West Yorkshire probation chiefs claim Government changes to the handling of released prisoners could put the public at risk.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling yesterday announced radical reforms for the way criminals are rehabilitated when they leave prison in a bid to improve re-offending rates.

Those who have served custodial sentences of up to two years will have to be supervised in the community for a minimum of 12 months – with a far greater role for private and voluntary sector organisations, who will be paid by results.

About 70 “resettlement prisons” will be set up.

But the director of operations for West Yorkshire Probation Trust, Mark Siddall, said re-offending rates in West Yorkshire, and particularly in Bradford, was already bucking the national trend.

Mr Siddall said: “We have a good track record in reducing re-offending. It has come down by 14 per cent in West Yorkshire since 2005, and Bradford has been incredibly successful, always being in the top two or three areas in the region.”

Mr Siddall said the probation trust had raised concerns about the Government’s proposals during consultations, but they had been ignored.