Please provide the following information for all permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites managed/owned by the local authority.

1. How many permanent Gypsy / Traveller sites does the local authority own and/or manage?
Two Sites:
• Twyford Orchards
• Carters Hill

2. What are the arrangements for residents of these sites to access an electricity supply?
• Twyford Orchards – Residents arrange their own supply for their homes
• Carters Hill – The landlord provides electricity for on site utility blocks, the residents would arrange their own supply for their homes. Carters Hill has a small amount of electricity supplied by the local authority for utility blocks.

3. Do the local authority hold the contract for the electricity supply to the site, or do residents have individual contracts with an electricity provider?
Twyford Orchards doesn’t have a contract for electricity held by the landlord, they have individual contracts with an electricity provider.

4. If the electricity contract is held by the local authority, how are individual residents billed for electricity and at what rate?
There is no service charges for these properties

5. Is there any option for site residents to a) choose electricity provider and/or b) choose tariff?
Not for the blocks as this is provided by WBC, but their own supply they can

6. What are the arrangements for residents of the sites to access a gas supply?
• Twyford Orchards – no gas supply
• Carters Hill – no gas supply

7. Is there a mains gas supply on the site or do individuals use gas cylinders provided by themselves?
No mains gas, individuals can provided themselves gas cylinders

8. If there is a mains gas supply, do the local authority hold the contract with the provider or do residents have individual contracts with a gas supplier?
No mains gas to the sites

9. If there is a mains gas supply contract held by the local authority, how are individual residents billed for gas and at what rate?
No mains gas

10. Is there any option for site residents to a) choose gas provider and/or b) choose tariff?
Not applicable, as no mains gas

11. What are the arrangements for residents of the sites to access a water supply?
Site has central water supply with internal network to connect each individual static home.

12. Do the local authority hold the contract with the water company or do residents have individual contracts with a water company?
WBC has the contract with the water retailer for the site water supply

13. If there is a water supply contract held by the local authority, how are individual residents billed for water and at what rate?
Service Charge

14. Is there any option for site residents to a) choose water provider and/or b) choose tariff?
No, unless a direct supply from the main road water distribution infrastructure was requested by resident which would need prior approval by WBC

15. Are households on pitches on your local authority owned/managed Gypsy/Traveller sites eligible for the Energy Bills Support Scheme to help with the cost of energy?
The Energy Bills Support scheme is issued directly to contract holders so for domestic supplies it would go to them if they had either a credit metre or a prepayment metre. Those in temporary homes may receive an equivalent payment for the support scheme based on information included in the .gov website: Getting the Energy Bills Support Scheme discount - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/getting-the-energy-bills-support-scheme-discount)

16. If not, why not?
This question is either non applicable as per question 15 &/or because the national government have chosen to issue a comparative amount separately than through the Energy Bill support scheme.

17. If the local authority is the recipient of the Energy Bills Support Scheme grant for the sites, how is the local authority passing on the grant to site residents?
This would depend on the type of metre on site for residents or the type of charging system in place already which is not necessarily the same across all sites with temporary housing in Wokingham Borough.

18. What steps have the local authority taken to maximise the energy efficiency across the sites and on individual pitches?
I am not aware of anything but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened