The Cabinet of Hertfordshire Council met on Monday 23 June 2025 to endorse the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26 and recommend its approval to the County Council. They also agreed to market the County Hall site for alternative uses.

Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26

The Cabinet endorsed the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Plan 2025-26 and recommended its approval to the County Council. This plan is a statutory requirement for local authorities, outlining their provision of youth justice services. The Hertfordshire Youth Justice Service operates as a multi-agency partnership, hosted by the local authority and involving children's services, police, probation, and health services, as mandated by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998¹.

The service delivery is integrated within the Specialist Adolescent Services team, comprising youth justice qualified Social Workers and Adolescent Practitioners. They are supported by specialist roles such as Education, Training and Employment Practitioners, Reparation Workers, Forensic Adolescent Practitioners (CAMHS), Victim Workers, and Resilience Workers, who provide tailored support to children. The service also benefits from seconded staff from Probation and Police.

Hertfordshire's Youth Justice Service is overseen by the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Management Board, which meets quarterly to provide strategic leadership. The Board includes representatives from Children's Social Care, Education, Police, Probation, Public Health, elected councillors, lay members, community partners, and staff representatives.

This year's plan includes a focus on the Voice of Children, Families and Victims, promoting a child first approach and increasing participation from service users. Additionally, it addresses Disproportionality and Anti-Racist Practice, aiming to reduce disproportionality within the youth justice system, particularly for global majority groups. The Cabinet considered the financial, legal, equalities, and sustainability implications of the plan, as well as the recommendations from the Children's Social Care Cabinet Panel. No alternative options were considered or rejected.

Marketing of County Hall for Alternative Uses and Relocation of Democratic Meetings

The Cabinet agreed to market the entire County Hall site for alternative uses. This decision follows a strategy agreed in July 2023 to relocate most County Council services to the Stevenage Campus, while retaining a civic presence at County Hall. However, limited market interest for employment activities at the site has led to the decision to market the entire property.

The running costs for keeping County Hall open are over £1 million per annum, covering security, utilities, compliance checks, and insurance. While renting the building to the film and TV sector has been popular, the income generated has not been sufficient to cover these costs. The relocation of additional Member spaces, including the Council Chamber, further reduces the Council's need to retain space at County Hall.

The associated budget for this initiative will be funded by borrowing in advance of the capital receipt from the disposal of County Hall. The eventual sale is expected to generate a substantial capital receipt and revenue savings from no longer holding the property. The Cabinet considered the financial, legal, equalities, and sustainability implications, along with the recommendations of the Resources & Performance Cabinet Panel.