Issue - meetings

Background:

The report presented the Medway Youth Justice Plan 2026-2029. The Plan set out strategic direction for youth justice services in Medway over the period 2026-2029 and fulfilled the Council's statutory duty under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to prepare and publish a Youth Justice Plan. The Plan had been developed by the Youth Justice Partnership Board and its statutory partners, including Children's Services, Kent Police, Health, Education and Probation.

The Plan responded directly to the findings of the HM Inspectorate of Probation Inspection (HMIP) undertaken in May 2026, and outlined Medway's commitment to a Child First approach: reducing offending and reoffending; supporting victims; tackling disproportionality; and strengthening the partnership response to risk and vulnerability.

The report had previously been considered by the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1 October 2026, and the Cabinet thanked the Committee for its comments which were set out in section 7 of the report.

A Diversity Impact Assessment had been undertaken and was attached at Appendix 2 to the report.

Reasons:

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998, requires Local Authorities to have a Youth Justice Plan, which is updated annually to set out how youth justice will be delivered locally within available resources.