PROBATION TRUSTS TO REDUCE RE-OFFENDING
A Government drive to reduce re-offending further in Gloucestershire has been announced.
An order was laid in Parliament on the 3 February to ensure Gloucestershire Probation Area (GPA) will become a Trust on 1 April 2010
As a Probation Trust Gloucestershire will focus its work on local communities and reduce re-offending while providing the same high level of service to the courts and oversight of offenders.
The Probation Service carries out extremely valuable work protecting the public, reducing re-offending and supporting victims. In gaining Trust status, GPA has demonstrated good performance and a commitment to delivering locally tailored services to all communities.
Justice Minister Maria Eagle said:
This is a tremendous achievement for GPA and demonstrates a commitment to delivering locally tailored services to all communities.
"Probation Trusts will be flexible, agile, locally focused organisations with strong community links. This will allow Gloucestershire Probation Trust to use services from the public, private and voluntary sector to provide the best route to help rehabilitate and punish offenders in the most cost effective way to the tax payer.
“We will always ensure we have the best possible systems in place to manage offenders in the community, to protect the public and reduce re-offending.
“Probation Trusts will be made up of Local Delivery Units that will work with partners to meet local needs. These units will provide a visible local presence for probation in all communities and ensure that the diverse needs in different parts of the community are met.”
Gloucestershire Probation Area Chief Officer, John Bensted said:
| “This is fantastic news for the staff of GPA and real recognition of the work that is achieved in protecting the public and reducing reoffending. GPA is the second smallest Probation Area in the country and like all Public Sector agencies is facing very challenging budgets. The task of achieving Trust Status required us to demonstrate that we can work closely with our partners ( Police, Courts, County Council etc) to meet local needs, deliver strong performance within challenging budgets and have the organisational capability to meet future challenges.” |  |
The challenges facing the public sector have evolved and it is vital that providers of probation services are able to demonstrate that they are as effective and efficient as possible, making the best use of tax payers money.
Trusts are required to deliver services according to the principles of best value. Best value was introduced into local government in April 2000, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1999. It places local authorities under a duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement in the way in which they carry out their functions, having regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
Under this model, Probation Boards and Trusts will need to ensure that services are continuously improved using the provider which delivers the best value for money, whether they are from the public, private or voluntary sector.
However, as part of the Offender Management Act 2007 the provision of service to courts will be retained within the public sector unless Parliament agrees otherwise.
Notes to Editors
1. From 1 April 2010, there will be 35 Probation Trusts operating in England and Wales
2. There have been five mergers: Durham/Teeside, Surrey/Sussex, West Midlands/Staffordshire, Norfolk/Suffolk and South Wales/ Gwent/ Dyfed Powys and North Wales
3. Orders laid in Parliament will:
- establish Probation Trusts, in those geographical areas where Local Probation Boards will be abolished on commencement of the relevant provisions of Part I of the Offender Management Act 2007. The principal purpose of each Trust is to enter into contracts for the provision of probation services with the
Secretary of State under the OMA 2007. |
|
- dissolve the two Probation Trusts established in Dyfed Powys and
South Wales to allow for the establishment of the all-Wales Probation Trust. |
For more information please contact the Ministry of Justice press office on 020 33 34 35 36.
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