Probation staff will struggle to stop criminals committing more crimes because of £3m worth of cuts, an MP warned last night.

Thames Valley Probation Service is having to make the cuts over the next three years following a reduction in its budget from the Government.

Four offices, including two in Oxford, may be shut under a review.

It is also feared up to 140 staff may lose their jobs and Banbury MP Tony Baldry said it would mean the probation service would struggle to monitor the 8,000 people a year it currently deals with.

The probation service looks after criminals who have been given a community-based sentence and prisoners released early from jail.

A probation service spokesman confirmed it was reviewing the future of its Abingdon, Banbury, East Oxford and Oxford city centre offices, but no decisions on closures had been made.

Mr Baldry said he understood staff from closed offices might be relocated to a central base in Botley Road, Oxford, meaning they would have less time to monitor criminals outside the city.

Mr Baldry said: “It will not be an improved service.

“The whole point of local offender management is to have knowledge of the offender, local circumstances and their family.

“Removing offices and staff is a retrograde step. It’s going to mean probation officers will spend all their time driving round the county. It will clearly damage offender management.”

The service currently employs almost 800 people.

Its chief officer Gerry Marshall said: “We have had full and frank discussions with the trades unions and have told them we expect to have fewer posts at Thames Valley Probation over the next three years.

“We do, however, expect this to be less than the 140 being quoted and that sufficient numbers will be lost naturally through staff retirements, by not replacing some staff when they leave and allowing existing staff to train into different roles.”

Justice Minister David Hanson MP said: “Public protection is the main priority of the probation service and it will not be put at risk – offenders who pose the highest risk receive more intensive contact, with other resources being directed accordingly.”

Supt Steve Hockin, head of criminal justice at Thames Valley Police, said: “Thames Valley Police understand and sympathise with the financial issues that many of our partner agencies face at the moment. We enjoy an excellent working relationship with the probation service and will continue to work closely with them to manage offenders and protect our communities from crime.”

mwilkinson@oxfordmail.co.uk