Judy McKnight's Napolog

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Web log of Napo's general secretary

May 26, 2007

Probation Boards to Trusts

Probation Boards are now being asked to decide if they want to become Trusts, even though no information is yet available on what Trusts will look like, what freedoms they will have etc, etc.

NOMS have now published:

• a letter from Jonathan Slater to Chairs and Chiefs
• The Response to the Consultation on Probation Trusts
• The Selection Process for First Wave Probation Trusts.

Each is available below.

The timetable is very tight with Boards being invited to show “an expression of interest” after a workshop for Chairs and Chiefs being organised on 4 June, with the “first wave” of Boards selected by late July.

Boards are promised more information on what freedoms, regulation etc Trusts might expect at the 4 June workshop, but at the moment Boards are being expected to “express interest” with no information being available.

It is understood that Chairs and Chiefs told Roger Hill and Richard Cullen what they thought of this mess, in no uncertain terms, at a Chairs and Chiefs meeting on 11 May.

Boards are also being expected to press on as if the legislation were in place, when there may still a possibility at least, that the legislation could face difficulties in achieving royal assent before the summer.

Napo also remains particularly concerned about the lack of information to date on the freedoms that Trusts will have. We know for example, that some Board Chairs want to see the end of national collective bargaining. Although we have had verbal assurances on this point from Gerry Sutcliffe and Helen Edwards, we are yet to get them in writing. This is also one of the House of Lords amendments that we need to see agreed.

Branches are being asked to hold urgent discussions with their Chairs and/or Chiefs, to discuss their plans on the attached paper on the Selection Process, and to seek assurances that they will be fully involved and consulted at every stage.

Usefully, good relations with unions are specified as one of the factors that will be taken into account in the selection process.

The letter from Jonathan Slater to Chairs and Chiefs:

Download file

The Response to the Consultation on Probation Trusts:

Download file

The Selection Process for First Wave Probation Trusts:

Download file

Posted by jmcknight at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)

May 15, 2007

Dialogue

Mike, Harry and I met with Lord Falconer this afternoon and were impressed with the fact that we had a genuine dialogue on the issues that concern members about the future of the Service.

We were given a full opportunity to explain our concerns about the OM Bill and what it means for the Service.

We said that we welcomed the fact that he seemed to recognise the need to address low morale in the Service. We now wanted the new “mood music” that he was responsible for, to be converted into action. We suggested that this could be done by the Government accepting some, if not all, of the amendments that Napo was supporting in the Lords’ Committee stage of the OM Bill that started tomorrow.

We stressed:
- the importance of Probation and the Probation Service, as a profession and as a concept, not disappearing, as threatened by the contestability process;
- the dangers of contestability for the fragmentation of the Service both for its future as well as for its professional training base;
- the need for successful change management to be underpinned by a vision that staff could sign up to – something singularly absent in the case of NOMS;
- the need for the Service to be adequately resourced and the need for workload prioritisation if there was more work than resources.

We pointed out:
- that nearly a year after we had been told that Cohort 10 of TPOs would be the last, we were still awaiting proposals on what training would be put in its place;
- that we were still awaiting proposals for a national training strategy for PSOs.

We pointed out that three and a half years after the Carter Report, “they”- (and we’re not sure who “they” are any more) - are still making it up on the back of an envelope.

In this context “it” includes:
- NOMS structures;
- the future of the Probation Service;
- whether or not there will always be a national voice, such as a national director for Probation,as there is for the Prison Service, and if so, their role in the NOMS’ hierarchy;
- what is meant by “best value” and its relation to the 10% target for sub-contracting out;
- the criteria for determining how a Board becomes a Trust;
- the future of national collective bargaining;
- how probation training and workforce planning will be secured and undertaken in a fragmented market;

etc, etc.

Lord Falconer was well briefed and showed an understanding of our concerns.

His approach was “solution focused”, seeking to identify what united rather than divided us. An approach diametrically opposed to the “in your face” style, which is the only way I could describe John Reid.

Time will tell of course, and tomorrow the House of Lords will start debating the OM Bill in Committee Stage.

Posted by jmcknight at 08:31 PM | Comments (0)

May 14, 2007

More Partnership, Less Dictat

Mike Mcclelland and I are currently representing Napo at the GFTU, (General Federation of Trade Unions), Biennial Conference in Belfast.

This morning we had a speech and a question and answer session with Peter Hain.

Peter had been invited as Secretary State for Northern Ireland, but spoke mainly as a Deputy Leader Candidate.

I asked him a question about public sector reform and referred to the way that the privatisation agenda was being rolled out in the Probation Service, with no evidence having been produced to show it would reduce re-offending. I asked what commitments he would give on how he would approach public sector reform and what action he would take to restore the morale of public sector workers.

His answer, was to recognise that the there should be limits set on the role of the private sector in delivering public services. He also said that in respect of the Probation Service reform, there should be, and I quote:

“a pause, a bit more partnership and a bit less dictat.”

That would certainly be a good starting point!

I will be quoting this when we meet Lord Falconer tomorrow afternoon to discuss our concerns on the OM Bill, among other things!

I think the next few weeks should be a good time to get extra promises from politicians. The test will be to hold them to account after 27 June!

Posted by jmcknight at 05:33 PM | Comments (0)

May 09, 2007

Hello Charlie

Herewith some information on the Ministry of Justice which is being announced today.

Here is the website for the new Ministry.

A copy of Napo's press release is below.

Continue reading "Hello Charlie"

Posted by jmcknight at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

May 07, 2007

Good-Bye John

The Probation Service owes no thanks to John Reid, and I suspect most Napo members will be glad to see the back of him.

One can only assume that he decided to go before being pushed by Gordon Brown. That sounds about what you’d expect from him.

The Guardian points out the hypocrisy of his position.

Posted by jmcknight at 06:48 PM | Comments (0)

May 03, 2007

Lord Falconer Praises Probation

At the Probation Centenary International Conference on Tuesday, Lord Charlie Falconer made a most refreshing speech in praise of the Probation Service.

His speech was in marked contrast to the sort of speeches we have heard from John Reid.

Lord Falconer takes over as the Secretary of State for Justice on Wednesday 9 May.

We have asked for an early meeting with him and hope he will be around long enough to cheer everyone up, if this is his approach!

Here is the text of his speech:

Download file

Posted by jmcknight at 05:45 PM | Comments (0)