Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 4th April, 2007
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Bath & North East Somerset Council |
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MEETING: |
Council Executive |
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MEETING DATE: |
4th April 2007 |
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER |
12 |
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TITLE: |
Youth Justice Plan 2007-8 |
EXECUTIVE FORWARD PLAN REFERENCE: |
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1588 |
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WARD: |
All |
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AN OPEN PUBLIC ITEM |
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List of attachments to this report: Appendix 1 (pdf - 295 KB) : Bath and North East Somerset Youth Justice Plan 2007-8 Appendix 2 (pdf - 23 KB) |
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1 THE ISSUE
1.1 Production of an annual Youth Justice Plan is a statutory requirement. It sets out work planned to prevent youth offending and re-offending within Bath and North East Somerset. The Plan is due for submission to the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales by 30 April 2007.
2 RECOMMENDATIONS
The Council Executive resolves that:
2.1 The Youth Justice Plan fulfils the requirements of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
2.2 The Youth Justice Plan is accepted as part of the Council's Policy and Budget Framework
2.3 The improving youth justice performance reported in the Youth Justice Plan is noted
2.4 The local priorities set out in the Youth Justice Plan should be adopted
2.5 The relevant Overview and Scrutiny Panel should once again be asked to monitor progress on the Plan in 6 months' time and participate in the establishment of future priorities
3 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 Responsibility for enabling local work in preventing youth offending is shared by the statutory partners, as set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The Council makes a significant contribution into the overall budget for the Youth Offending Team, which also receives funding from the Police, Health, Probation, Children's Fund, Community Safety and Drugs Partnership and the Youth Justice Board. In 2007-8, the overall budget will be £844,000, towards which the Council will contribute approximately £234,000. All partners also support the work of preventing youth offending by making in-kind contributions to the Youth Offending Team and by their own delivery of services.
3.2 The Youth Offending Team Service Manager has responsibility for delivering services within the agreed budget, which is set by the Responsible Authorities Group, currently chaired by Olivia Pinkney, Police District Commander and overseen by the Youth Offending Team Steering Group, chaired by Maurice Lindsay, Assistant Director within Children's Services. The Responsible Authorities Group regularly reviews budget statements and reports exceptions to the Community Safety and Drugs Partnership.
3.3 Services will be delivered within budget in 2006-7. Despite increasing budgetary pressure, services are being planned for delivery within budget in 2007-8.
4 COMMUNITY STRATEGY OUTCOMES
This Plan will contribute to the following Community Strategy outcomes:
Celebrating the contributions people from different backgrounds and with different experiences can make, and promoting equality of opportunity
Sharing resources, working together, and finding new ways of doing things
Building communities where people feel safe and secure
Improving our local economy
Improving our local environment
Improving our local health and social care
5 CORPORATE IMPROVEMENT PRIORITIES
Preventing youth offending will help to "make Bath and North East Somerset a better place to live, work and visit" and will impact on the achievement of the following Council priorities:
Reducing fear of crime
Improving life chances for disadvantaged teenagers
Developing a sustainable economy
Improving the public realm
Improving customer satisfaction
6 CPA KEY LINES OF ENQUIRY
The Plan will contribute to the following CPA Key Lines of Enquiry:
Creating and developing a better quality of life for the area through
o Sustainable Communities and Transport
o Safer and Stronger Communities
o Healthier Communities
Improving engagement with and a range of services for Older People and Children and Young People
7 THE REPORT
7.1 The Youth Justice Plan, which is attached as an appendix, follows a standard format, beginning with a description of how youth justice services will be resourced, delivered and monitored.
7.2 The main delivery plan focuses on sixteen nationally determined key delivery themes and outlines how these will be taken forward.
7.3 Following consultation, four local priorities have also been agreed for the year ahead. These are:
Young people's engagement in education, training and employment
Young people's accommodation within suitable premises
Victim engagement and the further development of restorative approaches
Youth Offending Team participation in the establishment of an integrated youth service, within the new Children's Directorate.
7.3 The Plan reports on overall performance for the first three quarters of 2006-7. This is based on Key Performance Indicator performance, National Standards compliance, Effective Practice and Quality Assurance performance and effectiveness in reducing re-offending. Performance has significantly improved over the last 12 months, from 52.1% to 70.3%, and for this period, Bath and North East Somerset is graded at Level 4 (on a scale from 1-5), higher than its family, south west and national averages.
8 RISK MANAGEMENT
8.1 The report author and Lead Executive member have fully reviewed the risk assessment related to the issue and recommendations, in compliance with the Council's decision making risk management guidance.
9 RATIONALE
9.1 The principal aim of the youth justice system is to prevent youth offending. The youth Justice Plan sets out how Bath and North East Somerset will work to achieve this within a national performance monitoring framework, whilst ensuring that locally agreed priorities receive due attention.
10 OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED
10.1 None
11 CONSULTATION
11.1 Consultation has been carried out in small discussion groups within the Youth Offending Team and with partner agencies, including the Youth Offending Team Steering Group. The content of the Plan draws on wider consultation with young people in Bath and North East Somerset that highlighted their concerns about safety from crime and bullying. It is also informed by a survey carried out with young people within the Youth Offending Team and a review of feedback provided by a range of service users. The Housing and Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Panel participated in the establishment of priorities.
11.2 A copy of the Plan was sent to the Unions on 27 March 2007, for their information.
12 ISSUES TO CONSIDER IN REACHING THE DECISION
12.1 Submission of a Youth Justice Plan is a statutory requirement under Section 40 Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
13 ADVICE SOUGHT
13.1 The Council's Monitoring Officer (Council Solicitor) and Section 151 Officer (Strategic Director - Support Services) have been invited to input to this report.
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Contact person |
Sally Churchyard - 01225 396959 Sally_churchyard@bathnes.gov.uk |
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Sponsoring Executive Member |
Councillor Jonathan Gay |
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Background papers |
Previous Bath and North East Somerset Youth Justice Plans, particularly from 2006-7 |
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Please contact the report author if you need to access this report in an alternative format |
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