To endorse the Youth Justice Plan 2021/22 for approval by full Council and consider whether there are any comments the committee would wish to make that would inform the production of the Plan for 2022/23.

The Youth Justice Plan forms part of the council's budget and policy framework and is reserved to full council to approve.

The plan is produced on an annual basis on behalf of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Worcestershire councils. The basic plan preparation is undertaken by the West Mercia Youth Justice Service according to the deadlines and content requirements set by 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 identified 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.