Purpose

The Ministry of Justice Turnaround programme provides funding to support earlier intervention with children and young people who are at risk of entering, or becoming more deeply involved in, the youth justice system. Acceptance of the 2026/27 allocation will enable the ten Greater Manchester youth justice services to continue eligible local activity and will allow GMCA to provide programme coordination, assurance and oversight at Greater Manchester level.

GMCA will use the grant in line with the final Ministry of Justice grant agreement and any accompanying guidance. It will establish proportionate arrangements to:

• confirm allocations and eligible expenditure across all ten local youth justice services;
• monitor delivery, expenditure, outputs, outcomes and compliance with grant conditions;
• support consistent data collection and performance reporting;
• evaluate delivery and impact across Greater Manchester, including learning on effective practice and areas for improvement; and
• submit required returns and assurance information to the Ministry of Justice within specified timescales.

The ten youth justice services will remain responsible for delivery in their local authority areas, maintaining suitable records, complying with relevant statutory and safeguarding duties, and providing timely financial and performance information to GMCA.

Decision

The Deputy Mayor, carrying out the functions of Police and Crime Commissioner on behalf of the Mayor, authorises Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to accept Ministry of Justice Turnaround Grant funding of £1,090,168 for the financial year 2026/27 and to enter into the associated grant agreement.

The funding will support GMCA to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the use and impact of Turnaround funding across the ten Greater Manchester youth justice services, in accordance with Ministry of Justice grant conditions, guidance and reporting requirements.