Update on the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund and Interim Site Design Guide Evaluation

What are we doing, and what have we done so far?

The Scottish Government asked Diffley Partnership to do research on:

Changes made to council-owned Gypsy/Traveller sites that were funded by the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund (‘the Fund’), and
The Interim Site Design Guide (‘the Guide’) that gave advice on how to carry out the changes.

We want to share what we have learned so far, and what we plan to do next. We are looking at how well the funding is working and if it is meeting its aims. As part of this work, we have spoken to:

Gypsy/Traveller residents
People from local councils
Other professionals who know about the Fund (for example, those working in housing or public health)

So far have visited two sites. One in Aberdeen and one in South Lanarkshire. We have spoken to 17 residents, 5 council staff and 5 other professionals.

We also looked at documents like funding applications, project reports and meeting notes.

It is important to keep in mind at this stage of the research that:

So far, we have only spoken to people at two sites. People in other places might have different views.
Residents had only been back in their homes for about a month when we spoke to them. That means it is too early to know the full impact of the changes.

We have also spoken to residents and people from the council in Highland, and we very recently made a second visit to Aberdeen. We have not finished looking at that information yet. So, for now, we are only sharing what we found on our first visits to Aberdeen and South Lanarkshire.

How well do people think the Fund is working?

The Fund was set up to:

Improve Gypsy/Traveller sites
Add more homes
Make sure homes meet cultural needs

Most people we spoke to agree these are important. They also said it can be hard to improve old sites and build new homes at the same time.

One council said the process of applying for funding was clear. Another said the guidance was confusing in the first round of funding. They said this was better the second time they applied. This helped them to plan their application better and show how the planned changes would improve the site. Councils said the funding helped them achieve the goals they set out at the start.

Councils also said they found it helpful to join meetings where they could share ideas and learn from each other.

Based on what residents, councils and others have told us, we found that community engagement was different across different sites. One positive thing that was reported was that Gypsy/Traveller residents helped to design parts of the Fund and Guide.

However, there were also some problems with communication on individual projects. We were told these were likely to occur when there were delays to projects or residents had to move off site.

What changes were made on sites and what do people think about them?

This part explains what changes were made on the two sites we visited. It describes what people said they liked and what they said were challenges.

Aberdeen:

The Aberdeen site was completely rebuilt. Changes included:

Bigger living spaces
New facilities
A new layout with one-way roads and safety fences

Residents were mostly happy with the new bigger amenity blocks. Many residents said the site felt safer. However, there were some challenges:

Residents had to move out while the work was done because of how big the changes were. Many who had to move said the temporary homes were not good enough.
Residents said that the temporary homes did not meet their cultural needs, had issues like mould, and made them feel far from their support networks.
The date to return to site kept changing, which made people feel frustrated.
After moving back in, some residents said they had problems with drainage and water pressure.
Bad weather and construction issues caused delays.

South Lanarkshire:

The South Lanarkshire site was improved as part of a long-term plan. Residents had helped shape this plan. Changes included:

Expanded plots
New amenity units
Better shared areas, including new play spaces

Residents were mostly pleased with the better facilities, increased space, and improved shared areas. However, there were some challenges:

Some were unhappy that not everyone got the new changes at the same time.
Families were worried about safety during building works, as children had fewer safe places to play.
Some residents said some contractors acted poorly.

Efforts by the council to provide alternative spaces and improve communications helped with these challenges.

What about the Interim Site Design Guide?

The councils we spoke to said the Guide helped them follow the rules when planning changes.

A good example from one council was asking residents to help design playparks so children could help choose what went in them.

The councils we have spoken to said the Guide could be improved by:

Making the advice clearer for different types of homes
Adding more pictures and plans.

What have we learned so far?

We have learned a few key lessons that could help future projects:

Stakeholders and councils said it is positive to involve residents early, let them help plan from the start, and keep in touch with them throughout the whole process.
Keeping people updated is important. Residents need to know what is happening, if there are any delays, and when their homes will be ready.
Problems like low water pressure or issues with some units show that checks on construction quality are important.
Councils talking to each other about what worked well (and what did not) can help improve future projects.

If residents need to move out, temporary homes should be good quality, suit their needs, and be close to their community if possible.

What are we doing next?

In the coming months, we will go back to South Lanarkshire when residents have been back in their homes for longer, to see how changes have affected them.

We also plan to speak to people at other sites that received funding. We have just visited the Highland site for the first time and will go back. We also recently revisited the Clintery site in Aberdeen. We will visit sites in Perth and Kinross, Fife and Clackmannanshire after work there is finished, and again when residents have been back in their homes for longer, to see how changes have affected them.

The final report will explain what we found, how well the funding has worked and what could help future projects.