A task and finish group has been formed to oversee a new needs assessment for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation.

Denbighshire County Council is set to undertake the work to assess current accommodation need within the Gypsy and Traveller community and it does not include looking for locations for sites.

The Council has a legal duty to undertake a new Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) every five years as a requirement of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 and is also a requirement for the replacement Local Development Plan (LDP) the Council is currently working on.

The formation of the task and finish group was approved by the Council’s Communities Scrutiny committee and will involve elected members from across Denbighshire.

The group will also assist with the development of a stakeholder engagement plan to ensure good communication about the project.

It is expected the consultation process, which will include talking to Gypsy and Traveller families and the wider community including representative groups, will begin in the summer.

Cllr Mark Young, the Council’s Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities, said: “Elected members were keen to become more involved with the GTAA process and gain a better understanding of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers who live in the area as well as those Gypsy and Traveller families who stay on unauthorised encampments.

“The Council has taken on board concerns raised during previous work and both senior officers and Cabinet members are involved in a project board to manage the development of this project. The formation of this new task and finish group will assist that work.”