Pre-decision Scrutiny
·
To select appropriate items from the Cabinet agenda for pre-decision
scrutiny (cabinet reports enclosed for Scrutiny Members)
·
To select appropriate items from the Cabinet (Finance) Sub Committee
agenda for pre-decision scrutiny (Cabinet Finance Sub - Committee reports
enclosed for Scrutiny Members)
Minutes:
The Committee
scrutinised the following Cabinet item:
Housing (Wales) Act 2014
– Consideration of the Neath Port Talbot Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation
Assessment
Members were provided
with a report seeking to agree the findings of the Gypsy and Traveller
Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) (2022) and authorise the submission of the GTAA
Report to the Welsh Ministers for approval.
It was explained that
part 3 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 placed a duty on Local Authorities to
undertake a new GTAA every five years; where the assessment identified a need
for mobile home pitches, the Council would need to make provision to address
the identified need.
Officers highlighted
that the study was undertaken in-house, using Welsh Government guidance;
colleagues form various services were involved in producing the GTAA, including
Social Services, Housing, Planning Policy, Estates, Vulnerable Learner Services
and Local Area Coordinators. It was noted that the study identified that there
was no need for pitches in the next five years (2021 to 2026), however there
was a need for 10 pitches in the longer term (2027 to 2036).
The Committee was
informed that if the circulated report was approved by Cabinet, Officers will
submit the assessment to Welsh Government for review; once Welsh Government had
approved the report, the Council will need to meet any needs that were
identified.
It was asked why there
was currently no provision for the Gypsy and Traveller communities in the
valley areas. Officers confirmed that Neath Port Talbot currently had three
public sites, which were all situated along the costal corridor of the County
Borough; there was also one private site in Margam. When undertaking the
survey, the need for public sites was recognised, and additional pitches would
be looked into if it was identified as a requirement; Officers would need to
wait for Welsh Government to approve the study, before progressing with this
work. Members were informed that potential sites and pitches would form part of
the candidate site process for the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP);
in regards to where they would be situated, it was mentioned that Officers
would need to look into this in more detail. It was added that the Gypsy and
Traveller communities often prefer to live together, which had been identified
from the household formation of existing sites; Officers would also explore the
detail of their findings from the interviews that had been undertaken.
A discussion took place in regards to transiting; if there was no need identified for a transit site, it was queried where these communities would go. It was stated that although no need for transit sites had been identified currently, Future Wales: the national plan 2040, stated that Gypsy and Traveller accommodation should be assessed at the regional level; this will now be a requirement as part of the Corporate Joint Committee. Officers mentioned that the Corporate Joint Committee, will have a Sub-Committee who will appoint a Team to produce a Strategic Development Plan around this; it was important to look at a ... view the full minutes text for item 1