5. What support is available for Gypsy and Traveller communities in Mid and West Wales? OAQ(5)0135(ERA)[W]

The Welsh Government has commissioned the Travelling Ahead project at Tros Gynnal Plant to deliver a new pan-Wales advice and advocacy service. This service will support Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to better understand their rights, get good-quality advice and advocacy support, address inequalities, and tackle discrimination.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his reply and can I particularly thank him for his officials who attended a meeting with me on the Gypsy site in Kingsmoor near Kilgettty on Friday. My thanks also to Ruby Price who hosted us in her home for a couple of hours where we discussed Tros Gynnal Plant, the Travelling Ahead project and other needs to support Gypsy and Traveller sites in Pembrokeshire. Can I ask two particular questions arising from that? One of the things that was clear from that discussion is that Gypsy and Traveller communities do build up trust with those who are able to speak on their behalf or intervene or work with them, and the Unity project has done a lot to achieve that in Pembrokeshire. How can we achieve and ensure that what’s been learnt in the Unity project, and the skills that have been built up with individuals there, are transferred in some way to the new project of Travelling Ahead, Tros Gynnal Plant as well, so that there isn’t a loss of confidence? Because, as he will know, in community development that can take two or three years to build back up if you lose it at that stage.

The second question is around the facilities at Kingsmoor in particular. I understand that Pembrokeshire County Council are looking to have a planning application and come to the Welsh Government for a capital fund to expand that site. I hope that he will work with Pembrokeshire, or his officials at least, to ensure that the people on that site do get a fair deal and the best possible opportunity to bid through Pembrokeshire for the money that might be available from Welsh Government.

I thank the Member for his question. I am aware of the Unity project and I’m grateful for the acknowledgement of my official. I did say that he would come with you and he did, and I’m pleased that it was a successful meeting. I too am concerned about the sharing of good practice and the community cohesion that is built up through a programme like this. It is disappointing to say that while, long term, the Big Lottery was coming to an end, the local authority were aware of that programme coming to an end and could have submitted a bid to Welsh Government to carry on the good work of the Unity project, but failed to do so, which is regrettable. In terms of the capital spend that the Member alludes to, I’m not aware of a bid coming through, but of course I heard the Member’s comments.

Can I add my voice to Simon Thomas’s expressions about the Unity project? It was indeed an excellent project and it did work to help bring young Gypsies and Travellers here to the Senedd for the cross-party group on Gypsies and Travellers. They’re uncertain how they’ll be able to come in the future. So, can I ask the Cabinet Secretary if he can think of something that can replace the Unity project in giving the support to enable the young people to come here to see where their democracy is?

Of course. Julie Morgan has championed the rights of the Gypsy/Traveller community for a long time. Welsh Government has funded a Travelling Ahead advice and advocacy service, operating from 1 April to March 2020. The staff who run the programme will be well known to many mid and west Wales community members, which should support the effectiveness of the service. I will give some further thought to that. I’ve also met with the younger community here at the Assembly, and it was a great visionary opportunity to understand what the impacts are for this community. I will give that some further thought.