Item 7 - Community Justice Annual Return
West Dunbartonshire Council · 17 November 2022
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 17 November 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Report by Chief Officer, Health & Social Care Partnership Management Group: 17 November 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Community Justice Annual Report 2021-2022 1. Purpose The purpose of this report is to share with Community Planning West Dunbartonshire, (CPWD) the Community Justice Annual Report for 2021/2022 2. Recommendations 2.1 CPWD is asked to: • Note the submitted Community Justice Annual Report 2021-2022, signed by the West Dunbartonshire Community Justice Partnership chair following agreement of membership • To note that planning for the development of our next community justice outcome improvement plan is underway, activities are identified within the report • To agree to publish this report online (in line with our statutory duty) 3. Background 3.1 The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 introduced a range of statutory duties to be implemented at a local level by responsible “named statutory partners”, as indicated in Figure 1, below: Figure 1: Community Justice Statutory Partners Named statutory partners Local Responsible Posts Each Local Authority Local Authority Chief Executive Each Health Board Chief Executive Chief constable of Police Scotland Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Scottish Fire and Rescue Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Area Commander Skills Development Scotland Skills Development Scotland Regional Manager Integration Joint Board HSCP Board and Chief Officer Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) SCTS National Manager Scottish Ministers (represented by Scottish Prison Service and Crown Office & Prosecution Service) Scottish Prison Service Governor, member of WD CJP. COPFS hold a regional forum to meet their CJ statutory duties. ITEM 7
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4. Main Issues 4.1 The local model for community justice should deliver an extensive change programme centred on increasing prevention of offending/reoffending through improved leadership and collaboration; evidencing and delivering improved outcomes; learning, development and innovation; and workforce development across multi-agency statutory partners. 4.2 West Dunbartonshire established its Community Justice Development Group in February 2022, recently forming into our local Partnership. 4.3 This annual report mainly represents the ongoing activity under previous governance arrangements through the CPWD Safe DIG, however, includes the preparation activities of the CJ Development Group with the support of Community Justice Scotland Chief Executive, Special Adviser and Improvement Leads. 4.4 Local partners have a duty within the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 to publish a front facing annual report. 4.5 The new national Community Justice Strategy was published at the end of June 2022. The accompanying Outcomes, Performance and Improvement Framework (OPIF) was circulated in draft form by Community Justice Scotland at the end of September 2022. The draft OPIF was submitted to Scottish Government for review and approval, the implementation date is expected to be 1 April 2023. 4.6 The local Community Justice Partnership will now move forward with development of our local Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan by developing a 1 year delivery plan. The contents of which will be informed by this annual report in relation to ongoing improvement activity. 5. People Implications 5.1 The Coordinators post will move to full time at the beginning of January 2023, there will be a short period where the post will become vacant. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 West Dunbartonshire community justice funding of £62,500 includes £12,500 for specific improvements to support Justice Social Work, which is reported within IJB by the Head of Service, Children’s Health, Care and Justice 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 Failure to deliver on statutory duties can result in formal improvement action from Community Justice Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers. 7.2 Local and national community justice arrangements must reflect the work of a range of cross-sector partners to delivery against the Community Justice
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Outcome Improvement Plan to reduce the risk of offending by individuals and its impact upon local communities. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 A refreshed EIA is required is required when developing the new Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan 9. Consultation 9.1 West Dunbartonshire Community Justice Partnership membership 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 Community justice incorporates multi-disciplinary agencies to deliver a whole systems approach to reduce re-offending in local communities. It encompasses a range of partners, this includes those represented within CPWD DIGs, WD ADP, PP COG, WD VAWP (this is not an exclusive list) Person to Contact: Lesley James Head of Children’s Health, Care and Justice Services Chief Social Work Officer Lesley.james@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1, West Dunbartonshire Community Justice Partnership – Annual Report 2021-2022 Background Papers: WD CPWD Management Board report CPWD Management Board Community Justice Update report 28th September 2022 The Vision for Justice in Scotland The Vision for Justice in Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) National Strategy for Community Justice: https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-strategy-community-justice-2/ Wards Affected: All