§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many permanent traveller sites or pitches are provided currently by each local authority in west Yorkshire; what was the figure for the comparable period last year; how many additional pitches or sites are expected to become available during the coming year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoThe number of permanent traveller pitches provided by each local authority in west Yorkshire at this time last year, the current provision and the likely provision by next year are as follows:
Number of pitches Authority and site Last year This year Next year Bradford Mary Street 24 24 28 Esholt Lane 16 16 19 Calderdale Nil Nil Nil Kirklees Nil Nil Nil Leeds Cottingley Springs A 20 20 20 Cottingley Springs B Nil 36 36 Wakefield Heath Common 52 52 38
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many permanent traveller sites are currently available in Bradford; how many pitches are available; when improvement work to sites is expected to be completed; what is the total cost of improvement work to date; what is the total estimated cost of improvement work; how much of this improvement work is paid for by grant from his Department; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoThere are currently two permanent local authority gypsy sites in Bradford, one at Mary street and the other at Esholt lane.
14WPhase I improvement works to the Mary street site costing £183,449 were given approval in February 1988 and these works have been completed. The site currently provides 24 pitches.
Phase II and III improvement works to the same site costing £549,983 were approved in February 1991. These works will produce further site improvements and an additional four new pitches bringing the total number of pitches on this site to 28.
The total estimated cost of improvement works to the Mary street site is £733,432.
The Esholt lane site at present provides 16 pitches. Improvement works costing £549,481 were approved in March 1991. These will result in a total of 19 pitches on this site.
Grants are available to local authorities towards the capital cost of providing gypsy caravan sites. The rate of grant on admissible costs on schemes approved by the Secretary of State is 100 per cent.