority area away from their extended families. Where this is the case the local authority responsible for the area where the need for accommodation has arisen should work closely with other local authorities in the region to find a shared solution and consider taking over the unmet need where practicable.

The distribution of local authority sites is unevenly spread across Wales. Some of this will be the result of the personal choices of community members who have opted to live in certain areas for family, economic or cultural reasons.

However, sites in some areas may be populated by those with long-standing connections to neighboring authorities where they would prefer to live. Other areas may have no sites but have substantial Gypsy and Traveller populations living in bricks and mortar housing who would like to live in a mobile home.

Consequently, local housing authorities may encounter various situations when undertaking their surveys, where the needs and preferences of occupiers may be difficult to disentangle.

The consideration of needs as against preferences is likely to be focused around 3 major themes:

1. Community members in bricks and mortar housing who have a need for mobile home pitches due to a cultural aversion.
2. Community members who have an authorised pitch in one local authority area but who would like to move to the area of the authority undertaking the assessment.
3. Those on any unauthorised encampments due to shortage of local authority pitches who need a mobile home pitch in the same area.

For many Gypsies and Travellers, living in mobile homes is a key aspect of their cultural identity. However, the 2021Census suggested only 22% of Gypsy and Traveller communities in England and Wales live in caravans or other temporary structures. The 2021 Census indicated that 78% of these communities currently live in houses, flats, maisonettes or apartments in England and Wales.

Many of those living in houses, flats, maisonettes or apartments may do so by choice for a variety of reasons. However, some of this population may have moved into bricks and mortar housing due to a lack of lawful mobile home pitch alternatives. See Shelter, ‘Good Practice Guide: Working with housed Gypsies and Travellers’ (2007).

It is likely that some community members living in bricks and mortar housing have what is known as a ‘cultural aversion’ to this type of accommodation. This is established in case law, originally in Clarke v. Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (2001).

That is, community members who have a tradition of living in a mobile home or on sites and who struggle to adapt to living in bricks and mortar accommodation but are doing so out of necessity not choice.

Cultural aversion could be based on the type of accommodation or more sedentary lifestyle associated with bricks and mortar housing or isolation from community and family members who may live in mobile homes.

Local housing authorities will need to carefully consider whether those who are living in bricks and mortar housing and who have a stated preference for living on mobile home sites could also be said to have a cultural aversion to their existing accommodation.

Local authorities should consider the reason for moving into conventional housing and the potential adverse effect on the individuals if they remain in conventional housing.

Local authorities must also recognise the role that site quality plays in accommodation decisions and ensure that families are not pressured into housing options that conflict with their cultural preferences. In line with Article 30 of the UNCRC, children and young people have the right to belong to their ethnic minority group and practise their cultural identity. The responsibility for providing suitable pitches which are fit for purpose lies with local authorities. Families should not feel they have to move into bricks and mortar accommodation due to the poor living conditions in local authority mobile home sites.

During the accommodation assessment, it would not be appropriate for local authorities to require interviewees to demonstrate their aversion through any kind of assessment. The Welsh Government appreciates the traditional nomadic lifestyle may be difficult for Gypsies and Travellers to achieve. Romani Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised ethnic minorities and the traditional lifestyle of travelling or nomadism is not required to maintain their racial identity. The definition for Gypsies and Travellers used for the purposes of this guidance therefore recognises that members of this community, whilst being persons of a nomadic habit of life, may have ceased to travel temporarily or permanently because of their own or their wider family's educational or health needs or old age.

Information recorded within the survey questionnaire (especially questions A2, A3, A7 and Section B table) should support local authorities to ascertain whether individuals have a cultural aversion to conventional housing.

Estimates of the number of community members with a cultural aversion to conventional housing should reflect the answers given in the questionnaire and the points outlined above. It is recognised these are estimates but they may nonetheless be a pragmatic way to quantify the number of households living in bricks and mortar housing who require mobile home pitches.

Where it is identified that individuals have a cultural aversion to bricks and mortar housing, local housing authorities should include the need for mobile home pitches by these households as part of the current demand. This should be included in Row K of Annex 5.

When undertaking surveys, some community members may indicate they have a preference or a need to be accommodated on a mobile home site in another local authority area.

Questionnaire sections C and D should secure data to help local authorities to understand where such accommodation demand is likely to arise. Section E is also likely to provide useful data to neighboring authorities to help them anticipate future needs for transit accommodation. Local authorities should seek to engage proactively with other areas in anticipation of this likelihood. This will be easier to achieve where a regional partnership has already been established to undertake accommodation assessments or where the other local authorities are undertaking their assessments at the same time.

It is important the stated needs of community members are given due consideration and that the relevant local authorities work together to decide where the demand for accommodation should properly be noted. Where demand has been identified for accommodation in an alternative authority it must be recorded, and details provided to the relevant authority (subject to appropriate protection of any personal data).

This is likely to be a 2-way process with both authorities needing to communicate effectively with the other. An agreement of how such circumstances will be dealt with should be established in advance of undertaking the survey.

This process may result in the local authority undertaking the GTAA being informed by other local authorities of new households expected to arrive in their area, and vice versa. Answers to question D5 will also provide some information on this point. Finally, the local authorities pitch waiting list may also include information which will add to this figure. The number of households identified will populate row L of Annex 5.

Where surveys of those occupying unauthorised encampments or private sites without planning permission show demand for mobile home pitches within a local authority where they are currently residing, local authorities will need to check the community members do not have alternative accommodation elsewhere.

If these households do have alternative accommodation elsewhere, their preference for pitches in a different area would not normally constitute need, as they would not be homeless or at risk of homelessness, see the Welsh Government planning circular 005/2018, “Planning for Gypsy, Traveller and Showpeople Sites.

Demand arising from unauthorised encampments and private sites without planning permission in the local authority area should be captured in rows G and H of Annex 5.

This includes sites with no assurance of protection against planning enforcement or those on sites with planning permission ending within 5 years.

Residential demand is also likely to arise from overcrowding, either within existing sites or bricks and mortar housing. Due to the legacy of a lack of site provision, many of those on sites throughout Wales experience overcrowding on their pitch. This situation can have serious health and safety implications, including the risk of fire if too many caravans are placed on a pitch.

There is no legal definition of overcrowding in the context of a mobile home. However, the following may be used as a guide.

For the purposes of this guidance, each of the following may be considered as requiring a separate sleeping area:

• Each adult couple (married or cohabiting).
• Any other person aged 16 or over.
• Each pair of children aged under 16 of the same sex.
• Each pair of children aged under 10 regardless of sex.
• Any other child.

Within mobile homes, it may be more accurate to consider separating sleeping areas, rather than bedrooms.

Consideration may be given to relieving any identified overcrowding through the addition of another mobile home on the Pitch only if the pitch is suitable for such increased occupancy.

Local authorities must only allow another mobile home to be stationed on a pitch if this complies with the Fire Safety guidance as referred to in the Welsh Government’s ‘Designing Gypsy and Traveller Sites guidance’. Local authorities must consult the local fire and rescue authority if they are unsure whether it would be safe to station additional mobile homes on the pitch. If households are unable to safely station an additional mobile home on their pitch or elsewhere on the site and their current accommodation is over-crowded, this will indicate additional residential demand.

Overcrowding in bricks and mortar housing should be more straightforward to assess and local housing authorities will be used to undertaking such assessments through their existing housing functions.

Where overcrowding is present in bricks and mortar housing or new household formations emerge, local authorities need to be aware that this may constitute additional residential pitch demand. If the overcrowding is the result of dependent children reaching adulthood, these new households may express a desire to live in mobile home accommodation. Questionnaire section B will provide local authorities with information regarding participants’ views on overcrowding.

Anticipated future household growth should be identifiable by the answers provided by participants under section D of the questionnaire. This will provide an estimate of additional households over the coming 5-year period.

A 2.25% national net household growth rate has been used for illustrative purposes in Annex 5 on the basis this may represent a reasonable baseline for annual growth in Gypsy and Traveller communities. There is evidence to support that the national net household growth rate for Gypsies and Travellers can vary from 1.5% to 2.5%, with more youthful populations displaying higher annual household growth rates. However local authorities should analyse the demographic data provided by community members to assess their own likely local anticipated growth rate over the review period.

Row M: the additional household pitch need can be found by subtracting the current number of households in the first column of row L from the estimated future number of households in the second and third columns of the row. These values will populate rows O and P of Annex 5.

Row N: the current residential demand total will populate this row in Annex 5.

Row O: future residential demand over the GTAA period as identified in row M.

Row P: future residential demand over the LDP period as identified in row M.

As the estimate of household growth is based upon the wishes and plans of community members, it is difficult to accurately forecast growth in excess of 5 years. However, the GTAA is an important piece of evidence underpinning Local Development Plans (LDPs), which operate on a longer timeframe. Local authorities may wish to use the same estimated growth rates in both the GTAA and the relevant LDP if they consider this to be appropriate.

The overall GTAA (5 year) unmet need (row R) is calculated by adding the current residential demand (row N) and the future residential demand (5 year) row O, then subtracting the planned residential supply (row Q).

The overall LDP unmet need (row S) is calculated by adding the current residential demand (row N) and the future residential demand (LDP) row P, then subtracting the planned residential supply (row Q).

The unmet need identified for the GTAA review period must be secured by the local authority as soon as practicable. Any longer-term need should be provided during the lifetime of the LDP.

The assessment of accommodation need will identify whether there is a need for more pitches within a local authority area, a need for transit pitches, or no requirement for either.

Some encampments may occur on a temporary basis within a local authority area without necessarily indicating a need for any permanent transit provision

in the area, for example, where occupants are simply “passing through.” Local authorities will still need to consider whether to provide temporary/negotiated stopping places where such encampments occur, or whether a transit site would be more sustainable in the case of more frequent stays. More information regarding responding to instances of unauthorised camping can be found within the Welsh Government’s Managing Unauthorised Encampment guidance.

Temporary/negotiated stopping places are short-term facilities which can be utilised to accommodate those passing through or to re-locate an encampment which occurs in an inappropriate or unsafe location. These temporary/negotiated stopping places should be pro-actively identified by local authorities in advance to ensure any unauthorised encampments can be directed there as soon as required.

If a local authority is experiencing a significant number of longer-term unauthorised encampments, this could indicate that transit sites are required. For example, a need for transit sites would be indicated through a significant number of encampments occurring in a local authority area, particularly between March and October, especially if they last more than a few days.

Unlike temporary/negotiated stopping places, transit sites are permanent facilities which allow occupation by households for up to three months at a time. Transit sites may be eligible for Welsh Government Gypsy and Traveller Sites Capital Grant funding and local authorities would be able to charge residents a weekly rent and service charges.

Some of those occupying unauthorised encampments in a local authority area may have permanent authorised bases elsewhere and therefore would not be considered as being in need of residential pitches in the survey area. However, this group may clearly indicate a demand for transit pitches in the area.

The Welsh Government recommends that local authorities work in partnership to develop a network of transit sites in the most appropriate locations around Wales.

Accurately understanding the need for transit sites is likely to require cooperation with other local authorities. Section E of the questionnaire seeks to capture the transit requirements of Gypsies and Travellers throughout Wales, which should help provide an evidence base of likely needs in other local authorities. This data will need to be shared within the partnership area and with other local authorities where transit need is anticipated.

Caravan Count data should also provide very useful information of the likely transit needs within the local authority area as the ‘log of unauthorised sites’ component of the system will record the locations of encampments when local authorities respond to them. Reviewing this data should provide local authorities with the number of unauthorised encampments experienced throughout the year of the count, the most occupied locations, the number of caravans present on each encampment and the duration and reason of the stay. This information can be analysed for the purposes of the GTAA to help the local authority understand whether there is need for a transit site and its required capacity.

When calculating the unmet need for transit pitches, local authorities must consider the proportion of need arising from each distinct Gypsy and Traveller community, as this is likely to affect the configuration of sites which need to be provided. For example, due to the specific design and management requirements of Travelling Showpeople and New Traveller sites they are likely to need sites which meet their specific needs.

As well as assessing accommodation needs, GTAAs should also set out the local authority’s plans to meet the identified needs. These can be set out as short- and/or longer-term plans, as required. This information is needed to enable the Welsh Ministers to be satisfied that local authorities are carrying out their functions in accordance with Part 3 of the 2014 Act and will be used to inform monitoring meetings between the Welsh Government and local authorities.

Once the Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessment has been approved by Welsh Ministers, local authorities will be subject to a legal duty to exercise their functions to provide mobile home pitches to meet the identified needs.

A local authority’s existing approved GTAA remains valid until it is superseded by the next GTAA which is approved in relation to the authority, as per the cycles set out previously. Even where the local authority has submitted a new GTAA for approval, the local authority remains under a statutory duty to meet any outstanding need which has been identified in the existing approved GTAA up to the date the next GTAA is approved.

Section 56 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 provides the power for local authorities to meet this need. However, local authorities will recognise there are a range of tools at their disposal to support them to achieve this duty.

Local authorities should consider how far each of the following options can assist them in providing for the unmet need:

• providing local authority sites
• supporting households to develop viable private sites
• supporting households to develop viable community led approaches such as community land trusts (CLT)

Option A will give local authorities the ability to control the allocation of pitches on these sites. This would mean future pitch vacancies could be filled as best required to address overcrowding or homelessness within the area. In addition, in some circumstances, vacancies on such sites could be used to relocate those on unauthorised encampments.

If local authorities decide to pursue Option A to meet some, or all, of the unmet needs for accommodation they may be eligible for the Welsh Government’s Sites Capital Grant. To be eligible for the Sites Capital Grant, local authorities must retain the ownership or leasehold of the site to be refurbished or developed. Potential new sites must also have the necessary planning permission in place before applications for Sites Capital Grant funding can be submitted.

Option B would involve the local authority working proactively with Gypsy or Traveller households who have a viable opportunity to develop private sites in the area. Responses to questionnaire section C will provide local authorities with information regarding aspirations for private sites. Local planning authorities should seek to discuss proposals with Gypsies and Travellers at the earliest possible opportunity to ensure only feasible site applications are progressed. Planning Aid Wales may be able to assist with some community engagement in relation to site proposals.

An assessment of viability will depend on a range of factors, including the relevant local planning requirements. Local authorities with rural exception policies allowing Gypsy and Traveller sites may increase the likelihood of viable sites being found, and land may be cheaper in more rural locations: Aligned with Planning policy Wales all local authorities need to discuss the viability of private sites with interested individuals on a case-by-case basis.

Pursuing option B would not meet the local authority’s duty to provide the additional sites required until the new private pitches are available for occupation. Nevertheless, supporting households to develop private sites should incur negligible costs to the local authority and is likely to off-set outstanding demand for sites.

Option C would involve the local authority working proactively with Gypsy or Traveller households to develop a more community led approach such as a CLT.

A CLT is a mechanism for acquiring and holding land and property for the benefit of a defined locality or community. The purpose of CLTs is commonly to provide affordable housing.

A CLT could hold the value of the land for the community in perpetuity while allowing the land to be used by others for accommodation purposes. CLTs must be not-for-profit organisations in which the community owns the land and/or property or assets in trust.

A site could be owned by the CLT itself, rather than the occupants, and would be maintained for the use of these communities indefinitely rather than being private sites owned by particular individuals.

Local authorities could consider constituting part of the membership of the CLT, along with members of the Gypsy or Traveller community and other relevant individuals or organisations.

Such schemes may be more attractive than living on local authority sites to certain communities, for example, New Travellers. The cultural desire for ecological and cooperative living amongst this community may lend itself to this type of development.

When assessing whether to pursue options such as private sites or CLTs, local authorities should review participant answers under section C of the questionnaire.

Plans to develop Gypsy and Traveller site CLTs have been proposed in recent years. However, the major obstacle has been securing land to develop. If this barrier can be overcome by local authorities, this type of site may be a viable alternative to local authority or privately provided sites.

Local authorities will be aware the process of identifying sites and achieving planning permission can be a lengthy one. These processes will be subject to public consultation and decisions may be contested by residents or businesses. Therefore, local authorities should ensure their evidence base for planning applications is robust.

The data collected for the purposes of the GTAA may also inform the local authorities work in other ways, where appropriate. The data collected through the accommodation assessment process will inform the preparation of Local Development Plans. Having due regard to this guidance should support local authorities to demonstrate that the data relating to Gypsies and Travellers in their LDP is robust and evidence based.

Development Plans should, where appropriate, include site-specific proposals to meet the identified need in the LDP period and criteria-based policies to make provision for any additional need arising during that period.

Once LDPs have been adopted, local planning authorities will need to review their policies on Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs at the next LDP Annual Monitoring Review (AMR).

The 2014 Act requires local authorities to undertake a Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessment (GTAA) at least once in every 5 year review period. This is because it is difficult to accurately assess Gypsy and Traveller population changes over a period longer than 5 years.

Local authorities have the flexibility to undertake GTAAs at 5-year intervals or any time in between. They may choose to do more frequent assessments if a material change in the level of need in the area has been identified. Local authorities may choose to align the renewal of their GTAAs with the substantial review of the Local Development Plan every 4 years.

After completing a GTAA, local authorities should ensure they have ongoing engagement with communities to share their plans and next steps on addressing the findings of their GTAA, ensuring transparency, accountability and meaningful implementation. Communities have also stressed that engagement with local authorities should continue outside the GTAA process, and local authorities should seek to develop effective working relationships with them and provide visible responses to community needs on a regular basis.

To ensure the local authority are meeting their statutory duties, the Welsh Government will continue to monitor site provision and progress towards meeting identified need in each local authority GTAA on a regular basis.

It is important for local authorities to remember that the duty to meet the identified accommodation needs remains with them, and not the Welsh Government. Where a GTAA has identified unmet Gypsy and Traveller site need, and the Welsh Ministers are satisfied the local authority has failed to comply with their duty to meet that need, the local authority may be directed to do so as set out in section 103 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. The Welsh Ministers will consult with the relevant local authority before issuing any direction to understand the full circumstances of any given case before making a final decision.

If community members are unhappy with the progress any local authority is making to meet their identified accommodation needs, they can make a complaint directly to the council in the first instance. Each local authority is advised to include details of its complaints procedure in its published GTAA.

If community members are dissatisfied with the outcome of the local authority’s own complaints process, they can ask the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales to investigate.

The Welsh Government will review this guidance regularly and as a result of learning from GTAA cycles.

Pitch

Land on a mobile home site where occupiers are entitled to station their mobile homes indefinitely (unless stated in their pitch agreement). Typically includes an amenity block, space for a static caravan and touring caravan and parking.

The layout of the pitch will depend on the overall site design. An important element in the design and size of pitches is the intended capacity. Section 60 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act defines ‘mobile home’ as measuring up to 20 metres in length and 6.8 metres in width. 

Site

A site will include a range of facilities, (dependant on size of land and requirements), connections to utilities, community building, play area, footpath around the site, public lighting, and fencing/trees to create a perimeter boundary for security and enclosure.

Local authority site

This is a site owned and operated by the local authority. This site will be designated for use as a Gypsy and Traveller site indefinitely. Residents on these sites can expect to occupy their pitches for as long as they abide by the terms of their pitch agreements, under the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013.
Working space may also be provided on, or near, sites for activities carried out by community members.

Private site with planning permission

A private Gypsy and Traveller site refers to private owned land with planning permission that has been officially approved by the local planning authority for permanent residential use by Gypsies and Travellers.

Usually, these sites are small and contain a small number of pitches usually for a family. These sites are private for use by that family only.

Private site without planning permission

Land that has been purchased by a member of the Gypsy and Traveller community, which has not received the necessary planning permission from the local planning authority to be used as a Gypsy and Traveller site.

Temporary/Negotiated stopping place

These are intended to be short-term in nature to assist local authorities where a need for pitches is accepted. 
Provision should be made for waste disposal, water supply and sanitation at a minimum.

These sites only have planning permission or a site licence for a limited period. Residents on these sites can expect to occupy their pitches for the duration of the planning permission or site licence (or as long as they abide by the terms of their pitch agreements, under the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013, whichever is sooner).

Transit pitch

Land on a mobile home site where occupiers are entitled to station their mobile homes for a maximum of 3 months.

Transit pitches can exist on permanent residential sites; however, this is not recommended.

Transit site

Transit sites are permanent facilities designed for temporary use by occupiers for a maximum of three months at a time. Local authorities will be responsible for maintaining the site waste disposal, water supply and sanitation may be made available subject to a charge. 

Specific terms under the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 apply on these sites. Working space may also be provided on, or near, sites for activities carried out by community members.

Unauthorised encampment

Land occupied without the permission of the owner or without the correct land use planning permission.

Encampments may be used on a temporary basis in the absence of available transit or temporary/negotiated stopping places provision and may be accepted by the local authority, whilst alternative sites are developed.

Bricks and mortar

A house or a flat, often referred to as conventional housing. They may be socially rented, privately rented, or owned.

Current residential supply

The number of local authority pitches which are available and occupied within the local authority or partnership area.

This includes pitches on local authority and private sites.

Current residential demand

Those with a need for local authority pitches for a range of reasons, including:

• an inability to secure a local authority pitch, possibly leading to occupation of unauthorised encampments
• an inability to secure correct planning permission for a private site
• households living in overcrowded conditions and in need of a separate pitch
• households in conventional housing demonstrating cultural aversion
• new households expected to arrive from elsewhere

Future residential demand

The expected level of new household formation which will generate additional demand within the 5-year period of the accommodation assessment and longer LDP period.

Overall residential pitch need

The final calculation of unmet accommodation need which must be identified through the Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessment process. This figure can be found by adding the immediate residential need to the future residential demand. The overall residential need will capture the needs across the 5-year period of the accommodation assessment.

Planned residential pitch supply

The number of pitches which are vacant and available to rent on local authority or private sites. It also includes pitches which will be vacated in the near future by households moving to conventional housing or out of the local authority area. 

Household

In this guidance this refers to individuals from the same family who live together on a single pitch/house/encampment.

Concealed or ‘doubled-up’ household

This refers to households which are unable to achieve their own local authority pitch and are instead living within a local authority pitch that is assigned to another household).

This may include adult children who have been unable to move home or different households occupying a single pitch.

Household growth

In this guidance household growth is defined by the number of new households arising from households which are already accommodated in the area.

Settled communities

A settled community consists of people who are not members of the Gypsy and Traveller community and reside in bricks and mortar housing.

Gypsies and Travellers Wales

Trowbridge Community Centre
Trowbridge
CF3 1RU

Telephone: 029 2021 4411
Email: info@gtwales.org.uk

Travelling Ahead (Tros Gynal Plant Cymru)

TGP Cymru
Spark Centre
Cardiff University
Maindy Road
Cardiff
CF24 4HQ

Telephone: 0808 802 0025
Website

Romani Cultural and Arts Company

Temple Court
13a Cathedral Road
Cardiff
CF11 9HA

Website

There and Back Again

Telephone: 07931 376636
Website

The Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain

South Wales
29, Westend Avenue
Nottage
Porthcawl
CF63 3NE

Telephone: 07867 506061
Email: sgwales1@gmail.com

Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)

4^th Floor
One Canal Parade
Dumballs Road
Cardiff 
CF10 5BF

Telephone: 02920 468600
Email: enquiries@wlga.gov.uk 
Website

Travellers’ Advice Team

Community Law Partnership

National helpline for Travellers: 0121 685 8677 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm)
Out of hours Emergencies only: 07768 316755
Website

Equality and Human Rights Commission in Wales

1 Caspian Point
Caspian Way
Cardiff
CF10 4DQ

Telephone: 029 2044 7710
Email: wales@equalityhumanrights.com
Website

The Traveller Movement

40, Jeffrey’s Road
Stockwell
London
SW4 6QX

Telephone: 020 7607 2002
Email: info@travellermovement.org.uk
Website

Friends, Families and Travellers

Community Base
113 Queens Road
Brighton
BN1 3XG

Telephone: 01273 234777
Email: Fft@gypsy-traveller.org 
Website

Tai Pawb

Trident Court
East Moors Road
Cardiff
CF24 5TD

Telephone: 02921 057957
Email: info@taipawb.org

Planning Aid Wales

First Floor
12 Cathedral Road
Cardiff
CF11 9LJ

Telephone: 02920 625000
Website

Roma Support Group

PO Box 23610
London
E7 0XB

Telephone: 07949 089778
Email: info@romasupportgroup.org.uk
Website

Travellers Aid Trust

PO Box 16
Llangyndeyrn
Kidwelly
SA 17 5YT

Telephone: 01554 891976
Email: info@travellersaidtrust.org
Website

Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and other Travellers (ACERT)

Little Kiln
Pottery Road
Bovey 
Tracey Devon
TQ13 9DS

Telephone: 020 8374 1286
Email: Info@acert.org.uk
Website

An example questionnaire to help engage with stakeholders for undertaking a Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessment.

Download the questionnaire.

An example interview log for undertaking a Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessment.

Download the interview log.

Calculator to help estimate the need for residential site pitches.

Download the estimate of need for residential site pitches spreadsheet.