You are here : Home : Themes : Communities of Interest : CoI Directory Start : Travellers and Gypsy

Travellers and Gypsy

Travelers in Bradford

In Bradford there are different groups of people who are a part of Traveler communities. This term is used to describe those identifiable groups, who either are, or have been, traditionally associated with a nomadic lifestyle, and include Gypsy/Roma Travelers, Travelers of Irish heritage, Fairground families (or Show people), Circus families and New Travelers. Gypsies and Modern Irish Travelers are defined in law as ethnic minority groups.

Some parts of the Traveler communities have had links with Bradford for some considerable time, and a number of families have been based on the two main static sites for some years. They use the full range of public services, and have the right to be asked for their views, in the same way as other groups of people. In the past there have been barriers to their involvement in the wider community and there is work to do to break these down.

Unfortunately there is no information from the 2001 Census on the traveler communities within the Bradford District.

Further information about the Traveler communities can be gained initially through the Gypsy Liaison Service. They are happy to advise.

The National Picture and Travelers

Government figures show there has been an overall loss of 596 authorised pitches over the last seven years: an average of 76 pitches lost a year. Over 150 district councils and London boroughs have unauthorised encampments but no authorised sites of any kind. The number of pitches needed on permanent residential sites is estimated to be no more than 5,000 and is minimal compared with the housing needs of the settled community.

The report, produced in consultation with local authorities, central government departments, the CRE, voluntary sector and Travelers and Gypsies themselves, recommends that:

• Permanent residential and transit sites should be classed as housing. Regional development agencies should co-ordinate and lead local authorities in establishing networks of sites across each region.
• Local authorities should be required to make provision for sites within their Local Development Frameworks or risk loosing funding for social housing from Regional Housing Boards.
• A specialised national or regional, registered social landlord should be established to help local authorities, private and voluntary bodies to provide appropriate sites.
• This agenda should be driven forward by a high-level unit within the ODPM, led by a senior civil servant, charged with delivery of the necessary number of sites within Local Development Frameworks by 2006/7. The unit should be advised by a Traveler Task Force, with a significant proportion of Traveler and Gypsy representatives and other stakeholders.
• Local authorities should include Romany Gypsies and Irish Travelers in the Equalities Standard. Local authority Homelessness Strategies should be reviewed to ensure full compliance with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000).

Heaven Crawley, ippr Associate Director, said:

"Local authorities are in a difficult position. They face fierce local opposition to provision of sites but know that this is fuelled by public reaction to unauthorised encampments. These are the inevitable result of failing to provide authorised sites. The enhanced powers to evict Travelers proposed by the Government will not prove a sufficient incentive for local authorities to provide new accommodation. We need new partnerships to work across local authority areas.

"Whilst we do not underestimate the scale of the problems involved in addressing the issue of providing accommodation for Travelers and Gypsies we think the current Housing and Planning Bills are an opportunity to make real and sustainable progress on the issue of site provision. That will the benefit of local authorities, settled communities and Travelers and Gypsies themselves."

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, said:

"Gypsies and Travelers face inequality and disadvantage in almost every walk of life, but nowhere more clearly than in accommodation. Gypsies and Travelers' accommodation needs should be explicitly addressed in new legislation that is currently being introduced that aims to provide decent homes for all by 2010.

"Where possible Gypsy and Traveler accommodation should be given the same legal status as 'bricks and mortar housing' and assessed and delivered in the same way. This approach would go a long way towards combating many of the accommodation inequalities facing this group. It would also help prevent the growing numbers of conflicts we are seeing - because of planning and enforcement issues and illegal encampments - which are so damaging to good community relations."

There are no official national figures on the size of the Traveler and Gypsy population but it is estimated to be around 300,000. This would mean that Travelers and Gypsies may be similar in size to Britain ’s Bangladeshi community (280,000). Romany Gypsies who are estimated to be around 63,000 in the UK are a recognised ethnic minority group. Irish Travelers (estimated to be 19,000 living in Britain ) are also recognised as an ethnic minority.

A MORI poll conducted for Stonewall showed that more than one third of respondents admitted being prejudiced against Travelers and Gypsies.

Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000) introduced a general duty on all public bodies to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity and good race relations between people of different racial groups. Since 31 May 2003 , an enforceable race equality duty has applied to 43,000 public bodies in England and Wales , and since November 2003 to approximately 350 public bodies in Scotland .

The Act applies to all local authorities, schools, health bodies, criminal justice agencies and central government departments, all of which are key bodies impacting upon and interacting with Traveler and Gypsy communities. It applies to both Romany Gypsies and Irish Travelers who are recognised as distinct ethnic minorities.

CoI Plan & Links to Organisations that may have further data on Travellers and Gypsy:

Click on the following link for the Traveller and Gypsy Community framework plan 2006.

Click on the following link for the s.