A NEW blueprint for the probation service in Warrington and across Cheshire will help reduce re-offending and strengthen public protection in local communities.
That’s the verdict of Steve Collett, the chief officer of the Cheshire Probation Area, after hearing their application to become a probation trust had been successful.
According to Mr Collett (pictured) , the approval of the Ministry of Justice will enable them to concentrate resources on frontline 
services – and make the area a safer place to live.
The new Trust will come into being next April, based on the boundaries of the four unitary authorities in Cheshire – Warrington, Halton, Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester.
Mr Collett believes it will herald a new, exciting era for the probation service.
The Cheshire Probation Trust will operate under a three-year contract with the National Offender Management Service.
Board chairman Leslie Robinson said: “This is a vote of confidence in our service and an endorsement of our continued high performance in protecting the public.
“Becoming a Trust means that we will have to provide even better value for public money and work hard with all our partner agencies to make sure our communities are safe.”
Mr Collett added: “The move to probation trusts is part of Government policy to modernise the public sector.
“It will give trusts more independence and autonomy to determine how they deliver their services at the local level but obviously within national strategy and policy frameworks.
“I’d like to see it as an evolution of what we have been developing over the last couple of years.
“It will help us deliver on our two overriding priorities – protecting the public and reducing re-offending so that we can make the area a safer and better place to live.”
