To secure approval for proposed new delivery arrangements for West Mercia Youth Offending Service (WMYOS).

THAT:

1.            West Mercia Youth Offending Service (WMYOS) is a partnership between four local authorities (Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin), West Mercia Police, National Probation Service, Health partners (represented by NHS England), and the West Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner. The service delivers the full range of youth justice provision for children, young people, their families and the victims of youth crime.

2.            WMYOS has undergone a phased programme of transition commencing in 2012 with the establishment of a single West Mercia-wide service. This was the first step in a move towards a more integrated single organisation for WMYOS delivery. As previously agreed by cabinet, hosting was initially provided by the Probation Trust. Following subsequent national changes to probation services, Worcestershire County Council took on the role of host agency for WMYOS on an interim basis pending a formal decision on the most suitable longer-term delivery arrangements.

3.            The main reasons for considering a change to WMYOS delivery arrangements include:

-        Recognition of the need for a more sustainable service model that is best positioned to respond with flexibility and innovation to the rapidly changing policy context for both criminal justice and children’s services;

-        The opportunity to create a more business-oriented delivery model which drives up performance and quality. Whilst WMYOS performance is mostly good, the WMYOS management board is focused on how this can be progressively improved across all areas;

-        Maximising the impact of the combined resources of the WMYOS partner organisations to improve economies of scale and resilience, reflecting the increasing pressures on national and local resources;

-        Increasing flexibility for deployment of staff and resources across the West Mercia area;

-        Strengthening alignment and integration with the full range of children and young people’s and adult services at a local level;

-        Strengthening links with the police and other regional and national criminal justice partners.

4.            Throughout the extended options appraisal process, the overriding consideration of the WMYOS partners has been on which model will offer the best impact on reducing offending and re-offending, whilst securing the best possible outcomes for children, young people, the victims of crime and the wider community.

1.            The proposed arrangement is the outcome of a comprehensive options appraisal undertaken by the WMYOS management board during 2014/15. This included detailed consideration of a broad range of alternative delivery models. These included:

-       Outsourcing delivery to a third sector organisation. This was discounted following a comprehensive market engagement exercise which identified a limited range of suitably experienced potential providers;

-       Establishing a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) for WMYOS delivery. A full business case was undertaken for a LATC. Concerns around financial viability and the lack of engagement of all WMYOS partners led to this option being discounted;

-       Hosting by a Local Authority. After careful consideration this option was not considered viable for reasons specific to the four individual local authorities. It was also felt that this was the option least likely to achieve the desired outcomes for longer-term WMYOS delivery.