<p>On 9 May 2013, the Ministry of Justice published <em>Transforming Rehabilitation: A Strategy for Reform</em>, which sets out its plans to radically reform the way in which probation services are delivered in England and Wales.</p>
<p>If the government gets its way, the plans will result in:</p>
<ul>
<li>the abolition of the 35 local probation trusts;</li>
<li>the privatisation of 70% of their work in 21 new contract areas;</li>
<li>the creation of a small national probation agency to carry out public protection work in relation to the most dangerous offenders.</li>
</ul>
<p>UNISON received a letter from the probation minister Jeremy Wright, introducing the government’s reform proposals for the Probation Service published on 9 May. <br /><br />As we feared, the government has not taken heed of the overwhelming opposition to its plans to privatise 70% of probation and create a small national probation agency of what is left.</p>
<p>UNISON will now be gearing up to protect members’ interests in the months ahead, as the government tries to implement its plans. More information on this will be made available shortly, once we have fully digested the government’s final proposals.</p>
<p>Until further guidance is issued from UNISON, branches and respresentatives should not enter into ANY local consultation with trusts on ANY matter relating to the government’s plans for probation.</p>
<p>Together with Napo and the the GMB, we are writing to the employers’ side secretary of the the national negotiating council and standing committee on chief officer grades to ask that all employee relations issues arising from the government’s reform agenda are taken under the ownership of the national negotiating bodies and not devolved to trust level untiol an appropriate framework has been agreed by all parties.</p>
<p><a class=“amax-link-ConCategory-2479 amax-site-1″ href=“server.php?controller=category&action=showCategory&contentId=2479”>UNISON in police and justice</a></p>
UNISON to fight government plans to abolish probation service
UNISON campaigns to protect our public services and the workers who provide them. Find out about our current campaigns and how you can add your support, and the joint campaigns we support with external groups.
Private companies are poised to step in and run some policing and probation services in your local area such as 999 call taking and victim support. Find out how the changes could affect you and how your local area is policed.