G&TLRC Conference: Tackling community tensions and creating dialogue, understanding and partnership

15th November, 9.30am, Friends Meeting House, Euston, London.

Objectives

BBC News Report

Workshop Reports

Conference Objectives

To share good practice on consulting Gypsies and Travellers such as the new accommodation needs assessment

To share good practice on building partnerships between Gypsies and Travellers looking at pioneer work being done by police forces, schools and Traveller education services, health providers and local authorities

To share good practice at developing dialogue and understanding between Gypsies and Travellers and work being done in places like Cottenham to tackle community tensions

To look at the emerging policies and recommendations coming from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Social Exclusion Unit and local government association and compare them to the needs and aspirations of the Gypsy and Traveller community

To be made aware of the work that has been done by the Commission for Racial Equality for the Gypsy and Traveller community

To view the programme, click here (PDF)

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BBC News Report

"At long last we have a formula that may solve the problem of accommodation. And once that is solved, we will be able to attack the other social problems that flow from it. "For the first time ever we have councils collaborating with each other on what needs to be done so they can move forward together, in agreement, on the number of sites needed. "

"The government is introducing new planning regulations - this conference is assessing these new duties and making sure all the relevant stakeholders are aware of what they have to do to ensure the new system works fairly and the sites that are desperately needed are actually created."

"There were some awful things said that descended into racism," he said. "But there has to be opportunities for people to come together and talk to each other about the problems. "This is what can break down barriers. It may be that the problems are too massive or intractable, but if you are journeying together, the least you can create a dialogue."

Conference Workshop – Theme: Education and Involving Gypsies and Travellers

The session was very well attended with a mix of parents and educationalists. There was a wide ranging discussion with many contributions. Some of the main points raised were as follows:

The range of views expressed in the workshop suggests that there are many examples of good practice but such practice is a long way from being universal in our schools.


Conference Workshop – Theme: ‘Moving Forward’ Policing / Training

This well attended workshop had following facilitators:
Tommy Collins, Justice for Travellers, Leeds
John Coxhead, Derbyshire Police
Ann Emslie, Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group

Discussion focused around policing relationship with Gypsies and Travellers, and how training could help improvement in services.

The Home Office report Moving Forward recommendations on police training were discussed.

Key issue is here making sure that the recommendations turn into action, and whilst focusing on policing, could help Criminal Justice as a whole. The issues of confidence in Justice, which involve all the justice sector, have been highlighted for the Pride not Prejudice 3 Conference in 2006.

Key factors discussed which were recognised as important in developing training were
Community involvement in all aspects of training, including developing, designing and running of event vital.

The potential of having train the trainer programme for community contributors very useful in helping community have a voice using an off the shelf package for everyone to deliver, which will be externally accredited.

Training was not the sole answer since there was sometimes a gulf between training and operations. There was a need for wider development involving making sure people in the workplace achieved new occupational standards in race and diversity, supported by strong leadership.

A positive way that the community can become more involved in police training is also to join Training Independent Advisory Groups which all police forces should be developing. In this way, you can help oversee the content and approach used in all police training, and be a critical friend to make sure the right issues are addressed in the best way to improve policing performance.

Training is a good way to build positive relationships, but needs to be followed through with continued development in operational policing delivery. A way forward for improved operational and liaison activities would be to use a regional approach so that individual Constabularies were not restricted by just looking within county borders. In this way a broader regional approach could be taken to ensure that the police were not involved in reactive approaches focusing on moving Travellers across borders, but could work more with regional Government in promoting overall community cohesion.

Conference Workshop – Theme: Gypsies, Travellers, and the Settled Community – Tackling community tensions and creating dialogue understanding and partnership

CONSULTING TRAVELLERS - MORNING and AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS
Morning
Dr Margaret Greenfields, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Cliff Codona, National Travellers’ Action Group
David Bailey, Fenland District Council

Dr Margaret Greenfields explained how the method/model of Consulting with Communities was achieved within the Cambridge and Sub-Regional Gypsy and Traveller Needs Assessment project. The Cambridge Project was commissioned by a consortium of LA in the Eastern Region (with additional financial input from Education and Health Authorities in the area. Dr Robert Home and Margaret Greenfields were commissioned to looked at Gypsies and Travellers accommodation needs and desires, health, education, use of public services, and experience of being policed. The model Drs Homes and Greenfields used was the UK’s first community devised model with Gypsy and Traveller input from conception of the project to completion.

She particularly wanted to praise the Ormiston Trust Traveller Project who had worked closely with and advised the Local Authorities in developing the tender and for their insistence on Gypsy and Traveller input from the beginning. She was impressed too with the fact that Cambridge Local Authority who had a reputation for Good Practice had agreed to use a community embedded model. Nb: Margaret apologised in the afternoon workshop for forgetting (in the morning session) to mention the important role of the Ormiston Project in working alongside the LAs to get the project off the ground.
The questionnaire used in the study was prepared in full consultation with a Gypsy and Traveller Advisory Group, consisting of community activists and experts, and has been delivered to 350 interviewees (final interviews still in progress) by trained Gypsy and Traveller interview teams with quality control carried out by the academic staff. The interviewers usually go out as pairs of one man and one woman, so that sensitive or health related questions can be asked in a culturally sensitive manner. Interviewers are of a mixture of ethnicities and ages, allowing individuals of different ethnicities greater opportunities to meet people from other travelling communities, or to be interviewed by somebody of their own ethnicity who will understand specific cultural issues. Within the study, particular attention is being given to young and old people whose voices are often forgotten, and the methodology involves the use of separate questionnaires for sites and houses. Focus groups (facilitated by a member of the Travelling community with professional counselling and interviewing qualifications) and some in-depth follow-up interviews have also taken place.

Key outcomes of the study are: to provide the local authorities (Cambridgeshire districts, Peterborough, Forest Heath, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk and St. Edmondsbury) with solid research to answer accommodation needs planning as required by the Housing Act (2004), to build networks amongst Gypsy and Traveller (G&T) communities, to supply trained G&T interviewers, to provide evidence in planning cases, to provide information on access to services and how to access professional information services (tenure information, how to source advice, health support, etc), and finally, to provide other local authorities with a Good Practice model outline.

The Cambridge Project model has produced three golden rules and recommendations:

Recommendations
For local authorities (and commissioning bodies), “joined-up” working linking to:

For community members

Cliff Codona, National Travellers Action Group, spoke to the theme “Let people in bondage speak for themselves”, probably the words of the Leveller of 1649, Gerrard Winstanley. Cliff spoke of things that we have never had and of rights denied.

Some of the achievements of the National Travellers Action Group so far are: keeping Patrick McCarthy on his own piece of land and engaging in lobbying and discussions with the ODPM on Gypsy Site refurbishment grants which are worth many millions of pounds (75% of total cost) to Local Authorities from the Government. His hope remains that every Traveller will have access to 100 by 50 foot pitches available all year round whether owned by themselves or provided by Local Authorities.

Cliff is optimistic for the future since Gypsies and Travellers had never been given a chance before and had laid down too long under the yoke of regulation and oppression while others tell them what to do, and make money on the backs of community members . Now Gypsies and Travellers have respect across the world. He urged people to push themselves forward and be inspired, but always be paid for their efforts when they take part in projects such as Police Training and Needs Assessment advising. He had proved that the system can be made to work for Gypsies and Travellers, and ended by issuing a challenge to community members: ‘Go out and do something for yourselves and your community before you see me again’.

David Bailey, Fenland District Council Traveller & Diversity manager, spoke about his District which covers North Cambridgeshire. Fenland, West Norfolk, and South Lincolnshire are historically associated with Travellers mainly because of the opportunities for casual labour and farm work historically. Travellers in his area live on 5 Local Authority sites and private sites with total pitches for 220 caravans. The vast majority of the community are however, living in housing. Consultation with the community is being achieved through Traveller-led Travellers Forums, and in addition, his team provide (with the expertise of local Gypsies and Travellers) training in cultural awareness, hate crime reporting, in-school hate crime reporting for Gypsies and Travellers (supported by a CD in spring 2006), and having Gypsy and Traveller site residents’ consultations.

The advanced strategic partnership in Fenland, David said, was meant to be a joined up approach. It represented an opportunity to develop community plans, cash availability for project work, recognition of misunderstandings between Gypsies and Travellers and the settled community in the past, considers the needs of migrant workers, and provides opportunities for full consultation, as well as feeding into Gypsy site refurbishment grants. For example, at the suggestion of residents of an authority site, to lessen the strike of a Fen wind, there was a change in proposed construction of a fence from a palisade to a close boarded fence which proved very popular.

Statements and Questions from the floor were then taken.
A GP from Northampton pointed out that what was needed was a positive slant from the media. Tommy Collins (Leeds Justice for Travellers) stated that council sites must be available to the poorer Traveller. One Traveller lady (who stated she was in her 40s) said she was still considered an immigrant despite being born here and had never been accepted by the local community. Breda Mahoney (ITM) complained of ‘police state’ tactics employed by researchers employed by some local authorities to carry out Needs Assessments – walking straight onto sites and using inappropriate questionnaires without explaining to site residents why they were asking questions or what the study was about. John Hockley (LA employee?) of Cranleigh, Surrey, asked, how was consultation to be achieved and how could LAs ensure Travelling people came to meetings? Cliff suggested that the key was trust and straight speaking about community wants and needs. Obstacles such as manpower for carrying out consultations could be overcome by getting community members to talk to family and people they know, suggested Margaret.

It was commented that the Royal Town Planning Institute should be used to conduct awareness training for LA planners and maybe even sponsor consultation groups to provide suitable sites. A New Traveller, emphasised that despite each family having its own needs, common ground had to be found in order to obtain justice for all. Cliff agreed strongly stating that literally all Travellers must support each other in access to sites, and that in his work, “united we stand, divided we fall”. Melanie Price, of the Travellers Unity Group, stated that some councils would not listen but treated Gypsies and Travellers as scum of the earth.

Afternoon

Dr Margaret Greenfields, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
John Mercer, Hull GATE
Greg Yates, Clearwater Gypsies

Margaret Greenfields repeated her presentation given in the morning (see above).

Greg Yates, of Clearwater Gypsies, (who had been an advisor on the Cambridge Project as well as winning a landmark Court of Appeal case against Chichester Council on planning for his family’s private site) entertained the workshop with an ironic discussion on his experience as the ‘token Gypsy’ employed by some LAs to discuss the reasons behind Needs Assessments, and to deal with questions from antagonistic members of the public who came along to public consultation on local Needs Assessment. Greg explained that he and his family are now in the process of applying for planning permission for a 16-pitch transit site alongside their authorised private site in Clearwater, Chichester. Despite winning his very important case, Chichester Council maintain that Greg’s 2004 Appeal Court planning victory was not a landmark and he expects to have to fight his application for a transit site (which would be the first in the District).

At public meetings on Needs Assessments, where he has been invited to attend to field questions from the public, Greg had frequently felt that after experiencing a glimpse of the hatred and abuse handed out to Gypsies and Travellers, local authority staff and Councillors appear to be in need of assistance from Victim Support – such has been the bitterness and aggression they have witnessed. Greg however always take the opportunity to point out to LA staff that whilst they might be shocked, Gypsies and Travellers and Greg himself have endured the abuse all of their life.

Greg explained that he deals with questions from the audience at planning consultations with questions of his own. For example, responding to statements such as he and his family should be deported, he asks where is he to go? As he was born locally as was his family! If land is suitable for building 800 houses why was there not enough room for just one caravan? If gorje site wardens were prevented from living on site due to poor environment and health and safety regulations (i.e, next to the motorway, adjoining a sewage farm, and under the pylons) why were travellers allowed to live there? I the Sun or Daily Mail a factual newspaper, and did not Gypsies and Travellers suffer in the Second World War Holocaust and fight for their countries?

John Mercer stated that good public relations were the key to getting local people and councils to consult with and realise the situation of Gypsies and Travellers. In reality the tabloids stirred up emotions of settled people, enhancing fear, frequently assisted by local Councillors. Currently relations between settled people and Gypsies and Travellers are often poor and frequently took the form of open racism. He described the experiences of his own family and the racism they have endured. The general (settled) public seemed to have not adjusted to Gypsies and Travellers as a part of a diverse community, whereas Gypsies and Travellers wanted to live in harmony with the rest of society. An aspiration for community development and safety, and a right to a home and education, which is written into European Community law. It seems that if lessons were not learnt and cooperation not adopted, then progress for Gypsies and Travellers would only be achieved on their behalf by lawyers and through the courts – a situation nobody really wants, but which might have to occur unless progress and acceptance takes place.

Questions and Discussion from the Floor
The concept of the ‘token Traveller’ in public life was discussed extensively. Greg made the very clear point that he was often asked to speak ‘for Gypsies and Travellers’ but like most people in his position he could only represent his own family and this fact was stated on all public and private occasions as he couldn’t speak for Irish Travellers or other Gypsies or Travelling groups. He added that, historically, Gypsies lived as tribal members, as different as one Red Indian tribe to another, with distinct traditions and customs with (at times) limited cooperation between tribes. Coalition such as represented by the G&TLRC is a modern concept and whilst it is welcomed doesn’t mean any one person can speak on behalf of other communities.

From the floor it was suggested that Gypsies and Travellers who are invited to speak at local authority and other events were frequently of the ‘watered down’ or ‘tame variety’ and therefore Gypsies and Travellers should never be accepted as fully represented in public life until proved otherwise. A New Traveller from Brighton and Hove had been out with a liaison officer researching community needs (not a formal Needs Assessment); in his opinion, there was no real attempt to do the work properly. Ian Holding, Travellers Co-ordinator Neighbourhood and Housing Services, Bristol City Council, stated that Housing Needs Assessments must have an on-going legacy; the assessment should be the start of engagement with the community, using joined-up working and showing real value to the community (similar to the model discussed by Margaret).

One member of the audience said that since stories of ‘murder, rape, and pillage’, to say nothing of the ‘fall in property values’, have been associated with Gypsies and Travellers moving into areas for many years, was there any evidence which could be used against these presumptions. Patrice Van Cleemput referred her to the Rowntree Foundation/Planning Exchange report of 1996. A discussion ensued about this study, which found that such stories had no evidential support and that over time settled people’s fears about Traveller Sites in their area were found to be over-reactions and often fuelled by media stories whilst the reality was very different.

Further discussion took place about public and media perceptions. Tales that Gypsies and Travellers were really criminals but were too canny to be caught and that policemen were too scared to arrest them appeared to be spread by many people, including (allegedly) Gypsies and Travellers who had ended up as prison inmates! It was stated that if the police really feel that they have evidence of serious wrong-doing amongst Gypsies and Travellers, would they really say we won’t deal with a serious crime because it is a Gypsy or Traveller who carried it out? After all the police would never say, “We don’t do bombs” so why should they seem to say to settled people “We don’t do anti-social behaviour because we are afraid of Gypsies and Travellers?”.

A rhetorical question was put from the audience, ‘Are needs assessments the way forward for Gypsies and Travellers’? Yes came the answer, then once accommodation and other needs are properly met, with community responsibility and enforcement of anti-social behaviour which gives all Gypsies and Travellers a bad name.


Conference Workshop – Theme: The Social Exclusion Unit Study on Gypsies and Travellers

Jill Spencer, Social Exclusion Unit,
Patrice Van Cleemput, University of Sheffield,
Dave Cannon, Southwark Traveller Education Service

Jill Spencer started the session with a presentation, titled Frequent Moving and Service Delivery, which commenced with information about the background to the Social Exclusion unit and to the Frequent Movers project.

Frequent Movers Project
Jill explained that the Frequent Movers Project was looking at service delivery, issues and solutions for various groups who ‘ move frequently’ and that Gypsies and Travellers are only one of those groups (others including refugees, asylum seekers, care leavers, migrant workers etc). Jill acknowledged that this was a big disappointment to delegates and that although she understood their wish for a project to look at the issues of social exclusion for all Gypsies and Travellers, rather than to include only ‘ frequent movers’ in among other disparate groups, her team was only able to carry out the terms of their brief from the Govt.

Key points from the presentation included:

Jill finished the presentation with an update on progress i.e. the SEU currently in process of presenting evidence to Govt and negotiating with them to take actions forward.

Delegates were informed that it is still not too late to fed in views, ideas and suggestions
The final report is scheduled for Feb/ March 2006


SE & Health
Patrice followed with some information about the impact of social exclusion on health and wellbeing, starting with a definition of social exclusion from the Govt web site

Patrice made it clear that in discussing social exclusion of Gypsies and Travellers she was not referring solely to those who were mobile but to Gypsies and Travellers in all types of accommodation and in particular, including those who are housed.

She reminded delegates of the poor health status of Gypsies and Travellers and referred them to the summary reports of the University of Sheffield Health Status study.

She pointed out that health is not solely determined by health service delivery but by a range of wider determinants, crucially including ‘status in society’. G& Ts are one of the most excluded groups in society and also have poorest health. Patrice quoted Richard Wilkinson who has written extensively on health inequalities

She pointed out that although Gypsies and Travellers are at a disadvantage in these terms they also have some strong protective factors in terms of strong close extended family relationships. However, this ‘ strength’ is also threatened when Gypsies and Travellers become more isolated from each other’s support when accommodated in houses.

In the Health Status study one of the recommendations was that a Task Force be set up to address these wider determinants.

Patrice referred to the negative impact of lack of ethnic monitoring. The importance of monitoring in order to achieve equality has been emphasised in various health documents eg Framework for Action for Mental health DH 2003-5:

Despite this, the Count Me In census of ethnic minorities accessing hospital mental health services did not include Gypsies and Travellers in their list of ethnic minorities.

Patrice pointed to the Baseline Leeds Census of Gypsies and Travellers 2004-5 (undertaken by Leeds REC and conducted with Gypsy and Traveller enumerators) in describing the benefits of monitoring. As a result of the census findings (poor life expectancy), in conjunction with the needs identified by the health status study, health policies have been revised with a health advocate being recruited and an increase in the health visiting provision.

The Department of Health has also appointed a lead for Gypsy and Traveller health who is also looking at policies and the need for their inclusion in monitoring.

Patrice finished with reference to the media influence on society’s views and perceptions, which in turn has such an impact on social status. She pointed to a good model in Ireland where they are about to launch a national Traveller Focus week aimed at highlighting the positive contribution of Travellers and recognising them as fellow members of society.


SE & education
David finished the presentations by firstly acknowledging the degree of marginalisation and hostility towards Gypsies and Travellers and the impact that this has on underachievement. David went on to mention a number of education initiatives aimed at tackling this social exclusion

Since RRA (A) Act 2000, Travellers specified in range of DfES initiatives-
Sure Start, Children Fund, Connexions, Learning Skills Council
· 03 Excellence & Enjoyment: A strategy for Primary Schools
‘schools must be closely linked to their communities’
· Jan 04 Personalised Learning
further emphasis on links with wider community
· Sep 04 Community cohesion Standards for schools
identifying resources for Gypsies and Travellers & encouraging activities aimed at their needs
· Nov 04 Primary Strategy Learning Networks
· April 05 Education Improvement Partnerships
David emphasised that common to all these initiatives is the importance of community cohesion and that cohesion lies in schools. DfES expects all schools to set targets for access and attainment by Dec 2005. He emphasised the importance of including Gypsy, Traveller, and Roma young people in the target setting process being undertaken by schools and local authorities.
Following the presentation there were many questions from the various delegates.
Many questions to the SEU were outside the scope of their remit and it was felt that the title of the workshop was misleading in this sense.
There were also questions raised about process of consultation and how those consulted were accessed. This was raised in the context of a Gypsy and Traveller voluntary organisation that as omitted from the consultation in one of the 3 area studies.
A clear message came from the delegates to the SEU that they would like a specific report on Gypsies and Travellers rather than a report that simply included them in the wider Frequent Movers.
Particular issues raised included security of tenure, stigma in the community and Gypsies and Travellers experiences within the Criminal justice system

Possible action points for the G&TLRC
The SEU consultation process was a particular disappointment to delegates and so guidance may be something that the G&TLRC could address in regard to future consultations?
Could the G&TLRC consider ways of addressing social exclusion with the media eg on lines similar to the Traveller Focus Week in Ireland?
Further consideration and pursuit of the idea of a Task Force to address social exclusion
Practicalities at conference. The very last minute change of venue for the presentation meant that the speakers were not familiar with the room or how to find it. Also the promised facilitator, much needed, did not materialise and unnecessary time was spent waiting for one.
The title of the workshop was felt to be misleading and caused frustration among delegates as well as the SEU regarding expectations ( ie delegates expected a report on Gypsies and Travellers social exclusion when the SEU brief was to talk about Frequent Movers

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Agenda

9 - 10 am Registration

10 - 11.15 Opening Session

Chair - Rodney Bickerstaffe (tbc)
Welcome Violet Tucker (Leeds GATE)
Tom Sweeney (Co Chair Irish Traveller Movement)
Janie Codona – NTAG
Len Smith G&TLRC - An Overview of Government Policies
Rob Torkington - Friends Families and Travellers

Gypsy and Traveller Women
A workshop to consider the problems Gypsy and Traveller women endure in particular as a result of homelessness, poor living conditions and eviction and how women activists can effectively mobilise to tackle the exclusion from which they and their families suffer from. Details to follow


What Do We Want and When Do We Want it? accommodation needs assessments for Gypsies and Travellers
Margaret Greenfields - Buckingham Chiltern University
Cliff Codona - National Travellers’ Action Group
Greg Yates - Clearwater Gypsies
Justine Compton – TAT

The New Planning System
Siobhon Spencer - Derbyshire Gypsy Liaison Group
Angus Murdoch - TAT
Marc Willers - Friends Families and Travellers

Support Groups for Gypsies and Travellers – Sharing Good Practice (morning only)
Frieda Shiecker (London Gypsy and Traveller Unit)
Helen Jones (Leeds GATE)
Sherry Peck (Ormiston Trust)
Lochaber Routes and the Traveller and Gypsy Community Development Project (Glasgow).


Site Issues - Security of Tenure and Management (afternoon only)
Sharon Baxter (TAT)
John Wilson (Novas) tbc
Debbie Kennett (LGTU)

Supporting Travellers Living on the Road
Anne Bagehot (The Gypsy Council),
Chris Johnson TAT,
Joe and Bridie Jones (Canterbury Gypsy and Traveller Support Group),
Win Lawlor - Irish Community Care Liverpool,
John Mercer Hull GATE

Youth Conference
During the workshop times in the morning/afternoon a youth conference aimed at and led by Gypsy and Traveller teenagers will be held.
- Facilitators - CyberPilots/FFT, The Children’s Society, Save the Children, the London Gypsy and Traveller Unit, Traveller and Gypsy Community Development Project (Glasgow). Hull GATE/Northern Network.
The conference will involve music, entertainment and debate and the chance for young activists to interview Richard O'Neil and Charles Smith about their past experiences of being young Travellers and now activists.