(1)

the following recommendations contained in the Scrutiny Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission be approved - 

(i)

a position statement be provided to the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Panel by 1^st January 2006 on the implementation of the Plan and the progress of the development of the draft Plan for 2006/07. 

(ii)

The Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Panel monitors the following potentially conflicting targets and priorities that directly impact on departments –

(a)

ensuring that all young people of school age receive 25 hours education per week which potentially conflicts with school attainment targets;

(b)

meeting a target to reduce the level of remands to secure accommodation.  The Youth Offending Team is very dependent upon Social Services for good quality remand or other accommodation placements, at a time when Social Services are seeking to reduce the number of looked after children and the cost of accommodation placements;

(c)

tackling anti-social behaviour which can lead to a negative portrayal of young people in the media and create pressures to utilise the range of anti-social behaviour legislation that potentially conflict with a Youth Offending Team target to reduce the level of custodial sentences.

(iii)

the performance of the educational target of 25 hours for school age young people be referred for consideration as part of the 2005/06 scrutiny work programme to be undertaken by a task and finish group.   

(iv)

the Cabinet Member considers the funding of two posts within the Youth Offending Team (which had only been possible in 2005/06 because of a carry forward of an underspend within the budget) beyond 2005/06.   

(v)

consideration of plans and strategies within the Policy Framework be programmed into the scrutiny work programme for the year.

(2)

the following recommendations from Cabinet be approved - 

(i)

approve the Youth Justice Plan as now submitted;

(ii)

request the Officers to work with the Youth Offending Team to attempt to address the potentially conflicting targets.