Meetings

2.17a The Committee noted the press release.

2.16a The Committee noted the letter.

3.2a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Social Justice.

Jane Hutt MS, Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip

Stuart Evans, Head of Race; Faith & Belief; Gypsy, Roma & Traveller policy

Amelia John, Interim Director - Communities & Tackling Poverty

9.1 The Committee received evidence from:

Jane Hutt, Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip

Stuart Evans, Head of Race; Faith and Belief; Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Policy

Amelia John, Interim Director - Communities & Tackling Poverty

Lorna Hall, Deputy Director for Equality and Human Rights

3.1a The Committee noted the letter.

2.2a The Committee agreed to forward the letter to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip.

2.3a The Committee noted the letter.

NDM8139 John Griffiths (Newport East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Local Government and Housing Committee, ‘Provision of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers’, which was laid in the Table Office on 11 August 2022.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 16 November 2022.

The item started at 16.42

NDM8139 John Griffiths (Newport East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Local Government and Housing Committee, ‘Provision of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers’, which was laid in the Table Office on 11 August 2022.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 16 November 2022.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

3.1.a The Committee noted the Welsh Government response to the report on the provision of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers.

6.1. The Committee considered and agreed its draft report.

4.1. The Committee considered the draft report and agreed a number of changes.

4.1. The Committee discussed the evidence received under item 2.

Jane Hutt MS, Minister for Social Justice

Chrishan Kamalan, Head of Race and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Policy, Welsh Government

James Searle, Head of Crime and Justice Team, Welsh Government

2.1. The Committee received evidence from:

Jane Hutt MS, Minister for Social Justice

Chrishan Kamalan, Head of Race and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Policy, Welsh Government

James Searle, Head of Crime and Justice Team, Welsh Government

2.2.  The Minister for Social Justice agreed to share with the Committee the letter she is sending to Council Leaders regarding the Anti-Racist Action Plan, and to provide further information on the Welsh Government’s partnership with the Fuel Bank Foundation.

Naomi Alleyne, Director, Social Services and Housing, Welsh Local Government Association

Tim Peppin, Director of Regeneration and Sustainable Development, Welsh Local Government Association

Daniel Hurford, Head of Policy, Welsh Local Government Association

6.1. The Committee received evidence from:

Naomi Alleyne, Director, Social Services and Housing, Welsh Local Government Association

Tim Peppin, Director of Regeneration and Sustainable Development, Welsh Local Government Association

Daniel Hurford, Head of Policy, Welsh Local Government Association

6.2. During the evidence session, the Welsh Local Government Association agreed to provide:

·         figures of the number of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller sites where planning permission has been successfully sought, and the land subsequently purchased

·         figures for the number of years training for councillors across Wales relating to provisions of sites for Gypsy, Roma and Travellers, as outlined in the Welsh Government race equality action plan

·         a note to clarify the number of transit sites in Wales

·         a note of best practice examples of local authorities consulting and engaging with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities for sites provision.

Chief Constable Carl Foulkes, North Wales Police

Chief Constable Pam Kelly, Gwent Police

Dafydd Llywelyn, Police and Crime Commissioner, Dyfed-Powys Police

4.1. The Committee received evidence from:

Chief Constable Carl Foulkes, North Wales Police

Chief Constable Pam Kelly, Gwent Police

Dafydd Llywelyn, Police and Crime Commissioner, Dyfed-Powys Police

4.2. During the evidence session, Chief Constable Carl Foulkes agreed to provide a copy of North Wales Police’s five-step approach of engagement with communities, that was used ahead of enforcing legislation during the Covid pandemic.

4.3. During the evidence session, Dafydd Llywelyn agreed to provide:

·         a briefing note relating to the number of illegal Gypsy, Roma and Traveller encampments in Wales;

·         further information relating to the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community youth forum in Pembrokeshire.

Professor Jo Richardson, Associate Dean Research and Innovation / Professor of Housing and Social Research, De Montfort University

Allison Hulmes, National Director, Wales, BASW Cymru

3.1. The Committee received evidence from:

Professor Jo Richardson, Associate Dean Research and Innovation / Professor of Housing and Social Research, De Montfort University

Allison Hulmes, National Director, Wales, BASW Cymru

3.2. During the evidence Professor Jo Richardson agreed to provide:

·         a copy of the report produced for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation;

·         copies of the reports which include examples of local authority best practice.

3.3. During the evidence session, Allison Hulmes agreed to provide a copy of the 2022 research from “The British Journal of Social Work” relating to the over-representation of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children referred to child welfare services or taken into state care.

8.1. The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 3 and 4.

4.1. The Committee considered the evidence received and discussed future work.

Trudy Aspinwall, Team Manager, Travelling Ahead: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Advice and Advocacy Service

Assia Kayoueche, Communications, Campaigns and Membership Officer, Race Alliance Wales

Jasmine Jones, Gypsies and Travellers Wales

Martin Gallagher, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Activist, writer and academic researcher 

2.1. The Committee received evidence from:

Trudy Aspinwall, Team Manager, Travelling Ahead: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Advice and Advocacy Service

Assia Kayoueche, Communications, Campaigns and Membership Officer, Race Alliance Wales

Jasmine Jones, Gypsies and Travellers Wales

Martin Gallagher, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Activist, writer and academic researcher

4.1. The Committee considered its approach to engagement work for the inquiry into the provision of sites for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers.

4.1. The Committee considered its approach to the work relating to the provision of sites for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers.

5.6.a The Committee noted the letter from Travelling Ahead in relation to Gypsy and Traveller sites and agreed to undertake future work on the matter.