The Welsh Government is seeking to strengthen the devolution settlement and the Welsh and UK governments and Wales’ four Police and Crime Commissioners have announced a commitment to work together to produce by the end of 2026 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU will focus on areas where reoffending can be reduced through closer co-operation between the Probation Service and devolved services in Wales, including giving greater local flexibility in tailoring services to the needs of individuals under probation supervision in Wales. been discussing the potential for Wales to adopt a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for probation with the UK government.
Building on the work carried out by WCPP on Building a Welsh probation service, the Welsh Government recommissioned WCPP to carry out a follow-up project focusing on the practicalities and mechanisms associated with delivering an MoU.
Our report finds that an MoU is a viable and pragmatic way to strengthen local autonomy; embed partnership working; and deliver responsive probation services. There will, however, be challenges to overcome in the implementation of an MoU, and a complex landscape of governance, geography and organisational cultures to navigate, and it will take time to agree on a flexible and workable approach. Integrating the flexibility to iterate, modify or enhance the MoU will help to ensure successes can be built upon, while not precluding further service reform or devolution at a later date.
To support the successful implementation of an MoU our report identifies three key themes:
- Governance of MoUs;
- Relational factors including working with service providers and other key partners; and
- Operational factors such as the use of MoUs for contract management and to facilitate person-centred delivery.
For each of these themes we provide recommendations and reflect on key lessons learned from other MoUs and collaborative mechanisms, including Greater Manchester as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Our work was informed by: interviews we conducted with probation practitioners, experts and key stakeholders; reviews of the literature; and workshops and presentations. We did not make any judgment as to whether an MoU should be pursued.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS welcomed WCPP's contribution to this process. In a written statement on strengthening devolution, he said, "I am very grateful to the WCPP and to all those who contributed to this extremely significant piece of work."
