Youth service axed from probation centre plan (From Oxford Mail)

Youth service axed from probation centre plan

10:01am Thursday 21st May 2009 in News By Chris Walker

Plans to house the county’s Youth Offending Service alongside a new “super probation centre” in Oxford have been ditched, it has emerged.

Oxfordshire County Council had been planning to relocate its youth crime prevention service from its current base in the Westgate shopping centre to Mill Street in West Oxford.

The move is opposed by more than 1,400 people who signed a petition against the plans.

Now the council has ruled out the move because of the cost involved.

A council spokesman said: "One of these options was for co-location with the Probation Service in Mill Street in West Oxford, an option which would have had advantages from the service's point of view.

"However this option is now being ruled out because it is too expensive.

"The council is obviously also aware of the local campaign."

However Thames Valley Probation Service is still pressing ahead with its plans for an enlarged probation centre at the site.

The service wants to merge its four current centres in Oxford, Cowley, Abingdon and Banbury into one site to cut costs.