As the reality begins to dawn that 'key worker status' actually means sweet FA in terms of who is going to pay for Covid, I suspect these monthly upbeat 'strengthening probation - building confidence' bullshit bulletins will be viewed with increasing derision. But such is the reality of being part of the command and control structure of a government department everybody and especially one working 'at pace' (sic)
Probation Changes Bulletin - Issue 8 - November 2020
1. Introduction from Amy Rees, Director General of Probation and WalesWelcome to the latest bulletin, reporting on key updates and progress across our three probation programmes – reform, workforce and recovery. You will read more on these from Jim Barton and Ian Barrow below.
As we continue to operate under restrictions, I wanted to thank all our staff for their continued professionalism and dedication, a view echoed by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Probation who recently applauded staff for their compassionate professionalism during COVID. It makes me personally very proud to lead such a team, particularly during these times.
Across the probation service, our focus is on ensuring the health and safety of our staff and service users. We will follow the principles of our COVID Roadmap to Recovery, prioritising public protection and risk management. We will continue to work under our established Exceptional Delivery Model Framework with our senior leaders making decisions on how best to deliver our core services in their regions based on local circumstances. We will continue to deliver Accredited Programmes and Unpaid Work wherever possible. Our Approved Premises will also remain open, with local amendments to how they operate where necessary.
Planning for the winter months and the possible scenarios we may face continues to be a major focus for us and we are doing this in collaboration with our key partners. We have learnt a great deal from the way we have responded to coronavirus and will be building this in to our plans wherever possible.
I hope you find this bulletin helpful and we look forward to updating you on the latest developments in the next issue.
2. Update from Jim Barton, SRO, Probation Reform Programme
Work continues at pace on the planned probation reforms as announced in June by the Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland QC MP and we are on track for the safe and stable transition to the Unified Model by June 2021. Recent highlights include:
Management Structures: the future structure of Probation Delivery Units is designed, as is how we will manage the Dynamic Framework, and the specialist public protection team that will sit in each region. We have a proposal for how Unpaid Work and Accredited Programmes will be managed, but this remains subject to confirmation.
Role Allocations and National Agreement: CRCs have been working through the assignment of their staff - this determines whether and where staff are assigned to transfer, to the National Probation Service (NPS) or to one of our intervention providers. We have also reached agreement with our recognised Trade Unions on the key protections that will be afforded staff transferring from CRCs in June next year.
Estates: a detailed estates strategy has been developed for each regional probation director. The strategy outlines where some estates changes will happen now and where changes will happen next year. There are currently 19 projects running to improve NPS estates.
Target Operating Model (TOM): Work continues on the next iteration of the probation operating model to show what the future sustainable model for the probation system will look like, in particular, after transition in June 2021. Broadly speaking, the TOM sets out our commitments to providing:
- New regional probation leadership structures that enable greater local accountability, partnership working and delivery of services that more closely meet individuals’ diverse needs.
- Investment in our workforce to support their continuous development, attract and retain talent, create a diverse workforce, foster confident leaders and promote wellbeing.
- Improvements to Sentence Management delivery to encourage greater focus on effective supervision to help protect the public and promote rehabilitation wherever possible.
- Improved interventions that respond to an individual’s specific needs. This includes improvements to the delivery of Unpaid Work and Accredited Programmes, the introduction of Structured Interventions and securing the expertise of other sectors in the delivery of rehabilitative and resettlement services.
- Modernisation of our estate and technology so that our physical spaces create positive working environments and we reduce duplication in our systems, creating efficiencies and enabling better data recording and analysis to facilitate more effective decision-making.
3. Update from Ian Barrow, SRO, Workforce Programme
We are continuing to drive change through each of our commitments set out in the Probation Workforce Strategy launched this summer. As part of this work the NPS Smarter Working Initiative was launched on Wednesday 28 October which builds on our commitments to enable our people to work more flexibly, and sets out our promises to provide:
- A better place to work, increasing flexibility, work life balance and choice of working location balanced against operational need.
- A modern organisation with greater adoption of new technology.
- In our new offices, fit-for-purpose workspaces designed for collaboration. In our existing offices, we want to make better use of space to support Smarter Working.
- Working remotely more often – including the flexibility to choose where to work up to 50% of the working week, depending on the needs of the business and colleagues.
PQiP: In addition, we are pleased to say that we are on track to exceed our commitment to recruit 1,000 PQiP learners this financial year. We recruited 457 learners in July 2020 and are set to recruit over 600 new learners, our largest cohort yet, in January 2021.
4. Update from Ian Barrow, SRO, Recovery Programme
We have carefully reviewed the implications of the national restrictions introduced in England and Wales and are continuing to follow the principles of our Roadmap to Recovery to safely deliver our core probation services. We are using our established exceptional delivery framework as we have been doing over recent months to prioritise public protection and risk management, alongside the safety of our staff and service users. Our Regional Probation Directors and CRC Chief Executives will continue to make decisions on how best to deliver probation services in the regions based on local circumstances and staffing levels.
The programme has continued to make good progress where it has been safe to do so since our last bulletin was published. There continues to be a steady increase in offices reopening and the last of the Approved Premises which had to close due to Covid-19 has now re-opened. We have seen a gradual increase in office appointments and as a result, a reduction in telephone contacts. In addition, we are also still seeing a steady increase in the delivery of Unpaid Work and Accredited Programmes.
As always, and echoing Amy’s comments above, I’d like to thank our operational and programme staff who are continuing to drive this important work forward.
Napo mailout yesterday:-
ReplyDeleteUnion outrage at Pay Freeze announcement
Members will no doubt have seen today’s media reports that the Government are threatening a public sector pay freeze in 2021 and perhaps even longer, except for NHS workers.
The confirmation by Ministers that Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering this possibility as part of the outcomes from next weeks expected publication of the Spending Review, has prompted furious responses from Unions across the public sector.
Ministers have claimed that this summer’s pay increase for some public sector workers, along with statistics claiming that public sector salaries have outstripped those in the private sector by 7%, justifies such a policy.
The facts
Napo members across the NPS, CRCs, Probation Northern Ireland and Cafcass will share the sense of outrage as they were not included in the summer pay round, and have seen their pay fall behind comparable professions over the last decade during which they have been subject to the last public sector pay freeze.
Moreover, the Covid-19 crisis has seen a spiral in unemployment which will also have impacted on the income of many families where the wage of a public sector worker is now the only means of income.
Our members are also among the hundreds of thousands of other front line workers who have faced significant personal risk as they have kept open vital services to the public and clients, and helped to suppress the spread of Covid-19 into our communities. These efforts have been a vital contribution to the social fabric of the UK during these unprecedented times.
Whilst we have seen some recent pay settlements for our members working in the CRC’s, some negotiations have still to take place, and progress across other employers for 2020/21 is slower than Napo would like, despite our considerable efforts to move matters forward.
What next?
It’s certain that public sector unions will launch a combined campaign through the TUC against this policy if it is announced; and will point to the timing of such a move by the Government who have suddenly found £16b for new spending on defence.
Napo will raise the issue with senior HMPPS leaders and in our ongoing negotiations with the NPS on the joint unions pay claim for 2020/21 and the parallel talks to modernise the future pay system. Likewise, in our current discussions with the Probation Board of Northern Ireland and Cafcass, where we await clearance on pay remits so that negotiations can get underway.
We will issue more news on the above and other major developments in our continuing efforts to keep members safe at the earliest opportunity. Meanwhile, we are yet again seeing clear evidence of the cynical attitude of this Government to their public sector workers.
Ian Lawrence General Secretary
National Chair Katie Lomas
We have also reached agreement with our recognised Trade Unions on the key protections that will be afforded staff transferring from CRCs in June next year.
DeleteNapo leadership have no idea do they. This agreement should not exist. There can be no agreed positions unless pay is resolved for all members . Harmonised upwards rates and parity. Oh I forget Napo deliver and facilitate the NPS employers wants while mis direct members.
The bullshit never stops:
ReplyDelete"Boris Johnson is facing questions about whether he tried to tone down an independent report which said Home Secretary Priti Patel broke the ministerial code by bullying staff.
Number 10 has insisted Sir Alex Allan's conclusions were "entirely his own".
But a Whitehall source told the BBC that Sir Alex had resisted pressure to make the findings more "palatable".
And Sir David Normington, a former Home Office chief, said Ms Patel's behaviour was "completely unacceptable".
He said the report had found she was a bully, adding: "You shouldn't have bullies in government"."
Here come the bribes:
Delete"The government has confirmed it will make a major reform to the way it assesses the value for money of big spending projects.
It plans to remove a longstanding bias that has affected funding for northern England and other regions.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the changes, to be unveiled at next week's Spending Review, were part of the government's "levelling up" agenda.
The move was welcomed by a group of Tory MPs in northern England.
Mr Sunak said the changes would allow those "in all corners of the UK to get their fair share of our future prosperity". "
Why exactly is it a bribe? It was in the party manifesto and they are now making good on their promise. Or are you saying they should have broken that manifesto commitment?
DeleteAs a proud Yorkshireman who voted Conservative in 2019 for the first time after a lifetime of voting Labour, I'm pleased we finally have a government willing to give the north a chance.
So Sunak "plans to remove a longstanding bias that has affected funding for northern England and other regions... Those calculations, the Treasury now acknowledges, have inherently favoured the government investing continuously in the South East of England and London."
DeleteReally? There'll be one or two gesture projects & all will return to 'normal'.
You will be aware, of course, its all co-ordinated over generous working lunches attended by well-known northerners alongside Sunak including Henri Murison - director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, made up of business and city leaders - and chaired by former Tory Chancellor George Osborne"
Ey'up, Rishi, 'ow's tha fettle?
'Owdo, George. Ahs reet grand.
Ee bah gum! :-)
DeleteAnd Wensleydale cheese can really come from Barnsley.
DeleteRumour has it that Pritters trained in the art of Ecky Thump... no wonder Bozo daren't sack her.
DeleteThe "Winners and Losers" post earlier this week, "I thought leave meant leave", sparked my interest on just what it might mean if the UK can no longer access the European Social Fund.
ReplyDelete"Public and private sector organisations in the UK receive funding from the EU through various channels – the UK received a total of €6.6 billion (about £5.9 billion) in 2018.11 Sept 2020".
I haven't delved in to any great extent, but I was surprised just how much of that fund is directly or indirectly accessed by Prisons and Probation.
The loss of such a vast source of funding will enevitabley have a great impact in many areas, presumably also to the Dynamic Framework plans currently being discussed and any future modeling.
I can't help wondering if a lot of the dilly dallying around the future structuring of probation and the Dynamic Framework is deliberate because much depends on what kind of relationship the UK will have with the EU come January 1st.
I've been further intrigued by the Government feeling the need to publish some information and case studies on the European Social Fund yesterday, and whether it has anything to do with the proposed Spending review being announced this week?
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-social-fund-case-studies/european-social-fund-2014-2020-case-studies
'Getafix
Getafix I can assure you despite Cornwall and surprisingly overwhelming brexiteer devolution supporters they are going to sunk well below the horizon . Foolish and so obvious to many of us remoaners. Good luck Cornwall you'll need to re invent Butlins and build a cheap airport and hope they come .
DeleteIt will be great - during the Referendum debates the Vote Leave folk said British Government will pay for all these schemes
DeleteFROM THE Financial Times
"The Leave camp’s Brexit funding promise
JUNE 14 2016
Ministers who support Brexit said on Tuesday that recipients of EU funding will continue to receive equally generous funding if the UK votes to leave. Priority areas, such as the NHS, would get even more."
https://www.ft.com/content/da7f4e18-322a-11e6-ad39-3fee5ffe5b5b
Exactly, the government has said they will honour those commitments. At the end of the day we paid far more into the EU than we received back in ESF money and so we're far better off out.
DeleteWhy do you persistently use the pronoun (we) to express your own individual point of view.
DeleteIt's self serving arrogance to do so.
You speak of individual freedom (the I) but express everything you say in the collective (the we).
Because in God's Own County *everything* is expressed in terms of the royal plural, e.g. we voted tory, Rishi's one of ours, etc.
Delete16.01, what a strange comment to make. I was expressing facts, not opinions, so why would I not use 'we'? We (ie the UK) paid more into the EU than we (the UK) got back, therefore we (the UK) are better off out - that's an undisputed fact.
DeleteAre you also going to insist then that rather than say "we are in the midst of a pandemic and we face economic ruin" that I say "I am in the midst of a pandemic and I face economic ruin"?
I agree with your grammar. But yo can fcuk right off on the figures. Britain did better from esf than paid although it was swings and roundabouts. Does anyone think honestly the Tories will fund projects . Nooooooo
DeleteWhat are you smoking pal? We paid the EU £14.4bn per year (after rebate) and received £5bn back in public sector receipts and £1bn in funding from the EU commission (including ESF). So how the hell did we do better from ESF than paid?!
DeleteI agree totally with anon@16:01.
DeleteAnon@16:58 refers to their earlier comment which was quite specific.
"At the end of the day we paid far more into the EU than we received back in ESF money."
That is actual fact with regard to ESF. But their later comment trys to make that fact into something far more inclusive and comprehensive. That is misleading because its neither factual or indisputable. Its spin.
As for 'we the Uk'?
As a self elected spokesmen they can at most claim to speak for 52% of the population that actually voted, not the UK as a whole.
They might also like to consider this.
"We" are in the midst of a pandemic, but "I" still want my Christmas.
It's just nonsense.
'Getafix
1941 apologies I ain't smoking but there was a time we had more back and i accept you may have an updated knowledge and view. The thing is it may have been money lost in the mechanisms and structure but the clown liar king boge Tories won't refund new communities initiatives. Cornwall gets a special mention as they voted out when they needed it the most. Says a lot about the collective conscience. I hope I am wrong but it's the Tories and their kind will see us all dead and underclasses before they lose a cent. Rishi boy is flying a kite in his leak on public spending to test reactions. I bet he still cuts pay in the mid term . The billions saved are already well lost into Tory offshore you wait and see.
Deletehttps://www.google.com/amp/s/uk.sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/news/unpaid-work-sentences-work-from-home-coronavirus-pandemic-135300343.html
ReplyDeleteCriminals are serving unpaid work sentences at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, a new report has revealed.
DeleteThousands of convicts who had remaining hours of unpaid work when the lockdown began in March have had them written off and others who were due to start sentences were allowed to “work from home”, according to The Times newspaper.
The probation service made the decision to change procedures because a huge backlog of unpaid work cases had built up after they found it difficult to find placements during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Victim Support chief executive Diana Fawcett was concerned with the effect the cancelling the sentences would have on victims. She said: “Offenders having their community sentence hours wiped off only serves to undermine victims’ confidence in the ability of the justice system to handle cases effectively and feel that justice is done.”
In total 6,000 offenders have had their sentences disrupted by the pandemic. The Ministry of Justice confirmed thousands of others whose sentences had been interrupted in March would not have to complete them and it would be treated as “unpaid work equivalent of furlough”.
Officials hope this will prevent the court system from becoming swamped with cases. But offenders who have received unpaid work sentences since March will have to serve them in full.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “Unpaid work is exempt from coronavirus restrictions and we have been working hard to return to normal in line with the latest public health advice and social distancing measures.”
"Ain't no time to wonder why, Whoopee we're all gonna die" - cj&fish
ReplyDelete"Families could be allowed to meet for up to a week over Christmas as part of a UK-wide relaxation of coronavirus rules, it has been reported.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock told a Downing Street briefing it was still too early to say what contact people will be able to have over the festive period, but it has been reported Boris Johnson is preparing to announce a plan next week for an easing of rules.
Several families could be allowed to join a bubble and to mix between December 22 and 28, the Daily Telegraph reported."
"A former government scientist has warned that people will die with coronavirus if households are allowed to mix on Christmas Day. Professor Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist whose modelling influenced the national lockdown in March, said whether or not coronavirus measures are eased for the festive season will be a matter of ‘political judgement’. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, he said: ‘It risks some transmission and there will be consequences of that. Some people will die because of getting infected on that day." [metro]
"5 DAYS OF XMAS Christmas could be saved as Government plans 5 days of household mixing indoors for groups bigger than 6 over holidays" [sun]
"Christmas gatherings would ‘throw fuel’ on Covid fire, Sage expert warns" [standard]
"People 'will catch coronavirus and die' if families are allowed to mix on Christmas Day warns scientist advising government" [m.e.n]
"Christmas could be saved as Government 'plans five days of household mixing indoors'" [mirror]
"I'm not entirely convinced dinosaurs existed. I'm not. I've come across some weird websites in my Google searches. For instance, the word dinosaur. It didn't exist until like 1842. There was no word for dinosaur. And then all of a sudden in the next 15-20 years, after a British scientist comes up with this word dinosaur and describes it in a medical journal, people started finding fossils. And I'm thinking to myself alright, humans we've been here since 10,000 BC. We've been roaming the earth, we've had multiple empires all over the world … and all that time we didn't find any fossils until 150 years ago? It makes you think!" [J J Redick]
uk bullies-aren't-bullies-if-they-say-they-didn't-know-they-had-hurt-anyone-and-they're-you're-friend-so-they-can't-be-a-bully govt covid-19 data sat 21/11/20
ReplyDeletenew cases: a fraction under 20,000
Data says: 150,000 +ve tests in the last 7 days
deaths (per 28 day rules): 341
Data says: 2,861 deaths in the last 7 days
all other data hasn't been updated
A thought:
if 2,861 deaths this last week has come from a period when approx 160,000 weekly positive tests were found, then we can continue to expect this level of carnage for at least another two/three weeks, i.e. the conversion rate is about 1.8% - so lets see if the death toll is in the region of 2,700 in 2/3 weeks' time.
As for a lockdown-free Xmas...
For clarity, my view is informed purely by focusing on the impact upon human lives, NOT on a religious festival, an office shag-fest or economic joy.
FranK.
Control the narrative using any & all means possible:
Delete"Boris Johnson’s former adviser on ministerial standards was prevented from interviewing a key witness for his formal bullying inquiry into Priti Patel.
Legal and Whitehall sources have revealed that Sir Alex Allan sought to interview the former top Home Office civil servant Sir Philip Rutnam about his dealings with Patel, but was blocked by government officials."
Control the narrative - who is Allegra Stratton?
* In April she left journalism to do public relations for the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, as his strategic communications director.
* She is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator magazine – which the prime minister famously used to edit.
* Rishi Sunak was the best man at the pair’s wedding.
* Stratton & Sunak are both godparents to each others children
Control the narrative:
* "We will show massive and unprecedented fraud!"
* "Massive voter fraud will be shown!"
* "Big voter fraud information coming out concerning Georgia. Stay tuned!"
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/21/boris-johnson-acted-illegally-over-jobs-for-top-anti-covid-staff
ReplyDelete"Boris Johnson and his health secretary, Matt Hancock, acted “unlawfully” when appointing three key figures – including the head of NHS Test and Trace, Dido Harding – to posts in the fight against Covid-19, according to a legal challenge submitted by campaigners to the high court.
‘I don't like acts of dishonesty by the state’: Jolyon Maugham QC on Covid cronyism
Read more
The Observer has seen details of documents from those pursuing the case – and initial responses from government lawyers – relating to the call for a judicial review into the appointment of Baroness Harding, who is a Tory peer, and into those of Kate Bingham to the post of head of the UK’s vaccine taskforce and Mike Coupe to the role of director of testing at NHS Test and Trace."
Back in The Nazi Nursery, from the tiny hands of hate:
ReplyDelete* “President Trump has done many great things (biggest tax & regulation cuts in history, Space Force, rebuilding our military, fixing the V.A., the Wall), but perhaps the most important of all will be what he is doing now, exposing the massive corruption in our Electoral Process.”
* The Fake News is not talking about the fact that “Covid” is running wild all over the World, not just in the U.S. I was at the Virtual G-20 meeting early this morning and the biggest subject was Covid. We will be healing fast, especially with our vaccines!
PLEASE NOTE: "The G20 summit, attended by world leaders from across the globe, is being held virtually this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has now killed more than 250,000 Americans – by far the largest total in the world.
Trump’s apparent disinterest in the summit started earlier on Saturday when he started tweeting about the election results after the scheduled start time of the summit at 8am ET. The president appeared via video link during the summit’s opening remarks but by 10am, Trump was leaving the White House to go to his golf course outside of Washington DC"
* Fake News always “forgets” to mention that far fewer people are dying when they get Covid.
* The Media is just as corrupt as the Election itself!
* Why is Joe Biden so quickly forming a Cabinet when my investigators have found hundreds of thousands of fraudulent votes, enough to “flip” at least four States, which in turn is more than enough to win the Election?
* Well, there were hundreds of thousands of votes cast where Republican Poll Watchers were not allowed to “watch”, not even allowed in the counting rooms. Likewise with Fake ballots cast and dead people voting!
* [I] can’t accept the results of an election with hundreds of thousands of fraudulent votes cast, enough to easily flip the Election. You’re just unhappy that I’m bringing the troops back home where they belong!
* They never thought a Vaccine could be done so soon but don’t worry, they will try to give the credit to Biden!
* It’s all a continuation of the never ending Witch Hunt. Judge Brann, who would not even allow us to present our case or evidence, is a product of Senator Pat “No Tariffs” Toomey of Pennsylvania, no friend of mine, & Obama - No wonder. 900,000 Fraudulent Votes!
* It’s all about the signatures on the envelopes. Why are the Democrats fighting so hard to hide them. We will find massive numbers of fraudulent ballots. The signatures won’t match. Fight hard Republicans. Don’t let them destroy the evidence!
Delete* Just arrived at Virtual G20. Was here yesterday also (early), but some of the Fake News Media failed to report it accurately - as usual. My speech is available (they said I didn’t make a speech).
DeleteImportant note: there does not seem to be any version of his first day speech available. The Guardian, which was able to obtain audio of Trump's remarks, reported that the president took his denial of the presidential election results to the global stage when he addressed world leaders.
'It's been a great honor to work with you, and I look forward to working with you again for a long time,' Trump reportedly said.
He also boasted about Operation Warp Speed, the U.S. government's push for a coronavirus vaccine, that only funded one of two potentially successful candidates.
Still, Trump has been taking credit for Pfizer's vaccine despite the company not taking government money.
'His was the anomalous speech,' one source told The Guardian. 'Everyone else talked about global matters of life and death.'
Politico reported Trump's main message was: Vaccinate America first.
*** BUT *** there is a very dodgy youtube post of the second day's contribution. Its nauseating, is all about himself (no shit!) and looks like a pre-recorded Trump Films production from the team that brought you recent classics such as The Upside-Down Bible & Back From The Hospital.
It contains some special moments:
"The Paris accord was not designed to save the environment, it was designed to kill the American economy. I refuse to surrender millions of American jobs and send trillions of American dollars to the world's worst polluters and environmental offenders, and that's what would have happened."
And then he immediately fucked off to play golf again.
(various sources incl Mail, Guardian, CNN, some dodgy youtuber, NYTimes)
* In certain swing states, there were more votes than people who voted, and in big numbers. Does that not really matter? Stopping Poll Watchers, voting for unsuspecting people, fake ballots and so much more. Such egregious conduct. We will win!
Delete23 nov - the baby continues to cry:
Delete* What does GSA being allowed to preliminarily work with the Dems have to do with continuing to pursue our various cases on what will go down as the most corrupt election in American political history? We are moving full speed ahead. Will never concede to fake ballots & “Dominion”.
"the most corrupt election in American political history"
The 2020 US election campaigns smashed all records - with presidential and congressional candidates spending a total of almost $14bn
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.com/news/av/election-us-2020-54696386