The following is a new weather report from tailgunner, as posted today over on the Napo forum:-
Weather Report on Measures December 9th
At a meeting at the end of last week between NOMS HR, the employers and the unions, the range of measures that will need to be addressed before and after April next year was set out in more detail. These relate to staff transferring both to the CRCs and to the NPS. Harmonisation of conditions of service as between Trusts merging into one CRC is one critical issue but perhaps even more critical and complex will be the issue of harmonisation of terms and conditions not only between different Trusts but also with the Civil Service in the case of staff moving into the NPS. The scale of these challenges becomes apparent as one begins to drill down into the issues - most of which are set out in Appendix A of the National Framework.
Quite how all this rationalisation and harmonisation will be achieved is difficult to envisage, particularly between now and April. Previous experience of such exercises (as when Trusts have merged in the past) suggests that they have taken years rather than months to achieve. This was of concern then, but at least it was done within the context of a standard set of national codes and conditions (NNC Codes & Conditions for the Probation Service). Whilst these will remain in place, at least initially, under COSOP, there are undoubtedly more complicated issues around the corner with a developing requirement to harmonise with the Civil Service. The trade unions will continue to press for harmonisation upwards, to the best that is available, though this may not always be achievable.
It is still not evident how much of this work will have to be done in advance of the split in April - and it must be remembered that not all of these measures are simply consultative - some will have to be negotiated. An initial assessment by the unions would seem to suggest that for successful completion by the target date of April this work should have been commenced some considerable time ago. As it is only now just beginning in earnest, so there must be a question mark over the completion date. How critical this will be to the success of the TR Programme remains to be seen. But it does not bode well.
Are those involved with setting up CRCs, or bringing TR into existsnce doing so on company time whilst the rest of us graft away and get no thanks, or are they getting paid from a specially put aside TR fund?
ReplyDeleteAs part of this neo-liberal project that's killing society they are cutting another 1000 public sector jobs in Birmingham. And it aint going to stop any-time soon. We are in an era similar to that which produced the Nazis only much worse. The man men couldn't give a toss.
ReplyDeleteWhilst having to endure an excruciatingly poor presentation by Trust management, we experienced an epiphany... this TR experiment is, in fact, a modern day setting for a Dickens novel, where Mr Union Micawber is painfully certain that "something will turn up"; whilst in a parallel story, Mr Christopher Scrooge is screwing the workers.
ReplyDeleteA colleague optimistically spoke about Xmas being a time of miracles.
Any room at the inn?
So how many staff are now working on the TR agenda, I mean staff in each trust because surely the shortfall is being picked up by the rest of us. So in reality we are now picking up the workload of "diverted " staff, sick staff (TR stress), deliver performance and supposed to be able to make decisions on our future (well, tick a box on a EoI letter). Exhausted ? You bet we are. Not the most enthused workforce to launch the brave new future ( Onishambles). A good investment for the Primes ? Better hope they don't read this blog or they might run for the hills.....
ReplyDeletehttp://m.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/local/new-probation-company-covering-four-counties-appoints-chief-1-5737161
ReplyDeleteA new probation company that will cover Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire has appointed a chief executive officer (CEO).
ReplyDeleteTessa Webb, currently chief executive of Hertfordshire Probation Trust, will take up her new post on April 1 next year when the new company begins operating.
The company, which is expected to trade as the Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Community Rehabilitation Company, will be one of 21 community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) that will start work across England and Wales from April 2014, following the winding up of all probation trusts.
Tessa Webb said: “This is a time of enormous change for probation staff, and I look forward to supporting and leading them through it. They are exceptional people, who deal with some of the most complex aspects of our communities. It will be a big challenge for all of us, as we will be bringing together the workforces of four different probation trusts. It will be critical we keep our eye on service delivery throughout. This is a committed and professional workforce who will do their very best.”
Tessa added: “Effective working relationships at every level will be required. It will be particularly important to me to recognise the value and importance of our local partnerships and tailor services to meet the needs of the local communities. Local relationships are a vital ingredient to reducing reoffending and we need to work twice as hard to nurture them as we go through the transition.
“The CRC will cover a significant geographic area and the new size will bring new opportunities. It will be important that every effort is taken to understand and learn about the strengths and pressures locally and explore how by working together we can increase our resilience.”
Tessa has worked in the Probation Service since 1980.
She has been CEO of Hertfordshire Probation Trust for seven years and previously was deputy head of Public Protection at the Home Office.
Tessa is a director for the Probation Chiefs Association, leading for ‘Localism’. She is on the executive board of the Academy for Justice Commissioning.