Campaigners Question How New Prison Will Be Staffed

Campaigners against a massive new prison being opened near Market Harborough say staffing it could prove difficult.

The government is set to announce in April if the £300m so-called ‘super prison’ will be built on land adjacent to Gartree Prison, creating over 850 jobs.

Gartree Action Group is questioning how those roles would be filled, when there are currently 55 vacancies at the existing jail and Harborough district has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

They say it is not the right location for a new prison.

A Freedom of Information request has revealed vacancies at HMP Gartree include 31 officer positions.

Diana Cook is from Gartree Action:

Campaigners opposed to the new prison

The Ministry of Justice say a new prison would provide jobs for decades, delivering economic certainty to the local area and is recruiting up to 5,000 additional prison officers across public and private prisons by the mid-2020s.

A spokesperson added: “Like other organisations HMP Gartree will inevitably always have a small number of vacancies as workers join and leave.

“The proposed prison alongside the existing one at Gartree is a key part of the Government’s plan to keep the public safe and will bring further jobs to the Leicestershire area for those currently unemployed or looking for a new challenge.”