Combined Youth Justice Committee Item 4

24 September, 2003

Future Role and Responsibilities of the Combined Youth Justice Committee

Report of the Chief Executive

Contact: Karen Widdowson, Chief Executive's Department. 01962 847334.

1.1 Summary

On 1 July, 2003 a seminar was held by the Committee to discuss its future role and responsibilities and its links with the Chief Officers Group and the Management Board of the Wessex Youth Offending Team (YOT). The notes of the seminar are set out in Appendix A to this report. This report summarises the discussion which took place at that seminar and recommends the adoption of modified terms of reference for the Committee as set out in Appendix B.

1 Future Role and Responsibility

2.1 The key points from the seminar are summarised below:

· There is a continuing need for an inter-agency, cross-authority body to focus specifically on youth crime and youth justice. There is strength in the number, experience, knowledge an diversity of members and the Wessex-wide group and it has already been able to influence national and local policy. This needs to be maintained and developed.

· The youth justice forums, which currently operate in the three unitary authority areas, have the potential to provide an important link to the Wessex-wide body. They could each nominate a representative. The three existing forums might consider inviting an elected member to join them. Consideration should be given to the setting up of a Hampshire Youth Justice Forum.

· The involvement of elected members from the District Councils would help in spreading the message about the work of the YOT and should be investigated further with the Association of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Authorities (HIOWLA) with a view to obtaining 2 representatives. Currently Hampshire County Council appoints a third member in recognition of its particular responsibility for working together with the 11 district councils in relation to community safety. If the Committee agreed to investigate the possibility of obtaining 2 representatives from the district councils, there would not be a need for a third representative from Hampshire County Council.

· The Committee, extended as mentioned above, should be more like a "Standing Conference", than a formal committee. It should meet up to 3 times a year. One of the meetings would need to take place in March and would be asked to approve the annual Youth Justice Plan on behalf of the four local authorities.

· The seminar was of the view that the new body should not have a formal quorum, nor any necessity to vote on issues except for the annual appointment of its Chairman and Vice Chairman. There would be equal status for all members and thus all would be entitled to vote in these elections. On further consideration of the practical implications it is felt that there should be a minimum attendance to allow the Standing Conference to meet and therefore a quorum of any 6 members is suggested.

· Membership should specifically include local authority members with responsibility for Social Services and Education or scrutiny of these two areas.

· The "Standing Conference" would make no decisions on funding, including the approval for contracting arrangements. These would be dealt with through the decision making processes of the respective local authorities and other statutory partner agencies.

1.1 To reflect the above points the terms of reference of the new Combined Youth Justice Standing Conference have been modified and are set out at Appendix B.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

(1) That the modified Terms of Reference reflecting the future roles and responsibilities of the new Combined Youth Justice Standing Conference, as set out in Appendix B, be approved.

(2) That consideration be given to the setting up of a Hampshire Youth Justice Forum.

(3) That the involvement of elected members from the District Councils be investigated further with the Association of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Authorities (HIOWLA) with a view to obtaining 2 representatives.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1 Published works.

2 Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

COMBINED YOUTH JUSTICE COMMITTEE - SEMINAR

APPENDIX A

TUESDAY 1 JULY 2003 AT NETLEY POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

PRESENT:

Councillor R.W. Harris - Southampton City Council (Chairman)

Mrs A. Valentine - Hampshire Probation Board (Vice Chairman)

Phil Sutton - Head of the Youth Offending Services

P. Robertson - Chief Executive, Hampshire County Council and Chairman of YOT
Management Board

D. Scott - Chief Officer, National Probation Service (Hampshire) and Chairman
of the Chief Officers' Group

Councillor Mrs E.M.F. Randall - Hampshire County Council

Councillor Mrs P. Peskett - Hampshire County Council

Councillor Mrs V. Moore - Southampton City Council

D. Boyle - Hampshire Probation Board

Mrs M. Bowden JP - Youth Court Chairman

Mrs R. Behan JP - Youth Court Chairman

Mrs D.M. Evans JP - Youth Court Chairman

Chief Inspector Dulson - Hampshire Constabulary

Mrs P. Robinson - Social Services, Portsmouth City Council

J. Doyle - Social Services, Isle of Wight Council

G. Wright - Social Services, Hampshire County Council

Mrs C. Tozer - Social Services, Southampton City Council

I. Langley - Wessex YOT

I. Piper - Primary Care Trust

In advance of the meeting a discussion paper was circulated to members and officers setting out the future role and responsibilities of the Combined Youth Justice Committee. The paper outlined the background to the Committee, the need to consider change, the view of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales and detailed possible options for the future.

David Scott, Chief Officer, National Probation Service (Hampshire) and Chairman of the Chief Officers' Group, addressed the meeting to explain the Committee's links with the Chief Officers' Group and the Management Board of the Youth Offending Team (YOT). In particular he highlighted a number of changes on the horizon including the Criminal Justice Bill, the Courts Bill and a Correctional Services review.

Peter Robertson, Chief Executive, Hampshire County Council and Chairman of the YOT Management Board also addressed the meeting to explain his role and the Committee's inter-relations with the YOT Management Board. He also explained about the Youth Justice Board's performance measures and the resulting refinements to service provision.

There was a high level agreement amongst those present about future arrangements. The Chairman, Councillor Richard Harris, summed up the view of the meeting as follows:

· There is a continuing need for an inter-agency, cross-authority body to focus specifically on your crime and youth justice. There is strength in the number, experience, knowledge an diversity of members and the Wessex-wide group and it has already been able to influence national and local policy. This needs to be maintained and developed.

· The youth justice forums, which currently operate in the three unitary authority areas, have the potential to provide an important link to the Wessex-wide body. They could each nominate a representative. The three existing forums might consider inviting an elected member to join them. Consideration should be given to the setting up of a Hampshire Youth Justice Forum.

· The involvement of elected members from the Districts Councils would help in spreading the message about the work of the YOT and should be investigated further with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Authorities (HIOWLA) with a view to obtaining 2 representatives.

· The Committee, extended as mentioned above, should be more like a "Standing Conference", than a formal committee. It should meet up to 3 times a year. One of the meetings would need to take place in March and would be asked to approve the annual Youth Justice Plan on behalf of the four local authorities.

· The new body should not have a formal quorum, nor any necessity to vote on issues except for the annual appointment of its Chairman and Vice Chairman. There would be equal status for all members and thus all would be entitled to vote in these elections.

· Membership should specifically include local authority members with responsibility for Social Services and Education or scrutiny of these two areas.

· The "Standing Conference" would make no decisions on funding, including the approval for contracting arrangements. These would be dealt with through the decision making processes of the respective local authorities and other statutory partner agencies.

COMBINED YOUTH JUSTICE STANDING CONFERENCE

APPENDIX B

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1 The purpose of the Standing Conference shall be to:

(a) foster the partnerships established between Local Authorities and other statutory agencies with the aim of reducing offending by young people.


(b) promote wide-ranging consultation in relation to the inter-agency strategy set out in the annual Youth Justice Plans.


(c) endorse the annual Youth Justice Plans for the Local Authorities.


(d) monitor the performance of the Wessex Youth Offending Team and of the Local Authorities and other participating agencies in relation to the annual Youth Justice Plan,


(e) to make recommendations to the relevant Executive Members for Social Care and Education Services of the Local Authorities, the Hampshire Probation Board, the Strategic Health Authority and the Hampshire Police Authority.

2 The Standing Conference shall comprise:

· Two members from Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council, who have responsibility for Social Services and Education or scrutiny of these two areas. In addition

(a) Hampshire County Council shall appoint a third member in recognition of its particular responsibility for working together with the 11 district councils in relation to community safety.

Or

(b) Two representatives from the District Councils be appointed via the Association of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Authorities

(HIOWLA)


· One member of the Hampshire Police Authority.


· Two members of the Hampshire Probation Board.


· One member of the Strategic Health Authority.

· One member representing Primary Care Trusts.

· Four Magistrates from the Youth Courts.


· The Clerk to the Justices for Hampshire.

Authorised substitute members may attend meetings in place of the nominated representatives if the latter are unable to attend.

4 New persons may be invited to meetings at the discretion of the Chairman after consultation with the Head of Youth Offending Services but these persons may not vote on the appointment of the Chairman and Vice Chairman.

5 The Standing Conference shall elect from among its members every January a Chairman and Vice-Chairman who shall be entitled to seek re-election, but for not more than three successive years.

6 The Standing Conference shall meet not less than three times each year.

7 The Secretary of the Standing Conference shall convene additional meetings at the request of the Chairman or within seven days of receipt of notice from any of the constituent Authorities.

8 Conduct of meetings of the Standing Conference shall be regulated by the Standing Orders of Hampshire County Council so far as the same are applicable and are consistent with these terms of reference.

9 A quorum for the Standing Conference shall be not less than six members.