UNION chiefs say more than 120 probation service jobs are under threat in Lancashire and Cumbria as a private contractor looks to phase in ‘kiosks’ to monitor offenders.

Marseilles-based Sodexo Justice Services has begun consultations with staff across the two counties over proposals which it is feared could see 30 per cent of the workforce axed.

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Bosses at the National Association of Probation Officers (NAPO) are also worried the moves will see ‘biometric reporting’, where offenders can clock in with an ATM-style kiosk rather than seeing a paid employee, or call centres to keep tabs on criminals.

Justice secretary Chris Grayling has come in for criticism over the announcement, made just four months after Sodexo won six national contracts covering probation service work, with crime reduction charity Nacro, including the one for Lancashire and Cumbria.

Ian Lawrence, NAPO general secretary said: “We are angry and disappointed about this news.

“Probation staff have been through hell over the last 18 months dealing with Grayling’s so-called reforms and now many of them are facing redundancy and job insecurity.

“When we met with Sodexo earlier this year they told us there would be no reductions in workforce. The use of call centres and machines instead of highly skilled staff is downright dangerous and will put the public at risk.”

Union officials have also expressed concerns an enhanced voluntary redundancy scheme will be ignored, despite government assurances, but the company has insisted it will comply with a previous agreement brokered with the National Offender Management Service.

A Sodexo Justice Services spokesman said: “We are in the process of sharing our future plans with employees across the six Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) that we operate, including Cumbria and Lancashire CRC.

“Given that we will be formally consulting on these plans, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

The company has confirmed it is examining the possible introduction of ‘biometric services’ but no details could yet be revealed.

Union leaders claim that trials of probation ‘kiosks’ in London damaged the relationship between trained officers and offenders.

Concerns have also been expressed that the use of call centres for low-level offenders would undermine efforts to ensure they do not commit serious further offences, by removing face-to-face contact.

The Ministry of Justice refused to comment and Nacro was unavailable for comment.