Professor Michelle Norris:

By somebody. By definition, it is very hard to ferret out the cause of non-decision-making. The planners, with whom we consulted widely, indicated that the failure to decide to initiate Part 8 proceedings was a problem. The issue was also raised in many of the submissions we received, particularly from Traveller groups but also from local authorities. It was mentioned that we had received 16 written submissions from local authorities. We actually met many more local authorities than that number. We also met social workers for Travellers and the County and City Management Association. Some local authorities flagged an unwillingness to initiate Part 8 proceedings as a particular problem. The job of a chief executive of a local authority is not easy. Much of it involves deal-making with councillors on issues on which support will be obtained. The make-up of councils varies based on the level of representation political parties and whether there is a majority. Therefore, the challenges are not insignificant.

On the failure of the executive to do the job, about which Deputy Casey asked specifically, proper and robust monitoring by the local authority and a complaint to the planning regulator will help to identify where there has been a failure to provide enough Traveller accommodation to meet the needs of the population in the area in question and a failure to specify where the sites are. That issue will be dealt with. Where there is a failure to initiate enough developments on foot of planning applications, it will be dealt with in another complaint to the planning regulator. Therefore, the non-decision-making aspect will be addressed. The suspension of the Part 8 powers of elected members and their transfer to the chief executives really mean that the chief executives will have no opportunity not to act. That was the rationale behind the decision.