Issue - meetings

The Local Authority has a statutory duty, in consultation with partner agencies, to produce an annual Youth Justice Plan. The Plan sets out how youth justice services are to be composed and funded, how they will operate and what functions they will carry out to prevent youth offending and re-offending across Bath and North East Somerset.

The Youth Justice Plan is being considered by Cabinet on 6 July 2015 and any amendments will be reported verbally to Council.

The Council considered the Youth Justice Plan 2015-16 which had previously been endorsed by the Cabinet at its meeting on 8^th July.

On a motion from Councillor Michael Evans, seconded by Councillor Lisa Brett, it was (unanimously)

RESOLVED

1.  To agree that the Youth Justice Plan fulfils the requirements of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and can be submitted to the national Youth Justice Board for England and Wales;

2.  To agree that the Youth Justice plan can be accommodated within the Council budget;

3.  That the Youth Justice plan is adopted as part of the Council’s Policy & Budget framework; and

4.  That the relevant Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel oversees progress and performance.

The Local Authority has a statutory duty, in consultation with the partner agencies, to produce an annual Youth Justice Plan. The Plan sets out how youth justice services are to be composed and funded, how they will operate and what functions they will carry out to prevent youth offending and re-offending across Bath and North East Somerset.

The Chair invited Councillor Lisa Brett to read out an ad-hoc statement.

Councillor Brett read out the statement where she welcomed the decrease in the level of first time entrants into the youth justice system.  She also commended the collaboration between the Youth Justice Board, the youth offending teams and the judiciary to bring about a significant reduction in the numbers of young people in custody.  Councillor Brett concluded her statement by calling for reassurance that spending on youth offending would not be reduced below its current level and is retained at 45% or above of the total youth offending budget.

A full copy of the statement from Councillor Brett is attached to these minutes.

Councillor Evans said that the cuts had been made to children’s services and that he would hope not to make any more cuts.  He also also confirmed that £6.6m funding for spending on new school would indeed come from the Central Government, as all education capital and revenue spending would come, and it would be wrong from the Council to insert more money from the Council Tax.  He added that Restorative Justice was a statutory area of work and it would be unlikely to suffer any cuts.  He also said that one of the initiatives of the Plan would be to tackle cannabis consumption, re-offending and first offending.

Councillor Evans moved the recommendations.

Councillor Vic Pritchard seconded the proposals.

Councillor Pritchard said that the Plan sets out clear plans for the future of youth justice and how this Council would work with its partners to help prevent youth offending and re-offending across Bath and North East Somerset.  Early intervention would be a priority for all work with children, young people and families.

On a motion from Councillor Michael Evans, seconded by Councillor Vic Pritchard it was:

RESOLVED (unanimously):

1)  The Cabinet recommends adoption of the Youth Justice Plan as part of the Council’s Policy and Budget Framework and notes this can be accommodated within the Council budget;

2)  Cabinet recommends the Youth Justice Plan to Council as fulfilling the requirements of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and can be submitted to the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.