COSLA and Scottish Government are working together to improve the provision of culturally appropriate accommodation for Gypsy/Travellers.
A Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund has been set up to deliver good quality sites. These ‘demonstration projects’ will be examples of how to design more and better accommodation for the community.
A Site Design Guide has been created to raise standards and produce good quality modern Gypsy/Traveller accommodation. The Scottish Government will provide up to £20 million for the Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund over 5 years – 2021-26. Projects will be jointly funded by Local Authorities.
Aberdeen City Council, Clackmannanshire Council and Fife Council are the first councils that will receive funding to develop sites. Each site will be developed with residents taking into account their needs and preferences.
Work is also underway to improve the way that Gypsy/Travellers accommodation needs and demands are understood and met by local authorities.
You can read more about the fund here.
COSLA is working with local authorities to support the participation of residents in creating more and better accommodation and relevant resources will be developed.
COSLA has published a report on projects that have been delivered by local authorities to improve living standards on Gypsy/Traveller sites using a £2m fund that was created at the start of the action plan. You can read the report here.