A funding black hole for managing dangerous criminals in Fife will limit the work of criminal justice social workers, it has been warned.
From April, local authorities are to take responsibility for monitoring violent offenders in the community, under the same scheme which keeps tabs on sex offenders.
However, no extra funding has been offered by the Scottish Government for the extension of MAPPA multi-agency public protection arrangements to those who pose a risk of serious harm to the public.
Earlier this week, Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Claire Baker demanded the government provide the council with the necessary resources, voicing concern about the impact on the safety of Fifers.
On Thursday, assurance was given that managing violent offenders would be prioritised.
However, Fife criminal justice social work service manager Bill Kinnear warned this would be at the cost of other duties.
He said: “If we have to resource this from within, performance in other areas is bound to suffer.”
As Fife Council’s safer communities committee agreed to write to justice secretary Michael Matheson with concerns about the level of funding available to meet new responsibilities, Mr Kinnear was asked to report back on the implications of the “financial challenges” facing the service.
The department is facing significant pressures and challenges in the face of cuts and increasing demand, according to a report by service head Dougie Dunlop, presented to the committee.
A big increase in domestic abuse in Fife has led to a waiting list of 70 men for its domestic abuse group work programme.
There has also been a steady increase in the number of community and unpaid work sentences imposed by courts.
The service is also embarking on running a new treatment programme for sexual offenders, which is expected to require significant resources.
While monitoring sex offenders is the responsibility of police, category three violent offenders will fall to local authorities under MAPPA.
However, Police Scotland Fife Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Garry McEwan, cautioned against requesting a delay in extending the scheme, as had been suggested.
He said: “Some violent and dangerous offenders are reoffending regularly and these offenders should be monitored.
“We need to be careful about supporting the proposed delay in implementing this.
“The reoffending rate of sexual offenders in Fife is very, very low and that is because of MAPPA.”
Mr Kinnear added: “There will be risks associated with whatever we do.
“It is how we mitigate those risks at the lowest level.”