Unfortunately I didn't notice the news about further prison closures until I'd pressed the publish button yesterday. Apparently, according to Chris Grayling, prisons have to be 'economic' and that appears to be his sole rationale for closing yet more old Victorian gaols like HMYOI Reading, HMP/YOI Northallerton and HMP Dorchester.
The latter prison is a remand male 'local' but accommodates YP's as well. Of course closure of these facilities will do nothing to help with the Justice Minister's other aspiration of creating a network of 'resettlement' prisons, and finding alternative uses that respect the significant heritage aspects of each will not be an easy task.
In relation to this latter point, it's interesting to note that yet again the aspiration to close HMP Dartmoor has been frustrated, no doubt by the landlord in the form of the Duchy of Cornwall, who continues to play 'hardball'. It turns out that the lease has ten years to run before renewal and I suspect the Duchy would be entitled to insist on some considerable repairs being undertaken before accepting the keys back. It's always nice to see that there are some people or organisations that cannot be bullied by Chris Grayling. It must be very annoying for him.
HMP Blundeston must be felt to be 'uneconomic' for different reasons because it's not a Victorian gaol only having been built in 1963. I'm not familiar with this Cat C male prison, but it appears unusual in not having any ground floor cell accommodation and no lifts. Possibly it wasn't very well built, in addition to being poorly designed, but all four establishments will close by March next year.
In addition, it looks like the days are numbered for notorious HMYOI Feltham in West London which the MoJ intends to demolish and possibly replace with a facility that represents the flip side of the uneconomic coin - a much more 'economic' Titan prison possibly holding up to 2,400 inmates.
There remains a major problem of prison accommodation for London and the South East and Grayling would dearly love to try and close some or even all of the big and famous London gaols like HMP Pentonville, HMP Wormwood Scrubs or HMP Wandsworth, but this is impossible without some significant new build.
I notice that the Justice Minister is promising to have more prison places than the coalition government inherited in 2010 and he confirmed the decision to proceed with a super 'Titan' jail in Wrexham North Wales designed for over 2,000 inmates and billed as a 'job creation' exercise.
London Branch Napo have posted a Facebook message looking for constituents of various Members of Parliament.
ReplyDeleteI am keen to link up with others in the constituency of Priti Patel in Witham, Essex.
I also see Napo have published the motions for the pre AGM Ballot - a quick scan of them did not inspire me, in fact I feel less like attending - and think to myself, let them get on with it - not that I have a vote anyway!
Andrew Hatton.
That should have read - Greater London Branch of Napo - I started there in the days of ILPS, which was replaced in 2001, with the Greater London Amalgamations.
DeleteWhat offended me about yesterday's announcement was that I heard about it from my brother, a company secrrtary for a Housing Association on Wales. He saw it in the BBC website. I am only the chair of a union branch for the Probation staff who will be effected. Employees should not find out that their jobs are under threat from the media. They should be told first. Another MoJ disgrace.
ReplyDeleteOn Anglia TV News last night they had a report from Blundeston.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that the Area Manager for the Prison Service only found out of the closure the night before and he got there that morning for an 8.30AM staff meeting.
The reporter said the POA Branch were planning an early morning meeting outside the gaol this morning.
That Area Manager would not have also been able to get to Warren Hill for a meeting ahead of the announcement that they are to be changed from a YP establishment - according to this morning's East Anglian Daily Times - the YJB doesn't need the bed spaces now .
Warren Hill is to become a woman's establishment, so major disturbances to existing programmes and of course, staff disruption.
Both Warren Hill(part of Hollesley Bay Colony) and Blundeston, near Lowestoft are very poorly located, being a long way from major population centres and very poorly served by public transport.
The Union Branch chair who posted at 10.19 is right.
It seems like the MOJ is in crisis mode - lets hope there are no prison disturbances.
I was also very surprised to hear about Blundeston as it's not as old as many others and also hosts a Therapeutic Community - can't imagine there being much room for TCs in the 'super prisons'.
ReplyDeleteBlundeston is about the same age as Wellingborough, which was closed in the last year. I don't think it is exactly the same design as Wellingborough but some of the design features are similar, if my memory serves me correctly.
DeleteThat makes me wonder how much longer Hindley, near Warrington has left as that is, I am almost sure, an exact design copy of Wellingborough, although I haven't been there since I worked there last in ... 1982!
Andrew Hatton
So I wonder if the "Legal aid U-turn over price competition plan" [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23967908] makes the probation privatisation more or less likely?
ReplyDeletemore likely, he has half failed with this so doesnt want to u turn again. I'll let you in on a secret... he may not have a clue what he is doing.
ReplyDeleteNOOOO!
DeleteHey Jim, A dickie bird tells me that MITIE has pulled out of the Leicstershire Probation Trust Mutual partnership arrangement! Is the this a first of many?
ReplyDeleteWith Serco on the rocks and G4S not allowed to play out for a while - I hear there has been disappointment at the lack of "primes" at the engagement events too .......when is a competition not a competition??
This is the information we need to have NAPO and probation friends to push and ...with a U turn on the legal aid bill , anything is possible..
Thanks for that - I love it when I hear tweets from dickie birds! Lets share information guys.
DeleteCheers,
Jim
They have let a prison insider who knows what she is on about write a blog in the Labour List posts.
DeleteI hope some Labour folk in parliament get to read it.
http://labourlist.org/2013/09/super-prisons-not-that-super-2/
Andrew Hatton
Blunderston is built on a marsh and has been sinking even before completion.
ReplyDeleteIts a poorly built prison. Started building it as high security then changed direction several times before completion womans prison, yoi ect. It eventually opened as a cat b male prison.
During the 80s it was recognised as the countrys most violent prison and the times declared it the 'dustbin' of the british penal system.
Im also sure that someones got their maths wrong as the number of new prison places being created dont appear to matvh the number being lost.
Thanks for that - built on a marsh - I wonder if that's why no ground floor cells? lol
DeleteYes a few people have commented on the numbers not adding up, especially as the prisons closing will be gone by March 2014, but the new places won't arrive for several more years. I'm sure it'll be alright though......
I did see the local news yesterday and the Mayor of Northallerton reflecting on the loss to the staff, community and town, should the prison close; his advice to Mr Cameron...."get a grip" now that would be interesting.
ReplyDelete