Convicted paedophiles, rapists and other sex offenders living in Oxfordshire and being monitored by the authorities pose little threat of committing further offences, police have said.

According to figures released yesterday by the police, the number of sex offenders living in the county and monitored by so-called Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa) has fallen, from 323 last year and 306 in 2006, to 305.

The number equates to 46 per 100,000 people in Oxfordshire, which is below the national average of 57.45.

None of the 305 offenders on the Sex Offender's Register have committed a serious offence in the past 12 months. However, 15 were jailed for breaching restrictions such as failing to inform police of their whereabouts. Three sex offenders went missing, and police believe they are now living abroad.

Across the Thames Valley Police area as a whole, there are 969 sex offenders, the lowest number since 2005 and the fifth lowest number per 100,000 people in England and Wales.

Paul Gillbard, director of offender management for Thames Valley Probation Service, said serious sex offenders and paedophiles were now being much more closely monitored than in the past.

He added: "Extra visits are made by police to the most serious offenders — it can even be once a day. Conditions are much more stringent and there is a higher intensity than in the past."

Tough restrictions include curfews and banning offenders from going near schools.

Monitoring is carried out by police and the probation service, which also work with NHS Primary Care Trusts, the Youth Offending Service, mental health agencies, local authority housing departments and children’s services.

Police refused to give out names and addresses of those on the register, claiming some would abscond, making it harder for police to prevent further offending.

Acting Supt Tim Price, of the Thames Valley Police public protection unit, said: "The fact no serious further offences have been committed by those managed by Mappa demonstrates how well it works.

"We know where the registered sex offenders live.

"If you look at other countries they don't know where 50 per cent of their offenders are.

"We have a compliance rate of 97 or 98 per cent. It is really important for public safety we have these current arrangements.

"The whole point is to protect the public and ensure they are safe from offenders. We cannot guarantee 100 per cent, but we have a really good record."

Parents are able to ask if someone close to their family is a sex offender under new pilot schemes running in Warwickshire, Cambridgeshire, Cleveland and Hamp- shire.

Mr Price added that he would "reserve his judgement" on the idea until after the pilot schemes were completed.