Written evidence from the Prison Governors
Association
One of the biggest criticisms of the N.I.P.S.
is its cost per prisoner place which is considerably higher that
its English and Scottish counterparts.
Whilst there are numerous reasons why we feel
the comparisons are both unfair and unhelpful there are certainly
ways in which the service can reduce its cost base.
COST BASE
REDUCTION
One method is to remove expensive prison staff
from non-core business areas and employ new staff at a lower rate
to carry out that function.
The Prison Governors Association is broadly
supportive of this strategy.
In furtherance of these goals Prison Service Headquarters
are in the process of:
— Replacing most night guard officers
with a new rank of night custody officer (N.C.O.).
— Removing most prison officers from
the courts to be replaced by prison custody officers (P.C.O.s.)
— Identifying basic grade officer posts
that can be replaced by an operational support grade post (OSG).
This will be followed by a recruitment campaign and the introduction
of OSGs into prisons to free-up existing staff to work with inmates.
Again the PGA has no issue with the fundamental
strategy.
Where we feel Headquarters have made a mistake
is in creating three new grades of staff on three separate salary
levels:
— Night Custody Officers are paid £19,742
per annum.
— Prison Custody Officers are paid
£15,000 per annum (approximately).
— Operational Support Grade's terms
and conditions of service are not yet finalised but their earnings
are expected to be in the 18K to 22K range.
Night Custody Officers have been recruited and
trained. Prison Custody Officers have been recruited and are being
trained and Operational Support Grade are neither recruited nor
trained yet.
When the OSG recruitment competition starts;
Officers who are currently NCOs and PCOs will apply for OSG posts.
The service will then have to re-recruit for both NCOs and PECs
when existing staff are successful.
PGA VIEWPOINT
The PGA would contend it would be far more sensible
to have a generic officer post that covers the whole range of
duties that will be carried out in the fields of escorting, nights
and support grade posts. This would give the service much greater
flexibility in detailing practices; greater scope to cover sick
absences and have an extensive trained pool of officers from which
to draw on for our next generation of prison officer.
We have made the head of Finance and Personnel
Mr Mark McGuckin aware of our views on this matter.
Bob Cromie
Vice Chairman, Prison Governors Association
20 May 2007
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