To recommend the Youth Justice Plan 2016/17 for approval by Council

THAT:

(a) the Youth Justice Plan (at appendix A) be recommended to Council for approval.

The Youth Justice Plan (the plan) forms part of the council’s budget and policy

framework and is therefore reserved to council to approve.

The plan is prepared on an annual basis on behalf of Herefordshire, Shropshire,

Telford and Wrekin and Worcestershire County councils. The basic plan preparation

is undertaken by the West Mercia Youth Offending Service according to the deadlines

and from the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB).

The 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.

Under section 40 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 each council has a duty to

produce a 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 YJB.

The plan for 2016/17 was prepared in July 2016 in line with the guidance issued by

the YJB.

There are no alternative options as a Youth Justice Plan is required to be produced

on an annual basis.