£32million available in 2009/10 for Gypsy and Traveller Sites
3 February 2009
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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. 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.
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.
ENDS
For further information: Gemma Thompson, HCA press office on 020 7881 1054
Note to editors:
The Homes and Communities Agency is now responsible for the Gypsy and Traveller Site Grant that will fund new social rented sites as well as help pay for the refurbishment of existing social rented sites. Our 2009/10 bidding round has now begun and full details are contained within the guidance prospectus.
Some important areas of our work include:
- Increasing the supply of accommodation
- Promoting community cohesion
- Improving the quality of accommodation, and ensuring it is sustainable
- Supporting organisations such as local authorities and Registered Social Landlords, and tackling barriers to delivery
- Encouraging innovative approaches to site provision
- Supporting skill development, to improve the development and management of sites.
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is the single, national housing and regeneration agency for England. We bring together the development and regeneration expertise of English Partnerships, investment functions of the Housing Corporation, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities, with major delivery programmes of Communities and Local Government.
Our role is to create opportunity for people to live in high quality, sustainable places. We provide funding for affordable housing, bring land back into productive use and improve quality of life by raising standards for the physical and social environment.
During the next three financial years the HCA controls a budget of £17.3bn.