Embargo 00.01 Wednesday 12 December 2007

Probation Budgets in Meltdown

The Probation Service in England and Wales is facing a financial crisis over the current and the next three financial years. The Ministry of Justice has been ordered to cut its overall budget by £1 billion by 2010/11 as a consequence of the Comprehensive Spending Review. It is anticipated that this will result in a 5% cut per annum for each of the next three years for Probation. The cut in real terms will exceed £90 million. As a result the service will not be able to fulfil its statutory duties, programmes will be cancelled, the quality of supervision will fall, and there will be more, not less, crime and more, not less, victims.

A survey by Napo of 26 Probation Areas has shown that in most the cut will result in a freeze on recruitment, voluntary and compulsory redundancies, and cuts in allowances. In some Areas staff are being asked to take unpaid leave or to work a shorter working week in order that the service may balance the budget.

Sussex report that Trainee Probation Officers will not be employed, that there is a freeze on recruitment, that staff are being asked to take unpaid leave and that there are cuts in allowances. Management has asked staff to work five days for four days pay. During the last few months 24 staff members have left the service and have not been replaced; four staff have been seconded elsewhere; allowances have been cut; and 7 of 16 officers, trained over the last two years, at a cost of £75,000 per trainee, have not been employed.

The West Yorkshire Area is attempting to manage a deficit budget of approximately £700,000, essentially through not filling vacancies. They are also reorganising the provision of services by bringing all probation officers out of magistrates courts and putting them into offender management units. This will not be popular with magistrates. In addition, management is focussing its energies on income generation projects in an attempt to win new money from local and central government. They have, however, introduced an early retirement scheme and so far 50 staff members have made enquiries.

Devon and Cornwall fear they will be looking for voluntary and compulsory redundancies as well as a freeze on recruitment. It is envisaged by management that a flat-line budget will require a reduction of 56 members of staff across the Area. There are also cuts in allowances in the pipeline including a reduction in the mileage rate and a cutback on subsistence wherever that is possible. Work is in hand carrying out the identification of critical posts.

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North Wales is looking at redundancies, both voluntary and compulsory, not employing trainee probation officers, a freeze on recruitment, cuts in allowances and restructuring. The Area is currently consulting staff on a large scale reorganisation. There are no full details yet on numbers but the branch says it is difficult to see how it will be achieved without large scale downgrading of posts and redundancies. Early retirement is also being offered to staff.

Ironically the cuts come at a time when targets are being achieved throughout the country. The latest Home Office figures (June 2007) show that the Service is performing better than ever against its 30 Government objectives. Figures also show that re-offending rates for adults, aged 18 and over, on community sentences were 50.5% in 2004, the most recent year for which full figures are available. The comparable figure in 2004 for those who had custodial sentences was 64.7%. (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 06/07 March 2007)

Napo has organised a rally and lobby of parliament for 12 December. It will take place in Committee Room 14 of the House of Commons. Over 300 probation staff are expected to be addressed by 20 MPs and Peers from all Parties, who reflect Napo’s concerns.

Harry Fletcher, Assistant General Secretary of Napo, said: “The Probation Service is in an impossible position. The only way it can stay within budget over the current and the next three financial years is by shedding staff. Areas are looking at compulsory redundancies. At a time when caseloads are soaring this is patently absurd. The Service will not be able to fulfil its statutory duties and the standards of supervision will fall. As a consequence the excellent achievements the service has obtained on targets and reductions in re-offending rates will be jeopardised.
This will mean public protection and safety being compromised. It is absolutely essential that the Government revisits this decision and ensures that the Probation Service can meet its obligations and serve the public.”

MPs have tabled Early Day Motion 470 on Probation resources. So far over 30 Members have signed. During the course of the lobby and over coming weeks, Napo members will be lobbying their MPs for change. It is likely there will be further lobbies of parliament, and if the cuts are not reversed, if necessary, a campaign of industrial action.
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For more information
Harry Fletcher 020 7223 4887

Note to Editors

Napo is the Trade Union and Professional Association for Probation and Family Court staff. It currently has over 9,000 members working in the Probation Service and CAFCASS.