Cost of Travellers - Freedom of information requests

Title or Description: Cost of Travellers
FOI Number: 282
Date Received: 18/03/2022
Type of Request: FOI
Request or Question: Freedom Of Information Request.I was advised by one of our local councillors that the Scottish Government were paying the costs for the "travellers" at Victoria Park Selkirk and there was no cost to Scottish Borders Council. Could you please advise me what payments were received from Scottish Government and when these payments were made.
Response: I can confirm that Scottish Borders Council submitted a bid and were successful in securing funding totalling £30k in 2020/21 from Scottish Government – 'Winter Plan for Social Protection – Public Health Support to Gypsy/Travellers'.
The grant was to pay the costs of sanitation for roadside camps or other costs associated with supporting gypsy/travellers to follow public health guidelines during the period 23 October 2020 to 31 March 2021.
Any costs incurred in excess of this specific funding were covered by the Council's established Covid-19 Reserve Fund.
An allocation of £6k has been made available in 2021/22 from the Financial Insecurity Fund for site payments at Victoria Park in Selkirk in relation to gypsy/travellers. This is also Scottish Government funding.
All other costs incurred in 2021/22 (April – July 2021) were funded from the Council's Covid-19 Reserve Fund (site fees, hire of portable toilets/showers).