Annual report

The Council is required by statute to provide the Lord Chancellor with a report on how we have fulfilled our statutory functions during the year. The Lord Chancellor must lay a copy of the report before Parliament.

The Council’s annual reports are laid before Parliament and published before the summer recess. They are a detailed summary of our activities and achievements between 1 April and the following 31 March and include:

  • Foreword from the Chairman
  • Table of key events
  • A report for each guideline on which work was done during the year
  • Sentencing and non-sentencing factors reports
  • Accounts of work completed by the Analysis and Research and Communication functions
  • The Council’s budget
  • Statutory functions and governance of the Council
  • Membership of the Council during the year
  • Sentencing guidelines production schedule

Business plan

The Sentencing Council publishes a business plan that sets out our aims and objectives for the coming year. These aims and objectives include:

  • publishing definitive guidelines;
  • developing and consulting on proposed guidelines; and
  • monitoring and evaluating the operation and effect of existing guidelines.

The business plan is published annually and updated if there are any significant changes during the course of the year.