The Cabinet of Doncaster Council met on Wednesday 09 September 2026 to discuss a range of important issues, including the Youth Justice Plan, the Road Safety Strategy, and the Quarter 1 Finance and Performance Report. The meeting included consideration of the Youth Justice Plan and the Road Safety Strategy, and noted reports on the performance of St Leger Homes and the council's financial position.

Youth Justice Plan 2026/27 to 2028/29

The Cabinet considered the statutory Youth Justice Plan for 2026/27 to 2028/29, which outlines the work of the Youth Justice Service (YJS) in Doncaster. The plan, a requirement of the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act, aims to prevent offending by children and young persons. The report highlighted the YJS's effectiveness in meeting the needs of children and families, with a particular focus on Child First principles and evidence-based practice. The plan detailed successful programmes such as Turnaround, which has seen a re-offending rate of only 3.6% among engaged children, and the EPIC Hub, which provides a safe space and guidance for young people. The Cabinet was asked to support the plan for approval by Full Council, with the aim of protecting citizens from youth offending and contributing to safer, more inclusive communities.

Road Safety Strategy 2026

A new Road Safety Strategy for Doncaster was presented, aiming to improve safety across the transport network with a commitment to Vision Zero – the aspiration that no one should be killed or seriously injured on the roads. The strategy sets measurable targets, including a 50% reduction in killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties by 2032 and a 30% reduction in vulnerable road user casualties by the same year. It adopts a Safe System approach, focusing on safe vehicles, road users, speeds, roadsides, and post-collision response. The strategy emphasizes protecting vulnerable road users and is underpinned by a data-driven, partnership-based approach. The Cabinet was asked to endorse the strategy, commit to its recommendations, and give delegated authority for its delivery.

Quarter 1 2026-27 Finance and Performance Report

This report provided an overview of the council's performance and financial outlook for the first quarter of the 2026-27 financial year. Despite an uncertain economic outlook, Doncaster's economy was reported to be performing broadly in line with comparable areas, with resilient employment rates. However, average earnings remained below benchmark levels, and the proportion of residents claiming out-of-work benefits was marginally higher than the average, particularly among younger adults. The report highlighted continued progress in delivering the Corporate Plan and budget, with significant initiatives in economic growth, regeneration, and neighbourhood renewal. Financially, a net overspend of £7.0m was forecast for service budgets, primarily due to demand-led overspends in Adult Social Care and Place services. Contingency funding of £5.6m was available, which would reduce the forecast overspend to £1.4m. A significant overspend of £30.0m was also reported against the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block, separate from the General Fund. The Cabinet was asked to approve and comment on this performance information.

St Leger Homes Performance Report 2026/27 Quarter 1

This report provided an update on St Leger Homes of Doncaster's (SLHD) performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. Of the 41 KPIs measured, 18 were met or within tolerance at the end of Q1. While performance was strong in areas like rent arrears, average days to re-let properties, and emergency repairs, areas such as void rent loss and non-emergency repairs completion were noted as needing improvement. The report also highlighted the introduction of a new KPI to track damp and mould inspections, in line with Awaab's Law. The Cabinet was asked to note SLHD's performance and its contribution to the council's strategic priorities.

St Leger Homes' Annual Customer Feedback and Satisfaction Results (Non-Key Decision)

This report presented St Leger Homes of Doncaster's Annual Complaint and Service Improvement Report for 2025/26, along with their self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code. The report indicated that SLHD received 1,671 Stage 1 complaints and 187 Stage 2 complaints during the year, with response times exceeding targets at both stages. The main reasons for complaints were time taken to deliver services, service delivery, and staffing issues. SLHD was found to be compliant with the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code, with strong performance in response times and a low rate of escalation to the Ombudsman. The report detailed service improvements made based on complaint insight and outlined future actions to address recurring themes and reduce avoidable dissatisfaction. The Cabinet was recommended to note this report, recognizing the key areas of housing service delivery, complaint performance, and improvement activity.