<p>The Gypsy and Traveller Community</p>

Part of 3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children – in the Senedd at 2:43 pm on 24 May 2017.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mark Isherwood Mark Isherwood Conservative 2:43, 24 May 2017

Diolch. In January 2011, obligations to meet the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation sites led to the granting of temporary planning permission for identified individuals for five years for a site in Flintshire, because of assurances made to the planning inspector by the council that, within such period, the need would be met by Flintshire. Because it wasn’t, Flintshire granted further temporary permission for five years in April, even though it’s widely recognised the site isn’t suitable as a permanent site. Then, subsequently, the granting of temporary planning permission was quashed in court because Flintshire had failed to fulfil its responsibility, and Flintshire had the costs of the hearing charged against it.

Given that the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 provisions in this respect, in terms of assessment of accommodation needs, came into effect in February 2015 and the duty to meet assessed needs, and the failure to comply with duties under section 103 came into effect in March 2016, what powers do you have to intervene in this instance, where something has clearly gone very wrong?