Shrewsbury Dana prison closure: Threat of job losses looms over 207 staff
A voluntary redundancy scheme was launched today as hundreds of workers at Shropshire's Dana prison were told their jobs were under threat.
, it was confirmed today, leaving the futures of 207 members of staff in limbo.
Ministry of Justice bosses say they are hoping to avoid compulsory redundancies but can not rule them out.
Some staff will be redeployed to other prisons while the voluntary redundancy scheme opened today.
Sofia Kannas, a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice, said there were no precise details yet on how many staff will lose their jobs.
"There are no figures yet. But we will do everything possible to avoid compulsory redundancies and will be looking to redeploy staff to other premises," she said.
Shrewsbury prison has an annual budget of around £8 million and was spending about £40,000 per prisoner in 2010 – more than double the £13,000 per prisoner spent at a new prison in Featherstone.
The Dana's closure has been condemned by union leaders and politicians, including Conservative MP Glyn Davies, who represents Montgomeryshire.
He said the move was a 'huge blow' for the area, and will particularly hit prisoners from Mid Wales, who are currently based at Shrewsbury, and their families.
Mr Davies also praised the work of Shrewsbury prison governor Gerry Hendry for his work rehabilitating offenders.
"I am very disappointed by the announcement that The Dana prison in Shrewsbury is to be closed. The closure will have a very negative impact on Mid Wales as well as Shropshire," he said.
"One of the biggest challenges that prisons face is to ensure prisoners do not lose contact with their home communities, particularly as this community contact reduces reoffending. I have spent two days with Governor Gerry Hendry who has developed a very good performance in rehabilitating prisoners – greatly reducing the likelihood of an early return to prison.
"Under the regime, Shrewsbury Prison has been an example for the whole country.
"I desperately hope the innovation and successful rehabilitation achievements seen at Shrewsbury Prison can be transferred to other prisons to which local prisoners will be transferred – including any new 'super-prison' that will be built."
Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski was not available for comment today.
Concerns about how the closure will affect reoffending rates have also been raised by the Prison Reform Trust, who said smaller sites like Shrewsbury have a better chance of rehabilitating offenders.
Juliet Lyon, director of the trust, said the organisation was concerned at Government proposals to replace ageing sites like Shrewsbury with 'super-prisons' capable of holding 2,000 inmates.
"Closing prisons and reducing prison numbers offers major social and economic gains but it would be a gigantic mistake if the Justice Secretary were to revive the discredited idea of titans (super-prisons) and pour taxpayers' money down the prison building drain, when the Coalition
Government could invest in crime prevention, healthcare and community solutions to crime," she said.
"Small community prisons tend to be safer and better at reducing reoffending than huge anonymous establishments.
"Prison is an important place of last resort for serious and violent offenders not, as it has become, a place to dump people who are mentally ill, those with learning disabilities, addicts and vulnerable women and children."
Shropshire councillor Alan Mosley, who represents Castlefields and Ditherington, the area next to the prison, immediately called for a review of the closure decision, which comes in the wake of a Royal Mail plan to shut Shrewsbury sorting office.
"It is of great concern that yet another important element of the local Shrewsbury economy is due to close. It is not unexpected as there have been significant rumours for some time," he said.
"However, the loss of nearly 200 jobs and the impact on those businesses supplying the prison will be a major blow to the town particularly following the announcement that the nearby Royal Mail Sorting Office is also scheduled for closure.
"I will be expecting all authorities to call for a review of the decision and develop plans to mitigate the effects if the closure plans proceed, as soon as possible."
