Gypsy and Traveller CLTs

Recent events have demonstated that there is a need for a solution to how Gypsy and Traveller communities live with those in settled communities.

Offering permenant sites is often seen as an expensive and contentious solution by local authorities and, where they are set up, they tend to be less than ideal for the people they are for.

Wessex Community Assets is working with representatives from the Gypsy and Traveller community to enable groups to own their permanent sites. Run as co-ops, they would give control to small groups who can then invest in improving their own sites.

To prevent the sites then having any increased value realised in an open market sale, the co-ops will be leasing the land from a Community Land Trust also run by members of the Gypsy and Traveller community but with representatives of interested bodies and stakeholders (such as local authorities) on the board.

The first CLT has been set up in Somerset and Wessex Community Assets is working on a set of Rules (the governing document) for the co-ops which are easily understood and explain processes as well as duties.