More gypsy sites needed in West Berkshire

West Berkshire has a shortage of gypsy traveller sites.

The district council says there is a total need over the next five years for 60 additional pitches.

It compares with a current supply of 47 authorised pitches (including vacant pitches) – a current shortfall of 13.

The figures are reported in the council’s Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showperson Accommodation Assessment.

Travellers charity, Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT), has released new research showing the lack of pitches available on public Traveller sites in England.

Their report reveals that while over 1,696 households are currently on waiting lists for pitches, there are just 59 permanent and 42 transit pitches available nationwide.

The bi-annual Department for Levelling Up Traveller caravan count saw an average of 79 caravans in the West Berkshire area.

The annual Travelling Showperson caravan count – undertaken each January – has consistently showed no caravans on Travelling Showperson’s yards of which there is one, used for storage, in the district.

In West Berkshire, 163 people identify as ‘white gypsy’ or ‘Irish traveller.’

A further 63 people identified as ‘gypsy travellers.’ Seventy one of those people live in caravans, although 79 caravans have been recorded across the district.

Council provision includes one council site at Four Houses Corner (with 16 pitches currently being refurbished) and three private authorised sites (with 27 pitches) and one unauthorised site with one pitch.

There are also transit pitches at 1A Paices Hill – up to 16, although there is a recommendation to change the use of eight pitches to residential.

West Berkshire has 133 children who are ascribed as Gypsy, Roma or Traveller.

And 35 West Berkshire schools have Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils on roll.

According to a report to the council’s schools forum a Pupil Support Officer for GRT pupils has been involved in 158 sessions between September 2020 and July 2021.

This included face to face sessions and a range of home/school visits. This figure does not include support of GRT families and schools via phone and Zoom throughout lockdown periods during the pandemic.

The report says that due to Covid restrictions the outreach sessions for pre-school GRT children have been unable to resume.

It said ‘The Bus of Hope’ visits should be 9/12 months of the year, with winter months excluded for health and safety reasons.

This service operates from Paices Hill Traveller site and has provided Parent and Toddler activities for families and support with school applications for children who stay on a short term basis on the site.

Usually, children attend sessions at different times over the course of the year because their families are travelling and staying temporarily on the transit part of the site.

Snapshot counts of the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans were requested by the government in 1979 and have since been undertaken every January and July by local authorities.