HMP Lowdham Grange: Government to permanently take over running prison

The government is to permanently take over the running of a prison in Nottinghamshire months after a damning report.

In August, an inspection at HMP Lowdham Grange found a number of failings, including high levels of violence and self-harm.

The government took over the Category B jail on an interim basis in December.

It has now announced that taking over permanently "is the best way to ensure that improvements continue".

Earlier this year, a report revealed that more than 120 staff at the prison had resigned, with more than half of these front-line prison officers, leaving the site short-staffed.

The report also said that "targeted searches" over Christmas had led to about 600 litres of illicitly-brewed alcohol, or "hooch", being seized.

The prisons minister, Edward Argar, has announced that terms have, in principle, been agreed to enable the prison to be brought under permanent public control.

Lowdham Grange, which had been run by Sodexo before the government took over, has been privately run since the 1990s.

Mr Argar said: "Given the very specific issues at HMP Lowdham Grange, we took swift action to step-in and improve conditions and safety by providing extra support.

"The majority of private prisons perform well, including others Sodexo runs, but it has become clear that taking over permanently is the best way to ensure that improvements continue."

The transfer from Sodexo to His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is due to happen this summer.

Sodexo was awarded a 10-year contract, with a five-year break clause, from February 2023.

The government said it had been agreed Sodexo would pay a settlement to cover the cost of the "step-in" action, as well as operating costs up to February 2028 when the five-year break clause could have been triggered by HMPPS.

It said this meant there would be no increased cost to the taxpayer.

Staff at the prison will continue to be employed and supported through the transition, the government added.

Governor Neil Thomas, who took command of the prison last December, will remain in post "to lead the prison and steer the transition process".

The government said action taken so far to improve standards included a "bolstered HMPPS senior management team" and up to 50 additional, experienced, prison officers and residential managers to help provide consistent and predictable regimes for prisoners.

It added that a joint HMPPS and Sodexo search, which found "significant" amounts of contraband, had taken place.

The refurbishment of windows on one wing - with a further seven wings planned - has also taken place to "improve decency and prevent contraband ingress".

A HMPPS team also arranged illicitly brewed alcohol dogs (IBAD) support, which "resulted in considerable quantities of either fermenting or distilled being removed from the establishment".

As a result of these measures, the government said rates of violence towards staff had decreased by 50%, and there had been a significant reduction in prisoner-on-prisoner assault rates.

A spokesperson for Sodexo said: "HMP Lowdham Grange is a prison facing a unique set of challenges. We have worked tirelessly and very closely with HMPPS since February 2023 to seek to improve stability and deliver the significant improvements expected. However, we believe, in these specific circumstances, that this move is in the best interests of all concerned.

"At this time, we are focused on working alongside the MoJ and HMPPS to ensure a safe, secure and seamless transfer for everyone who lives and works at the prison.

"We wholeheartedly thank our colleagues at the prison who work exceptionally hard in often difficult circumstances."

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