Funding Bid for Proposed Development of a Travellers Stopping Site

Overview

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) recognise the strategic need to establish the provision of temporary stopping places within its area, to meet the needs of travellers.

The Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) published in 2019, recognised a need for additional Gypsy and Traveller accommodation within North Northamptonshire. It also reported a need for transit sites, which also includes temporary stopping places.

The council’s long-term objective is to provide more suitable and appropriate accommodation for the Gypsy and Traveller community within North Northamptonshire area including temporary stopping place provision. This would deliver the added benefit of reducing the enforcement costs and impacts for NNC and Northamptonshire Police in dealing with unauthorised encampments.

Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are legally recognised as ethnic groups, and protected from discrimination by the Race Relations Act 1976, amended 2000 and the Human rights Act 1998 and it is important that the need for suitable short term, safe and secure temporary stopping place provision with basic amenity facilities is recognised and made available for transient traveller groups temporarily residing within  the North Northamptonshire area, to seek to reduce the problem of unauthorised camping. Issues relating to unauthorised encampments including enforcement are currently managed by the Northants Traveller Unit (NTU) which is a service hosted by NNC and delivers for both NNC and West Northamptonshire Council, therefore covering the whole of Northamptonshire.

Why are we engaging?

Currently there are no temporary stopping places for transient travellers within or passing through the North Northamptonshire area to use which would provide safe and secure places to stop with basic facilities.

Temporary Stopping Places are sites where families can stay for a period of up to 28 days and have limited facilities with typically a source of water, chemical disposal and refuse disposal, and which provide a managed facility for families visiting the area, as opposed to stopping on public and/or highway land as an unauthorised encampment.

There are currently, in excess of 7 long term unauthorised encampments in North and West Northants due to a lack of provision.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has recently launched the Travellers Fund, which offers a £10 million capital funding for 2022/23 to support local authorities in building new transit and permanent traveller sites, to refurbish existing permanent traveller and transit sites and provide temporary stopping places and facilities for travellers. More information can be found on this fund here: Traveller Site Fund 2022/23 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

NNC intend to submit a bid into this fund for capital funding by 13^th June to assist in the provision of a temporary stopping place to provide safe and secure places to stop for transient travellers in North Northamptonshire so that in liaison with the Police we can direct families to use these facilities rather than stopping on public and/or highway land as an unauthorised encampment.

As part of the submission bidders are encouraged to engage with both the local community and stakeholders such as future residents of the site, local settled community, Town/Parish Councils, and local MP’s.

Where is this planned for?

We are proposing the development of a Temporary Stopping Place at Junction 3 of the A14, to the North side of the junction with access to the site being obtained off Harrington Road, Rothwell, Northamptonshire. (Please see attached Site Location Plans – Ordnance Survey and Google Maps are attached)

The site provides good access to local road networks, and it is directly located just off the A14 which is a main arterial route through the county linking to the A6, A43, M1, M6 and A1 roads which provide good onward travel routes east and west, and north and south.

There is also good access to service provision locally in relation to health, education and welfare facilities including A&E.

What will it be?

The Temporary Stopping Place would provide up to 10 pitches and have limited facilities with a source of water, chemical disposal and refuse disposal and toilet provision, for which a fee similar to rent will be payable to the local authority. It would be available for travellers to use for up to 28 days, preventing the stopping place being used on a permanent basis.

The site layout would provide suitable access for vehicles and caravans/trailers and emergency vehicles onto and off the site, and suitable separation would be provided between pitches and other structures to ensure fire safety.

There would be a clear barrier provided around the site to ensure safety and security and to discourage unauthorised expansion of the site.

When would this happen?

The DLUHC Traveller Site Fund 2022/23 requires bids to be submitted by Monday 13^th June 2022, with successful bidders being notified by September 2022 and funding would be received during Autumn 2022. In line with the requirements of this fund, works will be required to be procured before end of March 2023.

How would this be managed?

As part of the fund requirements, local authorities will be required to provide feedback to DLUHC on progress locally at regular intervals of 3, 6 and 12 months after award of funding.

NNC would utilise the standardised guidance and monitoring template provided through the fund, to detail the relevant progress and updates against the original plan. As part of these monitoring returns, feedback from key stakeholders will be sought on the impact and delivery of this project. The site will be managed through a Traveller Steering Group, made up of key stakeholders including NNC officers from the countywide Travellers Unit, Public Health, Police, Fire, and elected members. This group would review all aspects regarding the operation of the site including site management, maintenance, use of site, any local issues and/or concerns, access to other support services and costs/benefit.