At what cost? ：The economics of Gypsy and Traveller encampments

Publication subTitle ：The economics of Gypsy and Traveller encampments

Author： Morris   Rachel (Author)   Clements   Luke (Author)  

Publisher： Policy Press‎

Publication year： 2002

E-ISBN: 9781847425553

P-ISBN(Paperback): 9781861344236

Subject： C91 Sociology

Keyword： Ethnic studies

Language： ENG

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At what cost?

Description

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.

Chapter

AT WHAT COST?

Contents

List of tables

Preface

Acknowledgements

List of acronyms

1. Introduction

Pitfalls of research on costs

Background to the research

A pilot study

Unauthorised encampments – definitions and context

The nature of unauthorised encampments

Who unauthorised encampments concern

Travelling People

2. Past and present law

Incrementalism: 1944 to 1969

Consensus years: public site provision 1970 to 1992

Modern intolerance: 1992 to the present

From Bill to Act: 1994 to 2002

Numbers of unauthorised encampments

Loss of public pitches

3. The costs to local authorities

Methodology

Basic data

Local and ‘long-distance’

Budgeting for and categorising costs

‘Toleration’

Measured, unmeasured and immeasurable costs

Increasing and decreasing costs

Additional comments

Case study: the costs in Scotland

Totalling the costs

4. The costs to others

Travelling People

The police service

Other landowners

The planning system

5. Best Value

Best Value and consultation

The role of politics

Best Value and equality

Best Value and the police service

Best Value and unauthorised encampments: a case study

Unauthorised encampments: a Best Value issue

6. Rights, race relations and Best Value

The 1998 Human Rights Act

The Race Relations Acts

st Value and race relations

Central government and local services

7. Conclusion: obstacles and opportunities

References

Appendix A: Further examples of concerns expressed by local authorities in relation to the costs of unauthorised encampments

Appendix B: 1998 TLRU pilot study on the costs of unauthorised encampments

Appendix C: 1999 TLRU questions to local authorities on the costs to them of unauthorised encampments

Appendix D: 1992 consultation paper on reform of the 1968 Caravan Sites Act, and excerpts of some responses to the consultation

Reform of the 1968 Caravan Sites Act

The problem

The 1968 Caravan Sites Act

The 1986 Public Order Act

Civil remedies

Powers against breaches of planning controls

The 1990 Environmental Protection Act

The government’s proposals to tackle illegal camping

Accommodation for Gypsies and other Travellers

Repeal of 1968 duties

Exchequer grant

Encouragement towards settlement and permanent housing

Planning policy

Conclusions

Appendix E: Racial attitudes and prejudice in Northern Ireland

Appendix F: Best Value and unauthorised encampments in Dorset

Appendix G: Northampton Borough Council Best Value review of encampments

Summary of recommendations

Appendix H: DETR and Audit Commission 2000/01 Best Value Performance Indicators relating to race equality issues

1. Introduction

2. Performance indicators

3. Survey requirements

4. 2001 Census

Index

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