Fight the Cuts Campaign

Campaigns > Fight the cuts campaign

Fight the Cuts Campaign

Napo's current anti-cuts campaign was launched at the start of 2009 following the announcment of £120 million worth of cuts across the whole of the Probation Service by 2012.

Nationally the Probation Service faced massive cuts over the three years of between 13% and 25%. On 29 October 2009 however, Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, announced that the cuts to the Probation budget for 2010/11 would be reduced to £24 million. This is a great step forward and a tribute to the success of Napo's campaign. However this still equates to a 4% cut across the Probation Service in real terms. The campaign for a properly resourced Probation Service, therefore, continues.

Action so far

Press Launch March 2009 with national and local press releases - Campaign press release
A comprehensive briefing paper on the cuts was produced in April 2009 and updated in June. This was sent to the press and parliamentarians - Probation under Stress June 09 PDF
Two regionally based evidence sessions were organised for Napo branches to brief MPs on the effect of the cuts on service delivery locally. These took place on 19 May and 15 July.
An effect of the cuts is that trainee probation officers, qualifying this year are not being offered jobs as probation officers. Napo has produced brieifings, and lobbied MPs and the Ministry of Justice on this issue exhaustiviely since April. The campaign for TPO jobs is ongoing. Find out more
Napo's AGM 1-3 October in Torquay voted unanimously for a motion calling for a co-ordinated ballot for industrial action if Probation cuts are implemented and members' jobs are placed at risk. Fight the Cuts - Defend Probation (AGM 2009)
On 4 November, Elfyn Llwyd, Parliamentary Leader of Plaid Cymru, demanded and got a debate on the future of the Service. There were positive contributions from Paul Holmes (Chesterfield) (LD), Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow) (Lab), John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab) and Alan Duncan (Conservative Shadow Justice Minister), all of whom were supportive of the Service. Elfyn Llwyd, who led the debate, was constantly interrupted by Minister, Maria Eagle, who in the end he accused of being “tetchy”. Future of Probation Adjournment Debate 04-11-09 transcript (word)
Following the Justice Secretary’s announcement that the indicative budget cut of £50 million for 2010/11 has been reduced to £24 million, Probation Minister, Maria Eagle, told parliament that she believes the additional £26 million will provide 625 jobs. However, the allocation of the additional money appears to be panning out very differently on the ground. Napo is currently surveying its branches to ascertain the true picture. The union has relayed the information it has received so far to Secretary of State, Jack Straw and questioned whether the original ministerial intentions for this money are being carried out at regional/area level. We will be discussing this at our next meeting with the Justice Secretary on the 15th December with the aim of obtaining clarification before Christmas.

Financial Waste Survey

Napo is currently conducting a survey to indentify wasteful expenditure in the Probation Service. Members are asked to help with this. You can download a copy of the survey form here. Please complete it and return it either by email to Kath Falcon kfalcon@napo.org.uk or by post to Napo (4 Chivalry Road, London, SW11 1HT). Financial Waste and Bureaucracy Survey

A report of the findings of the survey will be produced later this month.