Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Safe & Resilient Communities).

The Executive Councillor for Safe and Resilient Communities (Councillor Shan Alexander) submitted the Youth Justice Plan 2015/16 (copies of which had been circulated).

RESOLVED – That the Youth Justice Plan be approved and adopted.

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Safe & Resilient Communities)

The Youth Justice Plan is a statutory annual plan required under Section 40 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

The purpose of the plan is to headline achievements against last year’s Youth Justice Plan and to outline the priorities for the coming year. The work of the Youth Offending service (YOS) is monitored through the YOS Partnership Board, which in turn reports to the Safer Stockport Partnership (SSP) and the Children’s Trust Board.

The Executive is requested to endorse and recommend the Youth Justice Plan for adoption by the Council Meeting.

Officer contact: Jacqui Belfield-Smith, 0161 474 4789, jacqui.belfield-smith@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Safe & Resilient Communities) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to consider the updated Youth Justice Plan. The Council was required to update and adopt annually a Youth Justice Plan that set out performance against the previous year’s Plan and outlined priorities for the forthcoming year.

The Executive Councillor highlighted the significant reductions that had been achieved in recent years in the number of first time entrants into the Youth Justice System.

RESOLVED – That the Council Meeting be recommended to adopt the Youth Justice Plan.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Children’s Safeguarding and Prevention)

The report sets out the headline achievements against last year’s Youth Justice Plan and outlines the priorities for the coming year. The work of the Youth Offending Service and the plan is monitored through the Youth Offending Service Partnership Board (YOS PB) which in turn reports to the Safer Stockport Partnership (SSP) and the Children’s Trust Board.

The Scrutiny Committee are invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Jacqui Belfield-Smith on Tel: 476 2876 or email: Jacqui.belfield-smith@stockport.gov.uk

The Service Director (Children’s Safeguarding and Prevention) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the key achievements against last year’s Youth Justice Plan and outlining the priorities for the coming year. The report explained that the work of the Youth Offending Service and the Youth Justice Plan was monitored through the Youth Offending Services Partnership Board which in turn report to the Safer Stockport Partnership and the Children’s Trust Board.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Committee noted that 644 First Time Entrants had entered the system in the year to March 2006 compared to 72 in the year to March 2015. This represented a fall of 89% which placed the Services in the top 20% performers in the country and outperforming the North West and national average.

·         Stockport also had a substantially reduced re- offending rate of 28.6% compared to 35.6% a year ago.

·         The Youth Offending Service was subject to a HMI Probation Inspection in March 2015. The conclusions being that improvement had taken place since the previous inspection in 2009 and that mulita agency work was good, the service took a positive approach to work with Looked After Children and Case Managers had a good understanding of the children and young people with whom they worked.

·         Councillors discussed the ‘Junior Attendance Centre’ and the numbers of young people who attended and the delivery programme.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.