Oakhill secure training centre given 60 days to improve
Alison Bennett
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The private company running Oakhill Secure Training Centre (STC) has been told to improve staff training and education.
Under a rectification notice sent by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) the company, STC Milton Keynes Ltd, has been given 60 days to show how it will fix the problems.
The YJB said its ability to place young people at Oakhill had been affected by the performance of G4S, which runs the prison on behalf of STC Milton Keynes Ltd.
Despite having an 80-bed capacity, the centre has been running half-empty and currently only has 37 inmates.
In a statement, the YJB said it had tried to get G4S to raise its game over the last four years. "Despite these efforts, G4S are still not providing the services required and therefore the only appropriate action available is to issue rectification notices," it said. "This action has been endorsed by ministers at the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Ministry of Justice."
The YJB will receive daily intelligence alerts to keep up to date with the centre's progress. A spokeswoman said: "A governance board at the YJB will meet regularly to review intelligence and if necessary, to reduce the number of young people held there or take other appropriate action."
The move comes just two months after the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, called for Oakhill STC to be closed down following a "staggering" use of restraint.
The YJB said its ability to place young people at Oakhill had been affected by the performance of G4S, which runs the prison on behalf of STC Milton Keynes Ltd.
Despite having an 80-bed capacity, the centre has been running half-empty and currently only has 37 inmates.
In a statement, the YJB said it had tried to get G4S to raise its game over the last four years. "Despite these efforts, G4S are still not providing the services required and therefore the only appropriate action available is to issue rectification notices," it said. "This action has been endorsed by ministers at the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Ministry of Justice."
The YJB will receive daily intelligence alerts to keep up to date with the centre's progress. A spokeswoman said: "A governance board at the YJB will meet regularly to review intelligence and if necessary, to reduce the number of young people held there or take other appropriate action."
The move comes just two months after the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, called for Oakhill STC to be closed down following a "staggering" use of restraint.
