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Homes and Communities Agency News Release

3 February 2009

£32million available in 2009/10 for Gypsy and Traveller Sites

Local authorities, ALMOs and RSLs who wish to provide social rented sites for Gypsies and Travellers, new age travellers and travelling show people can now access guidance on bidding for funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

The national housing and regeneration agency has published its Gypsy and Traveller Sites Grant Guidance 2009/10 at www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/gypsies_travellers. The bidding guidance and application forms have been updated to reflect experience gained in the bidding round for 2008/2009, and the fact that responsibility for the Gypsy and Traveller Sites Grant now rests with the agency.

Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency said: "Ensuring that the needs of minority and vulnerable communities are catered for is an important part of our work, and we are committed to ensuring the delivery of additional sites for Gypsies and Travellers through the government's funding programme. The publication of this document is an important step in ensuring the bidding process is as clear and effective as possible."

Responsibilities of the HCA, details of the grant and bidding timetable, plus instructions for completing bids and next steps in the process are set out in the guidance. The publication supplements regional training events during February and March to help organisations develop their bids and complete the application. Details of the training courses can be found at www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/grant_training_events.

The current bidding round will be broadly similar to that run previously by Communities and Local Government. However, the provision of sites and their delivery will become part of the agency's Single Conversation - its model for working with public and private partners to deliver local priorities.
 

South West Provincial Employers courses and events
 

6th Annual Developing Services for Gypsies and Travellers 2008:
Providing Sites and Security of Tenure
   

N.A.G.T.O. (the National Association of Gypsy and Traveller Officers) was set up in 1997 to help Local Authority Gypsy Liaison Officers ("GLOs") share knowledge, compare best practice and improve standards of service.

Other professionals dealing with travelling communities, such as Traveller Education, had for some time established associations to work in and feed from. GLO's have often operated alone, and unsupported, in a wide variety of sometimes very difficult situations. Wherever such officers are based - and there are lots of possible Departments and Directorates - they need support and NAGTO is set up to provide that support.

Government used to organise regular national meetings of GLOs. But that all ended in 1994, leaving no natural lines of communication between services, even in neighbouring authorities.

NAGTO seeks to re-establish these, providing a central focus and at the same time harnessing the wide range of expertise these very different scenarios make available to its members and establishing contacts within the wider public arena.

This information is passed on to members through a regular newsletter, regional liaison meetings and topic groups and national events.

The Association has led the way in establishing BTec training in Gypsy Services (formal courses began in 2001) for which it provides tutors and assessors, and is constantly looking at ways in which it can encourage the continued professional development of its members.

So what does NAGTO provide you if you join?

  • harnessing the wide range of expertise

  • establishing contacts within the wider public arena.

  • regular newsletter.

  • regional liaison meetings national events.

  • BTec training in Gypsy Services (formal courses began in 2001) continued professional development of its members.

JOIN HERE NOW!

If you are a fully paid up member and do not have your user name and password please contact me by e-mail. c.j.f.eardley@bury.gov.uk

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