Explanatory note

This Order is the fourth commencement order under the Offender Management Act 2007 (“the Act”). It brings into force, in two new areas, arrangements for the provision of probation services under Part 1 of the Act.

The arrangements under Part 1 of the Act are being brought into force by geographical areas in phases. The first phase was brought into force by the Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No.2 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2008 (SI 2008/504).

Article 2(1) brings into force provisions in Part 1 of the Act on 1st April 2009 in relation to the areas specified in article 2(2) of this Order. The specified areas are the police areas of Lancashire and Greater Manchester. The specified geographical areas are based on the probation areas under the current probation structure in Part 1 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000^f1 (“CJSCA 2000”) which are coterminous with police areas (section 4(5) of the CJCSA 2000). The current arrangements in Part 1 of the CJCSA 2000 remain in place in the remaining geographical areas until Part 1 is brought into force for those areas by any further commencement order(s).