Guidance

Traveller Site Fund 2022/23: Assessment criteria guidance

Assessment and scoring criteria for the £10 million Traveller Site Fund 2022/23.

• From: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Published: 20 March 2022

Applies to England

There are criteria against which bids will be assessed, with a percentage assigned to each category indicating the weighting that category will be given during the assessment stage.

• Strategic Case: 20%
• Management Case: 25%
• Site management and amenities: 30%
• Added value: 20%
• Transit site prioritisation: 5%
  
  

• All applications will be scored using this framework and final decisions on funding will be made by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Decisions on funding will ultimately be taken by DLUHC ministers, following advice from officials.

• All bids that pass the initial sift will be scored by DLUHC officials against the assessment criteria. Officials will provide ministers with a shortlist of bids which all meet a benchmark and are deemed fundable based on their scores against the assessment criteria.

• DLUHC ministers will make a decision on which of these projects from the shortlist will be funded. DLUHC ministers will exercise discretion on the following specific factors only, ensuring a:

  • balanced spread of projects across areas where need has been demonstrated.

• Where projects are based in the constituency of a minister involved in decision-making, they will recuse themselves from the discussion and decision-making process and will be able to delegate to another minister of that department.

• Only local authority led bids will be accepted.

• In the event that the fund is oversubscribed, priority will be given to bids that will deliver new transit and temporary stopping sites in an area with a high amount of unmet need (based on the evidence in a recent local authority traveller needs assessment). Priority will also be given to new site provision over refurbished provision.

Criteria 1: Strategic case Weighting: 20%

Assessors will look for clear evidence that the bid will meet an identified need for a new transit site, permanent site, temporary stopping place or refurbishment of existing provision in your area and how it will meet the fund’s wider strategic aims.

• Does the bid set out clearly what additional accommodation is going to be provided?
• Does the bid contain costs associated with dealing with Unauthorised Encampments or Unauthorised Developments?
• Does the bid outline the issues and challenges with existing traveller site provision or lack of provision in the local authority area?
• Does the bid proposal clearly articulate benefits and defined objectives/outcomes, as outlined in the prospectus?
• Has the bid set out evidence that it will address local unmet need for a new or refurbished transit site or permanent site and /or temporary stopping place in the area?
• Does the bid include details of the anticipated local impacts of the project on the wider community and the difference the delivery of the project will make locally?
• Has the bid set out the benefits to traveller communities including wider outcomes such as improved wellbeing and better health and education outcomes?
• Does the bid set out how the bidding authority will work with neighbouring local authorities and other local agencies?
• Does the bid set out how statutory equality requirements will be complied with?

Criteria 2: Management case Weighting: 25%

Assessors will be looking for clear evidence of the deliverability of the project within the financial year 2022/23, and that project delivery will be effectively managed. Assessors will consider the feasibility of delivery with reference to the following factors:

• Is the land already owned by the local authority?
• Is the site freehold or leasehold?
• Does the bid set out how the land is currently being used?
• Whether planning has been obtained. If not, does the bid provide timescales on when planning permission will be obtained and whether there are any conflicts with the local plan?
• Has the bid outlined if the proposed site has any significant policy constraints and how the local authority will address these (e.g. Green Belt, National Park etc.)
• Has the bid highlighted any potential barriers to development on the site e.g., land ownership, boundary disputes, flooding, contaminated land and proposed mitigation?
• Has the bid identified if any remediation is needed on the land?
• Does the bid include a detailed project plan with key milestones, including detailed consideration of delivery risks and their mitigations? This should include obtaining planning permission, land remediation etc.
• Does the bid include details of planned or completed consultations with the local community where the site will be built?
• Does the bid provide any evidence of how the engagement has shaped the proposal (if already undertaken) and describe the attitude of the community members to the project and whether this is likely to be a barrier to deliverability?
• Does the bid include details of completed or planned engagement and support from local public service providers including education and health?
• If the proposal relates to renovation works, how will residents be accommodated while work is carried out? What are their views on this and are they likely to be a barrier to deliverability?
• Has the applicant provided details of organisations that they will work with to deliver the project?
• Has the applicant provided details of who will lead and manage the project within the local authority and does this provide sufficient capacity?
• Does the bid contain details on procurement process?
• Does the bid include a picture of/or design plans (drawn to scale) for the site and where facilities such as toilets and showers will be located?

Criteria 3: Site management and amenities Weighting: 30%

Assessors will look for evidence that the site will be well-managed once it has been developed, to ensure its success and that the site supports the wellbeing of traveller communities with reference to the design standards outlined in the prospectus. Assessors will consider the following factors:

• Has the bid identified how it will meet the site standards outlined in Annex A of the prospectus?
• Has the bid set out a clear plan to manage and maintain the site?
• Has the bid explained how it set rents at an affordable level?
• Has the bid set out clearly how the site will be fully sustainable once Government funding ends (taking account of rental income and other sources of funding)?
• Does the proposal identify and provide evidence that the site is located where travellers can access education, health, welfare, employment and public transport infrastructure?
• Does the bid consider the amenities on site that will support the well-being of travellers?
• Does the bid provide information about ongoing plans to ensure that the site contributes positively to the wellbeing of travellers, such as facilitating positive connections with the wider community and local public services?

Criteria 4: Value for money Weighting: 20%

Assessors will look at the following factors to determine if bids will offer value for money, both in terms of delivering the proposal and also the ongoing management of the site, to ensure it continues to provide value and meet the fund’s strategic objectives.

• Has the bid included supporting evidence such as data from previous tenders that the grant requested will be sufficient to deliver the project?
• Does the bid provide a detailed breakdown of each element to be provided? Do the costings in the bid appear reasonable?
• Does the bid explain how the ongoing site costs will be funded and include a forecast of income? Including cost per pitch, information on rent/pitch fees, service charges, deposits, and any funding from other sources which may be necessary to cover the costs of the site?
• Does the bid explain how the rent/pitch fees, service charges and deposits will be affordable to traveller communities?  
• Does the bid explain how the project will deliver value for money? Including any financial or economic assessment of the benefits that the proposal will deliver, with reference to fund’s strategic objectives, and any wider benefits to traveller wellbeing, the wider community or local services.
• Does the bid provide a 10% funding contribution (from another source) and is the availability of this contribution evidenced?
• Is the value of the bid below £1 million? If not, are there exceptional circumstances which justify the additional cost?

Criteria 5: Transit site Weighting: 5%

Assessors will prioritise transit site applications, to reduce the number of unauthorised encampments and to directly address the low number of transit sites that currently exist.

• Is the site a transit site?

References

• The National Planning Policy Framework (the Framework) establishes a presumption in favour of sustainable development. The Framework sets out that there are three dimensions to sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. These roles should not be undertaken in isolation, because they are mutually dependent.

• Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) sets out the government’s planning policy for traveller sites. It should be read in conjunction with the Framework. The overarching aim is to ensure fair and equal treatment for traveller communities, in a way that facilitates their traditional and nomadic way of life of while respecting the interests of the settled community.

• Landlords of Social Rent and Affordable Rent accommodation are required to be registered as a provider of social housing with the Regulator of Social Housing.

Published 20 March 2022