That a Gypsy and Traveller target of 71 pitches for the period 2006 to 2016 be included in the draft Core Strategy.

The Core Strategy will set the target for the number of Gypsy and Traveller pitches to be provided in the borough.  At its meeting on 15th September 2010, Cabinet agreed that the target should be set for the 10 year period 2006 to 2016.  Cabinet also endorsed a methodological approach to setting the target.

It was suggested that the methodology be reviewed by an external party before the final decision on the target is made. This is because there is no common practice or guidance as yet on how such targets should be set.

The review has now been completed and the points raised are summarised and responded to in the table in Appendix 1 of the report of the Head of Spatial Planning.  As a result of that consideration, it was recommended that one adjustment to the need assessment be made.   

Needs

The needs table from the 15th September Cabinet report is reproduced as Table 1 below showing the proposed adjustment.

The external reviewer makes the general point that it is necessary to have a stable base date that is contemporary with the rest of the data to make sense of the pitch need/supply balance. This key date is April 2006 which is the base date of the Core Strategy and the starting point for the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA).  The allowance at line 6 is required because the GTAA did not take account of sites which had temporary consents at the time of the survey which would lapse and generate a need at a future point.

The number of mobiles that had temporary consent at the base date is 10.  The figure of 34 used previously includes the mobiles that have been granted temporary consent since the GTAA.  On reflection, it is considered that the figure of 10 accords with using a consistent base date for the calculation of need, avoids a risk of double counting with the unauthorised sites already accounted for in the GTAA and ensures that a stable pitch target for the 10 year period can be set.

Table1: local needs summary

In conclusion, and informed by the external review, it was recommended that the draft Core Strategy target pitch requirement be set at 71 pitches for the period 2006 to 2016.

Supply

Table 2 below is reproduced from the 15^th September Cabinet report, updated with the permanent consents granted in the meantime.  As for conventional housing, the supply of additional permanent pitches in the borough will be monitored over the timeframe of the Core Strategy to measure progress against the confirmed target. This includes monitoring whether the estimate for future public pitch supply (line 10) comes forward as anticipated.

Table 2: identified supply summary @ 24^th January 2011.

Next Steps

The pitch target will be included in policy for Gypsies and Traveller accommodation in the draft Core Strategy which itself will be presented to a forthcoming Cabinet meeting. A numerical target for the 2016-2026 period will need to be set in a future Local Development Document, informed by a new GTAA or equivalent. 

As previously advised, the timing of Gypsy site allocations in a DPD is now contingent on the target being confirmed in the Core Strategy as it will govern how many, if any, sites need to be allocated.  Members will consider an updated LDF timetable, specifying the constituent DPDs, at a forthcoming meeting.

The Cabinet could decide not to set a target for Gypsies and Travellers in the Core Strategy, or to defer setting a target.  In response, the CLG letter of 6th July gives the clear expectation that authorities will set local targets.

Furthermore, Gypsy site provision is a significant local issue in the borough and, as such, a clear statement of the Council’s assessment of a reasonable scale of pitch provision, and to subject this to public consultation, will provide greater clarity than the status quo.