To recommend the Youth Justice Plan for approval by Council.

1              The Youth Justice Plan is prepared on an annual basis on behalf of Herefordshire Council, Shropshire Council, Telford and Wrekin Council and Worcestershire County Council. The basic plan preparation is undertaken by the West Mercia Youth Offending Service according to the deadlines and guidance from the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB).

2              The Youth Justice Plan sets out how youth justice services across West Mercia are structured and resourced and identifies key actions to address identified risks to service delivery and improvement.

3              Under section 40 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 each Local Authority has a duty to produce a Youth Justice Plan setting out how Youth Justice Services in their area are provided and funded and how the Youth Offending Service for the area is funded and composed. The plan is submitted to the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.

4              The Plan was considered by the Herefordshire Community Safety Partnership at its meeting on 20 June 2014 and was supported as an important element in addressing the community safety priorities in the county.

5              The Youth Justice Plan for 2014/15 was prepared in April 2014 in line with the guidance issued by the YJB, and agreed at the West Mercia Youth Offending Management Board on 23 May 2014. It is officially due to be submitted to the YJB by the end of September 2014. A provisional copy was forwarded to the YJB in June.

There are no alternative options as a Youth Justice Plan is required to be produced on an annual basis.