FOI Request - Gypsy Traveller Caravan Sites

Request 101003822500

1.  How many Gypsy Traveller Caravan Sites are run by local authority or a housing association in your area?

2. How many pitches on each of these sites?

3. Does the council provide single or double pitches?

4. How many people live on each site?

5. Does the council provide caravans for tenant on their sites?

6. Does the council provide chalets or day rooms for tenants?

7. How many people is there currently on the waiting list for a pitch on each?

8. A copy of the allocation policy for each site.

9. A copy of Tenancy agreement, occupancy agreement or any other agreement for each site.

10. When was the last time each site as upgraded and information on site upgrade?

11. Where it applies, how much money was it for just one chalet, caravan, day room or amenity unit?

12. Photos of the Gypsy Traveller Caravan Sites.

13. Map or layout of Gypsy Traveller caravan Sites.

14. Does the site have a play area – provide photos.

15. Copy of site inspections for the last 5 years.

16. Copy of risk assessments for the last 5 years.

17. Has there been any evictions in the last 5 years?

18. a) Do the sites have CCTV – photos of CCTV?
b) How many CCTV cameras are on each site?
c) Where are the CCTV cameras located on site?
d) When was CCTV cameras installed?
e) How did it cost to install the CCTV cameras/security system?
f) How did it cost each year to run the CCTV cameras/security system?
g) Where tenants consulted about the insulation of CCTV cameras/security system?
h) If the tenants consulted about the insulation of CCTV cameras/security system could I have a copy of the consultation?

19. Is there Fire safety equipment on site?

20. a) Is there a caravan site manager?
b) Is there a site managers office on the caravan site?
c) Does the caravan site manager work from site office?
d) How many hours per week does the Gypsy Traveller Site Manager work.
e) How many hour on site per week does the site manager work?

21. Does the council have a Gypsy Traveller Liaison officer?

22. How many Gypsy Travellers encampments were in the council are last year or between 2024 to 2025?

23. How many unauthorised encampments last year?

24. A copy of the name/location of all encampments and unauthorised encampments used by Gypsy Travellers in the last 10 years

25. has the local authority signed up to the Negotiated Stopping scheme?

26. what services are provided for people at the unauthorised encampments

27. what services are provide for people at encampments

28. how many transit site does the council have?

29. does the council have any plans to build new permanent sites or transit sites?

30. Has there been any new pitches added onto the council existing sites?

31. Is there any reduction in pitches to the council existing sites since the site opened?

32. Does the council provide cultural information relating to Gypsy Travellers, if yes please provide a copy?

33. Has the council carried out any research on Gypsy Travellers, if yes please provide a copy of the research?

34. Has the council done any equalities impact assessment relating to Gypsy Travellers in the last 5 years?

35. Has the council carried out any consultation with the Gypsy Traveller Community in the last 5 years? If yes please provide copies.

36. Does the council carry out site inspection reports? If yes please provide reports?

37. Is the council aware if any Gypsy Travellers employed by the council? If yes how many?
38. How many complaints from Gypsy Traveller tenants has the council received regarding the Gypsy Traveller Site condition? Please provide information for each site.

39. How many complaints from Gypsy Traveller tenants has the council received regarding the management of Gypsy Traveller Site? Please provide information for each site.

40. if a Gypsy Travellers is a victim of racism, does the council have a procedure for reporting this?

Response 13-08-2025

1. Nil

2.- 20. Not applicable

21. Yes

22. 27

23. 27 - Moray Council has no authorised sites for Gypsy Travellers therefore all encampments are deemed to be unauthorised.  

24. 

2015: Encampments Number per Year - Total 47

2016: Encampments Number per Year - Total 23

2017: Encampments Number per Year - Total 21

2018: Encampments Number per Year - Total 21

2019: Encampments Number per Year - Total 24

2020: Encampments Number per Year - Total 15

2021: Encampments Number per Year - Total 15

2022: Encampments Number per Year -  Total 13

2023: Encampments Number per Year - Total 15

2024: Encampments Number per Year - Total 27

2025 so far: Encampments Number per Year - Total 19

Please note, information on the location of unauthorised encampments is exempt under Section 35(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) 2002 - prejudice to the prevention or detection of crime (e.g. Hate Crime). It is not considered in the public interest to release this information and it is deemed that there is a risk of substantial prejudice to the prevention of crime if this information were to be released to third parties.

25. Yes - Moray Council participated in Negotiated Stopping Pilot which was organised by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in partnership with the Scottish Government

26. Sanitation, water, waste removal and signposting to education, health and social care.  

27. See response to question 26

28. Nil

29. The requirement for both permanent and transit sites has been highlighted in the Local Housing Strategy and Local Development Plan, but suitable land has not been identified.

30. Not applicable

31. Not applicabe

32. Moray Council’s website contains cultural information relating to Gypsy Travellers. For ease of reference, please see a link here: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_51689.html

33. Yes, see attached Housing Needs Assessment by Grampian Regional Equality Council (GREC) in June 2023.  Note - details of locations have been redacted - Section 35(1)(a) FOISA

34. No specific Equality Impact Assessments (EIA) have been completed on Gypsy Travellers in the last 5 years. EIA’s were completed for the Local Housing Strategy and Local Development Plan which took account of protected groups including gypsy travellers.    

35. Housing Needs Assessment in June 2023 (Linked in response to Question 33.) 

36. Not applicable

37. Not held. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.

38. Not applicable

39. Not applicable

40. Officers have received training on Third Party Reporting of hate crime