ARGYLL, BUTE AND DUNBARTONSHIRES CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK PARTNERSHIP JOINT COMMITTEE

At a meeting of the Argyll, Bute and Dunbartonshires Criminal Justice Social Work Partnership Joint Committee held in Meeting Room 3, First Floor, West Council offices, Garshake Road, on Thursday, 12 March 2009 at 2.00 p.m.

Present: Councillors Jonathan McColl ( Council), Gordan Low (East Dunbartonshire Council) and Elaine Robertson and Donald McIntosh ( Council).

Attending: Argyll and Bute Council: Jon Belton, Assistant Criminal Justice Partnership Manager.

East Dunbartonshire Council: John Fleming, Assistant Criminal Justice Partnership Manager.

West Dunbartonshire Council: Norman Firth, Criminal Justice Partnership Manager; Janine Corr, Accountant and Nuala Borthwick, Committee Officer.

Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Councillor John Millar and Anne Ritchie, Head of Social Work Services (Operations) (West Dunbartonshire Council); Douglas Dunlop, Head of Service - Children, Families, Young People and Criminal Justice (Argyll and Bute Council) and Tony Keogh, Head of Social Work (East Dunbartonshire Council).

Councillor Jonathan McColl in the Chair

NOTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING

A note of the Inquorote Meeting of the Joint Committee held on 11 December 2008 was submitted and noted.

PROTECTING ’S COMMUNITIES: FAIR, FAST AND FLEXIBLE JUSTICE

A report was submitted by the Executive Director of Social Work and Health, West Dunbartonshire Council, providing information on the Scottish Government’s response to the consultation “Reforming and Revitalising: Report of the Review of

Page 1 of 4 Community Penalties” (2007) and the report of the Scottish Prison’s Committee: “Scotland’s Choice” (2008).

After discussion and having heard Mr Firth, Criminal Justice Partnership Manager and Mr Fleming, Assistant Criminal Justice Partnership Manager in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Joint Committee agreed to note and support the terms of the report.

INTERNAL EVALUATION OF SOCIAL ENQUIRY REPORTS – OCTOBER 2008

A report was submitted by the Executive Director of Social Work and Health, West Dunbartonshire Council, providing information on the latest evaluation undertaken by the Partnership into the quality of Social Enquiry Reports (SER) written and submitted to court.

After discussion and having heard Mr. Firth, Criminal Justice Partnership Manager, and relevant officers in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, it was agreed:-

(1) that the Partnership would continue to evaluate SERs on a six monthly basis; and

(2) that the SER Performance Action Plan, appended to the report, be adopted by the Partnership and implemented for the coming year.

AGGREGATE RETURN – 2007/2008

A report was submitted by the Executive Director of Social Work and Health, West Dunbartonshire Council, providing a summary of the 2007/2008 Aggregate Return submitted on behalf of the three Local Authorities in the Partnership to the Scottish Government.

After discussion and having heard Mr. Belton, Assistant Partnership Manager and relevant officers in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Joint Committee agreed to note that the Aggregate Return Performance Action Plan, contained in the Appendix to the report, would be implemented by the Partnership over the coming year.

COMMUNITY JUSTICE AUTHORITY ANNUAL PLAN/PARTNERSHIP STRATEGIC PLAN 2008/2011

A report was submitted by the Executive Director of Social Work and Health, West Dunbartonshire Council, advising of progress to date in relation to the Criminal Justice Authority Annual Plan/Partnership Strategic Plan 2008/2011.

Page 2 of 4 After discussion and having heard Mr. Firth, Criminal Justice Partnership Manager, and relevant officers in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, it was agreed:-

(1) to note the progress made in respect of achieving the current plan;

(2) that the Partnership Manager would provide a complete and up to date plan to the next meeting of the Joint Committee; and

(3) that the Partnership Manager would continue to provide regular progress reports on this matter to future meetings of the Joint Committee.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK SERVICE REVIEW: ARGYLL, BUTE AND DUNBARTONSHIRES’ CRIMINAL JUSTICE SOCIAL WORK PARTNERSHIP

A report was submitted by the Executive Director of Social Work and Health, West Dunbartonshire Council, informing of the initiation of a review of the delivery and management of Criminal Justice Services within the Partnership.

Having heard Mr. Firth, Criminal Justice Manager, and relevant officers in further explanation of the report and in answer to Members’ questions, it was agreed that a full report and briefing on the review outcomes would be provided to the meeting of the Joint Committee in December 2009.

BUDGETARY CONTROL REPORT FOR PERIOD 9, ENDING 15 JANUARY 2009

A report was submitted by the Executive Director of Social Work and Health, West Dunbartonshire Council, providing information on how key elements within the Criminal Justice Partnership are performing against budget for the period ending 15 January 2009.

After discussion and having heard Ms. Corr, Accountant and relevant officers in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Joint Committee agreed:-

(1) to note that management would continue to take action where possible to minimise any overspend; and

(2) otherwise to note the contents of the report.

PROGRAMME OF FUTURE MEETINGS

Having heard the Partnership Manager, the following dates and times for future meetings of the Joint Committee were agreed:-

Thursday, 11 June 2009 at 2.00 p.m.

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Thursday, 3 September 2009 at 2.00 p.m.

Thursday, 10 December 2009 at 2.00 p.m.

Following discussion, it was agreed that the meeting of the Joint Committee to be held on Thursday, 11 June 2009 would take place at the Council Offices, West Dunbartonshire Council, Garshake Road, Dumbarton and that the venues for the September and December meetings would be discussed further at the next meeting of the Joint Committee.

The meeting closed at 4.05 p.m.

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