Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest to record. 

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 10th July, 2012, were considered. 

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as a correct record for signature by the Chairman. 

• 24th September, 2012, Smith Square Conference Centre, London.  

Resolved: -  That the Cabinet Member (or substitute) be authorised to attend the Local Government Association Conference on 24th September, 2012, at Smith Square Conference Centre, London.

The Youth Services Manager, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services, referred to the Rotherham Youth Offending Service’s Youth Justice Strategic Plan for 2012/13. 

The Plan was produced each year and submitted to the Youth Justice Board and a  copy retained by the House of Commons.  The Strategic Plan both informed and was informed by the Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s Corporate Plan (2010-13), The Children and Young People’s Plan (2010-13), and the Rotherham Joint Strategic Intelligence Assessment (2011/12), which in turn informed the Safer Rotherham Partnership Plan (2012/13). 

Rotherham’s Youth Justice Strategic Plan included information about the Service’s governance arrangements, performance outputs, budget information and benchmarking data.  The Plan also included an assessment of risks against future delivery. 

The Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2012/13 included: -

·         Information about governance and scrutiny: inspections and assessments of the Youth Offending Service;

·         Benchmarking of Rotherham’s performance was favourable compared to the Yorkshire and England averages in the following areas: - 

o       First Time Entrants aged between (10 – 17 years);

o       Re-offending Rates after 12 months.

·         The ‘Use of Custody Rate’ for the 10 – 17 years population was higher in Rotherham than the Yorkshire and England averages.

o       This was attributed to the overall reduction in numbers within the youth justice system in Rotherham but with the knock-on effect that those who were in the system were more likely to offend and more likely to receive custodial sentences as a result. 

o       In addition, the Youth Offending Service had recently observed a trend in which those first time entrants who did come into the system were entering at a higher level and more likely to receive a custodial sentence. 

Identified risks for the service in 2012/13: -

• Transfer of responsibility for remand payments would pass from the Ministry of Justice to the Local Authority in 2013/14.  The Local Authority would be responsible for all remands of young people up to the age of 17;

• From November 2012, the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act would confer Looked After status on all young people on remand;

• The Home Office element of the Youth Justice Board Grant for substance misuse and prevention would become part of the new Police and Crime Commissioner’s budget from November, 2012. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the report be received and its content noted. 

(2)  That the Cabinet Member supported the positive progress of the Rotherham Youth Offending Service. 

Further to Minute D8 (Restorative Justice – Waiver of Standing Orders) of the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families’ Services, held on 4th July 2012, the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion now noted this decision. 

Resolved: -  That the decision recorded at Minute number D8 (Restorative Justice – Waiver of Standing Orders) of the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families’ Services, held on 4th July 2012, be noted.  

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006 – information relates to finance and business affairs).

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council)).

Consideration was given to the report of the Community Engagement Manager, Resources Directorate, which requested that grant aid funding be made available to the Rotherham Yemini Association. 

The submitted report outlined the role of the Yemini Association in delivering the ‘Engaging Arab Communities’ project, which had a specific focus on engaging Rotherham’s Arabic-speaking communities through advocacy, guidance, support services and case work.  These were provided through daily drop-in sessions. 

A grant aid contract, including the conditions of funding, had been prepared with the Association.  All activities would be promoted under the ‘One Town One Community’ banner. 

Discussion ensued and the Cabinet Member endorsed the work of the Rotherham Yemini Association. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That grant aid funding to the Rotherham Yemini Association as set out in the submitted report be approved. 

(2)  That further discussions be undertaken with the Rotherham Yemini Association and Statutory Partners in relation to the long-term sustainability of the organisation. 

Resolved: -  That the next meeting be held on Monday 22nd October, 2012, commencing at 11.30 am in the Rotherham Town Hall.