At What Cost? : The Economics of Gypsy and Traveller Encampments

This book presents the findings of a comprehensive study by the Traveller Law Research Unit at Cardiff Law School of the costs associated with unauthorised encampments.-- Provided by publisher AT WHAT COST?......Page 2 Contents......Page 4 List of tables......Page 6 Preface......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 8 List of acronyms......Page 9 Pitfalls of research on costs......Page 12 Background to the research......Page 13 A pilot study......Page 15 Unauthorised encampments – definitions and context......Page 16 The nature of unauthorised encampments......Page 17 Travelling People......Page 19 2. Past and present law......Page 22 Consensus years: public site provision 1970 to 1992......Page 23 Modern intolerance: 1992 to the present......Page 25 From Bill to Act: 1994 to 2002......Page 31 Numbers of unauthorised encampments......Page 33 Loss of public pitches......Page 36 Basic data......Page 40 Local and ‘long-distance’......Page 42 Budgeting for and categorising costs......Page 44 ‘Toleration’......Page 49 Measured, unmeasured and immeasurable costs......Page 51 Increasing and decreasing costs......Page 53 Additional comments......Page 54 Case study: the costs in Scotland......Page 57 Totalling the costs......Page 59 Travelling People......Page 62 The police service......Page 71 Other landowners......Page 72 The planning system......Page 74 5. Best Value......Page 78 Best Value and consultation......Page 81 The role of politics......Page 83 Best Value and equality......Page 85 Best Value and the police service......Page 88 Best Value and unauthorised encampments: a case study......Page 91 Unauthorised encampments: a Best Value issue......Page 94 The 1998 Human Rights Act......Page 98 The Race Relations Acts......Page 100 Best Value and race relations......Page 103 Central government and local services......Page 106 7. Conclusion: obstacles and opportunities......Page 112 References......Page 116 Appendix A: Further examples of concerns expressed by local authorities in relation to the costs of unauthorised encampments......Page 122 Appendix B: 1998 TLRU pilot study on the costs of unauthorised encampments......Page 126 Appendix C: 1999 TLRU questions to local authorities on the costs to them of unauthorised encampments......Page 130 Reform of the 1968 Caravan Sites Act......Page 132 The problem......Page 137 The 1986 Public Order Act......Page 138 Civil remedies......Page 139 The 1990 Environmental Protection Act......Page 140 The government’s proposals to tackle illegal camping......Page 141 Accommodation for Gypsies and other Travellers......Page 143 Repeal of 1968 duties......Page 144 Encouragement towards settlement and permanent housing......Page 145 Planning policy......Page 147 Conclusions......Page 148 Appendix E: Racial attitudes and prejudice in Northern Ireland......Page 150 Appendix F: Best Value and unauthorised encampments in Dorset......Page 152 Appendix G: Northampton Borough Council Best Value review of encampments......Page 154 Summary of recommendations......Page 155 2. Performance indicators......Page 156 3. Survey requirements......Page 160 4. 2001 Census......Page 161 Index......Page 162 AT WHAT COST? 2 Contents 4 List of tables 6 Preface 7 Acknowledgements 8 List of acronyms 9 1. Introduction 12 Pitfalls of research on costs 12 Background to the research 13 A pilot study 15 Unauthorised encampments – definitions and context 16 The nature of unauthorised encampments 17 Who unauthorised encampments concern 19 Travelling People 19 2. Past and present law 22 Incrementalism: 1944 to 1969 23 Consensus years: public site provision 1970 to 1992 23 Modern intolerance: 1992 to the present 25 From Bill to Act: 1994 to 2002 31 Numbers of unauthorised encampments 33 Loss of public pitches 36 3. The costs to local authorities 40 Methodology 40 Basic data 40 Local and ‘long-distance’ 42 Budgeting for and categorising costs 44 ‘Toleration’ 49 Measured, unmeasured and immeasurable costs 51 Increasing and decreasing costs 53 Additional comments 54 Case study: the costs in Scotland 57 Totalling the costs 59 4. The costs to others 62 Travelling People 62 The police service 71 Other landowners 72 The planning system 74 5. Best Value 78 Best Value and consultation 81 The role of politics 83 Best Value and equality 85 Best Value and the police service 88 Best Value and unauthorised encampments: a case study 91 Unauthorised encampments: a Best Value issue 94 6. Rights, race relations and Best Value 98 The 1998 Human Rights Act 98 The Race Relations Acts 100 Best Value and race relations 103 Central government and local services 106 7. Conclusion: obstacles and opportunities 112 References 116 Appendix A: Further examples of concerns expressed by local authorities in relation to the costs of unauthorised encampments 122 Appendix B: 1998 TLRU pilot study on the costs of unauthorised encampments 126 Appendix C: 1999 TLRU questions to local authorities on the costs to them of unauthorised encampments 130 Appendix D: 1992 consultation paper on reform of the 1968 Caravan Sites Act, and excerpts of some responses to the consultation 132 Reform of the 1968 Caravan Sites Act 132 The problem 137 The 1968 Caravan Sites Act 138 The 1986 Public Order Act 138 Civil remedies 139 Powers against breaches of planning controls 140 The 1990 Environmental Protection Act 140 The government’s proposals to tackle illegal camping 141 Accommodation for Gypsies and other Travellers 143 Repeal of 1968 duties 144 Exchequer grant 145 Encouragement towards settlement and permanent housing 145 Planning policy 147 Conclusions 148 Appendix E: Racial attitudes and prejudice in Northern Ireland 150 Appendix F: Best Value and unauthorised encampments in Dorset 152 Appendix G: Northampton Borough Council Best Value review of encampments 154 Summary of recommendations 155 Appendix H: DETR and Audit Commission 2000/01 Best Value Performance Indicators relating to race equality issues 156 1. Introduction 156 2. Performance indicators 156 3. Survey requirements 160 4. 2001 Census 161 Index 162 Since the Conservative government's reform of the law and policy relating to accommodation for Travelling People (Gypsies and Travellers) in 1992, there have been no changes to the legislation, despite a major review of housing law and policy commenced by the current Labour government in 2000. A primary motive given for the 1992 legal reforms was financial: that the cost to the public purse of providing sites for Travelling People was unjustifiably high. Yet no study was ever done into the costs of not providing sites. In addition to exploration of the financial costs experienced by local authorities in the UK, both as landowners and as providers of public services, the book also examines the financial, human and social costs suffered by private landowners, police services and Travelling People themselves. The book places these costs in context both by exploring the process of change to law and policy in this field in 1992, and the issues now raised by the 'Best Value' regime and other new obligations placed on public bodies by human rights and race relations laws. The book will be invaluable reading for practitioners and policy makers in housing, planning, equality issues, education, welfare and policing at local and national levels. It will also be of interest to social policy and social work academics and students, and to Travelling People themselves.Since the Conservative government's reform of the law and policy relating to accommodation for Travelling People (Gypsies and Travellers) in 1992, there have been no changes to the legislation, despite a major review of housing law and policy commenced by the current Labour government in 2000. A primary motive given for the 1992 legal reforms was financial: that the cost to the public purse of providing sites for Travelling People was unjustifiably high. Yet no study was ever done into the costs of not providing sites. In addition to exploration of the financial costs experienced by local authorities in the UK, both as landowners and as providers of public services, the book also examines the financial, human and social costs suffered by private landowners, police services and Travelling People themselves. The book places these costs in context both by exploring the process of change to law and policy in this field in 1992, and the issues now raised by the 'Best Value' regime and other new obligations placed on public bodies by human rights and race relations laws. The book will be invaluable reading for practitioners and policy makers in housing, planning, equality issues, education, welfare and policing at local and national levels. It will also be of interest to social policy and social work academics and students, and to Travelling People themselves

Since the Conservative government's reform of the law and policy relating to accommodation for Travelling People (Gypsies and Travellers) in 1992, there have been no changes to the legislation, despite a major review of housing law and policy commenced by the current Labour government in 2000. A primary motive given for the 1992 legal reforms was financial: that the cost to the public purse of providing sites for Travelling People was unjustifiably high. Yet no study was ever done into the costs of not providing sites. In addition to exploration of the financial costs experienced by local authorities in the UK, both as landowners and as providers of public services, the book also examines the financial, human and social costs suffered by private landowners, police services and Travelling People themselves. The book places these costs in context both by exploring the process of change to law and policy in this field in 1992, and the issues now raised by the 'Best Value' regime and other new obligations placed on public bodies by human rights and race relations laws. The book will be invaluable reading for practitioners and policy makers in housing, planning, equality issues, education, welfare and policing at local and national levels. It will also be of interest to social policy and social work academics and students, and to Travelling People themselves.

This title presents the findings of a comprehensive study by the Traveller Law Research Unit at Cardiff Law School of the costs associated with unauthorised encampments