Senedd members criticised a lack of progress on new Gypsy, Roma and Traveller sites, warning people are living in substandard conditions in contravention of their human rights.
John Griffiths raised concerns about the poor condition of council-run sites in Wales after hearing evidence of disrepair, pollution and rat infestations destroying people’s lives.
The Labour politician, who chairs the Senedd’s housing and local government committee, led a debate on a report following two inquiries into the provision of sites.
Mr Griffiths, who will stand down next year having represented Newport East for 27 years, said it too often seems the needs of Gypsies and Travellers are not prioritised.
“Some described being treated as outcasts and second-class citizens,” he warned. “Nobody should be made to feel this way; we urgently need to see improvement.”
‘Little progress’
He told the Senedd: “At heart, this is a matter of human rights…. These communities are entitled to an alternative way of life, aren’t they? In essence, I think a lot of these arguments centre around that: we have to facilitate and accommodate that alternative way of life.”
Conservative Laura Anne Jones was similarly concerned by slow progress on new sites, with a “shockingly” low number of applications from councils for grants.
Calling for greater care in identifying appropriate locations to meet needs and avoid fuelling community tensions, the shadow housing secretary said: “The process must be transparent and fair, and communities must feel their views are genuinely taken into account.”
Her Plaid Cymru counterpart Siân Gwenllian said: “This is a very concerning situation. Although the Welsh Government has accepted the 21 recommendations from the 2022 report – very, very little true progress has been made.”
Ms Gwenllian stressed: “We can’t accept a situation where Gypsies and Travellers are living in conditions that aren’t just below standard but also contrary to their human rights.”
‘Unacceptable’
She pointed out that the Welsh Government’s anti-racist Wales action plan promised improvement but “none of the key actions have been achieved”.
“Again, totally unacceptable and difficult to understand because the funding was available,” she said, calling for urgent action to restore faith in ministers’ ability to deliver.
Labour backbencher Carolyn Thomas warned of noise and air pollution, with sites too often placed next to busy roads and industrial estates.
The former Flintshire councillor said: “Some councils take a long time to deal with repairs and maintenance. I recall a home we visited had a broken window and another had ineffective gutters for surface water – it had been like that for a long time.
“Residents pay rent for their sites just like any other tenant and are subject to council tax, gas, electricity and other charges in the same way as settled communities.”
‘Shameful’
Recognising that some Travellers prefer private sites, Ms Thomas expressed concerns about planning proving controversial and permission taking a long time.
She raised “disproportionate pressures” in Flintshire with 15 illegal sites, including 10 set up in one year, despite the council adopting a local development plan with allocated areas.
Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams warned of a “shameful” lack of progress on providing sites for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers since the committee’s initial report.
The shadow social justice secretary warned: “Families are in a worse position now than they have ever been in and they’re not seeing any change.”
Jane Hutt, her opposite number, said the Welsh Government shares the committee’s ambition to deliver the best outcomes for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers in Wales.
‘Disappointing’
She told the Senedd more than £2m was allocated to 14 councils for site improvements in 2024/25, with grant funding made available for buying land in 2025/26.
Ms Hutt vowed to take action if councils fail to meet their duties on housing needs, warning: “I will use my powers to enforce action against them if a resolution cannot be found.”
The minister highlighted an ongoing consultation on non-statutory guidance for councils about managing Gypsy and Traveller sites, which was last refreshed a decade ago.
She pointed to proposals for a new transit site in Flintshire, with only two in Wales currently.
Closing the debate on May 7, Mr Griffiths said: “We don’t have to look very far from here to see the reality of some, at least, local authority sites in totally inappropriate places, juxtaposed to busy roads, to industrial development, to waste disposal sites.
“To see families living in that way in this new millennium is hugely disappointing, so there’s still a lot of work to be done here in Wales.”