North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has raised concerns in the Assembly Chamber that Flintshire County Council is failing to comply with regulations to ensure that the accommodation needs for the gypsy and traveller community are met.
Mr Isherwood, the Shadow Communities Secretary, has been contacted by constituents who are concerned at the amount of tax payers money that has been spent as a result of Flintshire County Council not meeting their obligation.
Raising the matter with the Cabinet Secretary for Children and Communities, Carl Sargeant AM, Mr Isherwood said:
“In January 2011, obligations to meet the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation sites led to the granting of temporary planning permission for identified individuals for five years for a site in Flintshire, because of assurances made to the planning inspector by the Council that, within such period, the need would be met by Flintshire.
“Because it wasn’t, Flintshire granted further temporary permission for five years in April, even though it’s widely recognised the site isn’t suitable as a permanent site. Then, subsequently, the granting of temporary planning permission was quashed in court because Flintshire had failed to fulfil its responsibility, and Flintshire had the costs of the hearing charged against it.
“Given that the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 provisions in this respect, in terms of assessment of Gypsies and Travellers accommodation needs, came into effect in February 2015, and that the duty to meet assessed needs, and the failure to comply with this duty under section 103, came into effect in March 2016, what powers do you have to intervene in this instance, where something has clearly gone very wrong?”
The Cabinet Secretary said he could not comment on legal cases that are being pursued.
He added: “However, the Housing Act of 2014 introduced new duties on local authorities to properly assess the mobile home pitch needs of Gypsies and Travellers and then ensure sufficient sites are created. We are the only part of the UK that’s placed a duty on local authorities to do this, and I think it’s very progressive, and, as I learned from the Gypsy, Traveller and Roma Cross-Party Group the other week, the organisations were very positive about our interventions in this space.”
Mr Isherwood added: “The concern is that Flintshire appears not to be doing this. It has been emphasised to me by constituents that had Flintshire complied with what it stated it would undertake, then the temporary planning permission would not have been granted, where I am advised that it had been recognised by two Planning Inspectors, Flintshire Council and judicial authority that the site is not and will not be suitable for a permanent site.
“I’m further told that Flintshire were ordered to pay the full £44,000 costs of the hearing in April, wasting tax payers money rather than finding another site as they were supposed to do. Where the need for sites has been identified, but not met, the legislation enables Welsh Ministers to compel local authorities to provide sites for Gypsy and Traveller communities.”
ENDS