A councillor has warned Bath & North East Somerset Council’s “child first” approach to youth justice will not stop “feral” youths harassing people.
The Guildhall in Bath
Liberal Democrat councillors were quick to condemn the comment. The council was voting on 17th July to approve its youth justice plan, which sets out how it works to prevent offending and re-offending with a “child first” approach, prioritising the interests of children in the justice system as well as victims.
Seconding the plan, Councillor Lesley Mansell (Labour, Radstock) told the meeting: “This is not about being soft on crime, it is about being smart on prevention.”
But Councillor Alan Hale (Keynsham South, Independent Group) said the council should focus on victims, not children who made people victims.
He told councillors: “If you think this is going to work, you need to sell it to the people who complain to me about anti-social behaviour.”
He said: “At the end of the day, when you have members of the public being harassed/harangued by young people who are somewhat feral, I don’t believe that this will achieve a great deal.”
Councillor Manda Rigby (Bathwick, Liberal Democrat) called the comment a “disgrace”.
She said: “I find it appalling that I’m sitting in a council, where we are trying to talk about preventative work and helping or young people avoid the stigma of crime and ruining their life chances at an early age, and hear those young people being referred to as ‘feral’ youths. I think it’s a disgrace”
Councillor Tim Ball (Twerton and Whiteway, Liberal Democrat) said Councillor Hale had missed the point.
He said: “We need to keep the youths out of crime to start with. If we can keep them out of crime until they are 18/19, they don’t normally get involved.”
The youth justice plan aims to reduce reoffending by maximising out-of-court alternative sentencing and restorative justice where possible.
The plan also aims to reduce serious violence such as knife crime through work with the Violence Reduction Partnership.
Councillor Tim Warren (Midsomer Norton North, Conservative) said Councillor Hale’s comments had been taken out of context.
He said: “There are wild groups of young people around; if there wasn’t, we wouldn’t have to do this.
“And it’s a sad reflection of society. It is the kids’ fault? It’s probably not. It’s probably the way they’re brought up.”
Despite voicing concerns, Councillor Hale did vote to approve the strategy in a unanimous vote by councillors.
Unusually, every vote which went before the council at the meeting received unanimous support from the six different political groups on the council.
Chair of the council Liz Hardman (Labour, Paulton) said: “I think this might be a record.”
John Wimperis, Local Democracy Reporter
