Welsh Government responds to scathing report on Traveller site provision and equalities

The Welsh Government has promised to do better after a scathing report by another government committee set up to scrutinise its Gypsy and Traveller policies accused it of not going far enough, fast enough.

In August 2022, the Local Government and Housing Committee’s August 2022 report: Provision of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers made 21 recommendations to improve the delivery of Traveller sites in Wales, and the health and well-being of Welsh Gypsy Travellers, all of which were accepted by the Welsh Government.

However, in June 2023, the Welsh Gypsy Traveller charity Travelling Ahead wrote to the committee questioning the Welsh Government's progress in implementing the recommendations, saying: “To our knowledge not one of the recommendations in your committee’s report has yet been actioned”.

The Welsh Government has now responded to this criticism and last month published a plan that promised to do better.

In the plan, the Welsh Government announced that it will fund two Welsh Gypsy Traveller charities to both help Travellers with planning applications for private sites, and to research the evidence of need for a network of transit sites across Wales.

The Welsh Government also stated that it is monitoring the criteria for councils applying for government funding to increase the council provision of public Traveller sites, or to refurbish run-down existing sites.

“Local authorities are encouraged to bid for funding, of the available £3.44 million Site Capital Grant funding for 2024-25,” stated the Welsh Government.

“This is available to fund either local authority residential sites or transit sites. These can fund projects to refurbish existing accommodation, construct new pitches and improve the sustainability of sites for residents. In 2024-25 (the Welsh Government) awarded £2,000,235 funding for site improvements.”

The Welsh Government also promised to take action over local authorities who were dragging their heels about planning new Traveller sites to cover legally established need for new pitches.

"Section 104 of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 gives Welsh Ministers the power to direct the authority to exercise its powers under section 56 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013. This is a power I will consider using if it appears that local authorities are not making all reasonable efforts to meet their duties," stated the Government Minister responsible for housing.

The Welsh Government also said it had reinstated the Gypsy and Traveller forum where Welsh Gypsy Travellers can come together and discuss how the Welsh Government is performing with its promises and get their voices heard at the highest level.

“The purpose of this meeting is bringing together Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people with Welsh Government, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations to ensure all our policy work and decisions support the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities throughout Wales,” stated the Welsh Government.

“We have awarded a contract to a Gypsy and Traveller third sector organisation to recruit community members to attend and participate in the meetings scheduled across Wales.”

The first meeting of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Stakeholder Group took place on 27 February 2025.

The report by the Local Government and Housing Committee can be downloaded and read below.

The Welsh Government response can be downloaded and read below.

TT News

(Lead photograph: Welsh Gypsy Travellers, supporters and Welsh politicians mark Holocaust Memorial Day outside the Senedd Welsh parliament building in Cardiff, 2017 © Travelling Ahead)