so as to prevent any conflict of interest regarding funding within the County Councils. Failure by a County Council to comply with the provisions of the 1998 Act results in that funding being withheld by the Department of Local Government Secondly, senior County Council officials have strong powers if Traveller Accommodation measures cannot achieve agreement among councilors. Lobbying over many years by Travellers’ organisations resulted in these emergency powers being invested in senior municipal officials. This is warranted by the presence of some public representatives who have repeatedly objected to halting sites. All tenants of official halting sites (and group housing schemes) are required to sign a licence agreement (or a tenancy agreement) prior to taking up occupation of Traveller accommodation. The terms and conditions are explained in detail to every new tenant. Management plans that are set up in co-operation with Traveller families rely in the first instance on the residents and their behaviour. Local authority is legally compelled to investigate complaints of anti-social behaviour and breaches of the Tenancy Agreement. Following this appropriate action is taken which can include issuing tenancy warnings or instigating Possession Proceedings or Excluding Order Proceedings as appropriate. County Councils encourage tenant participation in the management and maintenance of Traveller accommodation in halting sites. This extends to maintenance of safety standards. County Councils have a statutory responsibility to ensure appropriate fire safety standards at all Local Authority housing units, which includes halting sites. To accomplish this, the maintaining of fire safety is a shared responsibility of both the county council and its tenants. The presence of unauthorised dwellings, contributing to overcrowding on halting sites, is an ongoing serious concern for fire safety. History Introduction Historically, many Travellers resided in temporary camping sites located on roadsides. These sites were often set up on land where ownership was unclear. This could be a section of a road that had been widened or straightened. Undeveloped building sites in urban or suburban areas were also used. The findings of a report commissioned by the Scottish Office in 1917 sheds some light on the direction officials in this part of Europe were going regarding consideration of accommodation for traditionally travelling groups. The 1917 Departmental Committee on Tinkers in Scotland identified that municipal provision of camp facilities would enable children to participate in education on a regular basis. None of the recommendations in the Scottish report were put into effect