Probation service presses ahead on controversial centre (From Oxford Mail)
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Probation service presses ahead on controversial centre
2:16pm Friday 29th May 2009 in News By Chris Walker
CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a new probation centre in Oxford are angry after it emerged Thames Valley Probation is ploughing ahead with the controversial scheme.
Justice Minister David Hanson has written to Oxford West and Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris to tell him the TVP cannot suspend the process to acquire Trajan House in Mill Street, West Oxford.
After a meeting earlier this month, Dr Harris claimed the minister had agreed to search for alternative sites for a new centre before the probation service signed any deals.
Mr Hanson disputes the claim.
In a letter to the Liberal Democrat MP, Mr Hanson said TVP had examined 13 locations for an enlarged probation centre which would merge its existing offices in Oxford city centre, Cowley, Abingdon and Banbury on one site.
He said they were all rejected apart from Trajan House as they did not meet the criteria for size, centrality, transport links and value for money.
'There’s a lot of anger about the way they’ve proceeded in a bulldozer fashion'
Dan Rawstorne
Campaigner Dan Rawstorne, 34, of Mill Street, said: “There’s a lot of anger about the way they’ve proceeded in a bulldozer fashion.
“This is because of the meeting with Evan Harris where Mr Hanson said he’d start a new search.
“If anything, this simply hardens our resolve that the correct procedure hasn’t been followed and that they’ve been evasive and economical with the truth on a number of occasions.
The father-of-two added: “Residents will redouble their efforts to ensure that this proposal doesn’t and cannot go ahead.”
Last week, Oxfordshire County Council dropped plans to move its youth crime prevention service to Trajan House after deciding the rent was too expensive.
Dr Harris said: “I and the local residents all believed the minister agreed at our meeting earlier this month to reopen a full property search.
“Local people will be angry that the minister is not willing to do this.
“I’m now demanding an apology for being misled by TVP and am writing to Mr Hanson, seeking another meeting.”
Ministry of Justice spokesman Pasquale LaManno said: “We confirm that a full property search was carried out for the Ministry of Justice before Trajan House was shortlisted.
“At no time in the meeting with the local MP did David Hanson suggest a new search would be commenced, or that the original search was not conducted thoroughly. We are, however, prepared to look at any fresh sites that become available in Oxford that are brought to our attention within the required timescale.
“We believe that for the majority of offenders, these new arrangements will be more accessible and more efficient.”
l A meeting of the West Oxford Community Against Mega Probation Centre campaign group takes place at the Railway Club in Mill Street at 4.30pm tomorrow.
Dan Rawstorne says...
7:38pm Fri 29 May 09
The news in this morning represents yet another modest but clear victory in this campaign, following on from the County Council scrapping its plans to locate the Youth Offending team in Trajan House (too costly for them) and disassociating from TVPA. Our campaign has been clearly successful in forcing TVPA to rethink hard, and to re-consider the appropriateness of such a site in a residential area and cul-de-sac. Both the Government and Probation service now clearly recognise behind the scenes that they would be very foolish indeed to proceed in a bulldozer fashion with the threat of a review of their decision making process - which any bystander can see is flawed and very muddled - hanging over them. If after an open and transparent consultation, they do still proceed with Trajan House, heads would surely have to roll, over the way this has already been handled (forcing a ministerial apology (deja vu of 2007 in Birmingham?). They wont proceed on this site because there are undoubtedly much better sites and other options available which we'll assist them in identifying; however only they can do their jobs properly. In any event, we now understand the Probation Service would need to obtain express planning consent. Thanks to everyone in our community for their support and in particular Evan Harris MP who has been working tirelessly to represent our campaign so that an outcome that is good for offenders, probation officers, police, businesses and residents, as well as the taxpayer, is achieved.