Cuts Campaign explained

Campaigning the next 12 months

Napo will be facing extraordinary difficulties over the next three to four financial years.  The non-protected public sector organisation are looking at anywhere between 15% and 25% cuts over the next three to four years.  Cuts of that magnitude will, in Napo’s view, make it impossible for us to fulfil our statutory family court or criminal justice duties. 

Napo will therefore be stepping up its campaigning activities by arguing that cuts to Probation or Cafcass will be counterproductive because the Ministries will end up spending much more elsewhere, for example on prison costs or care proceedings or costs for vulnerable children.

The first of a range of papers was produced at the end of March on Sex Offenders and Non Treatment.  The main points that resonated with the press were (a) treatment is vital and (b) cuts will make it worse.

The second paper makin the case for diverting those sentenced to less than 12-months onto intensive programmes will be published later this month.

Napo will continue to use these themes in press releases and briefings over the coming months.  Priorities will include highlighting the following:

* Hostels facilities management waste and bureaucracy
* The huge rise in indeterminate public protection sentences and excess costs
* * The economic costs of cutting Probation and Cafcass and the consequences
* The effect of the curtailment of Probation programmes
* The cost of delaying proceedings in Cafcass
* The cost of proliferation of independent social workers in the Family Courts

Lobbying

Alongside this strategy Napo will of course continue one to one lobbying of key parliamentarians in the new parliament and of strengthening the parliamentary groups.  Letters have already been sent to new MPs.  Watch this space for further post-election news