A RETIRING probation officer has voiced concerns over a shake-up of the system.

When he steps down next year, Roger Statham, Teesside's chief probation officer, will be among almost half of the present post holders to retire.

Ending his 33-year career in probation, of which 17 have been spent on Teesside, Mr Statham praised his remaining colleagues, and expressed confidence in their ability to continue the service in the future.

But he said the changes could leave it less flexible than before.

"The setting of national priorities with so little room for flexibility could be critical for an area like Teesside. Our ability to take decisions about how we manage the number of offenders with drug, employment and poverty problems may be affected.

"It could also influence our relationship with the local courts."

The changes, which will take effect from April 1, as part of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act, will include the creation of a national service under one director, who will be directly accountable to the Home Office.

It will have a regional structure and 42 area services, of which Teesside will be one.

Chief probation officers will have their contracts severed, and will become civil servants accountable to central Government, which will appoint the chairman and board for local services.

Mr Statham said: "It is not the case that all areas across the country experience the same conditions, and I am concerned that a shift towards central control will reduce our capacity to deal quickly with the real issues."