Agenda item

Councillor Joe Calouri, Executive Member for Children and Families, was present for discussion of this item, together with the Director of Children’s Services and officers from Children’s Services Department.

During consideration of the report the following main points were made –

·         The Executive Member stated that he welcomed that the Committee had played an important role in the scrutiny review recently carried out in relation to knife crime

·         The Committee welcomed the additional £500k allocated to tackle youth crime and the new integrated Gangs Team

·         Perpetrators of low level ASB tended to escalate into more organised crime and therefore there is a need to target this

·         The scale of the problems are recognised and it is felt that the Police and the Council have a better idea of how to address these issues than in the past and the Youth Council  and young people are involved in discussions

·         It was noted that Universal youth funding has been protected however there is a need to involve young people in the development of this to ensure what is provided is what young people want to access

·         The Committee expressed the view that it was essential that the additional monies were spent wisely and the outcomes effectively analysed. It was stated that an evaluation framework is being drawn up and to look at where outcomes have been successful

·         Programmes in schools were taking place to warn of the dangers of child sexual exploitation  and a group has been established to look at methods of dealing with child sexual exploitation involving young people

·         A Member stated that she would like to see the work going on in youth hubs to be more ward based and enquired whether there is scope for this in the future. The Executive Member stated that whilst estate based provision is important the youth hubs could provide activities of a specialist nature that could be provided locally and there needed to be a balance of provision provided

·         A Member expressed the view that some areas now had no community facilities and that young people did not have the facilities available to access and that particularly in these areas schools needed to play an increased role, particularly where they had S106 community access commitments

·         In response to a question it was stated that work will be going on with about 100 of the most difficult young people and work would be done in schools and youth projects. Schools are increasing their involvement with Chance UK and work has been extended to reach more young people. A restorative justice officer will also shortly be taking up their post

·         In response to a question it was stated that a future measure of success it was stated that this would be reducing the large number of young people subject to the youth offending service and a better offer to the Courts could reduce the costs of young people in custody

·         The Committee stated that they would welcome an update in 6 months on how the additional £500k has been invested given the high priority of tackling youth crime

·         Reference was made to the fact that 1:1 interventions were expensive and that any programmes put in place needed to be the appropriate ones. There also needed to be assistance provided, not only to the most prolific offenders, but also to those on the periphery of gangs, and younger siblings of offenders

·         The Chair stated that funding should be directed at the areas with best outcomes

RESOLVED:

That a report be submitted in 6 months to update the Committee on the proposals for spending the additional £500k allocated to tackling youth crime by the Council is to be invested

The Chair thanked Councillor Calouri and officers from the Children’s Services Department for attending