15-17_hmpbirmingham

g4S International issue 2: 2011
Making
prison
history
again
Lorna WebLey reviews how
G4S is preparing to manage HMP
birmingham, the first UK prison to
transfer into the private sector
G4S Care & JUStiCe ServiCeS has become
the first private company to operate an existing public
sector prison – hMp Birmingham – in the United
kingdom. the announcement was made in March by
Justice secretary kenneth Clarke and took effect in
october 2011.
it adds another historic first to g4s Care & Justice
services’ already impressive record, having been the
first private company to open and run a prison in
the Uk – hMp Wolds – and to take responsibility for
prisoner movements.
hMp Birmingham, which was built in 1849 and holds
1,450 prisoners, had been under public sector control
for 162 years. the decision to transfer its management
from the prison service to the private sector is part
of the Ministry of Justice’s programme of finding
efficiencies throughout the justice system.
this involves the closure of two prisons and putting
eight more out to market testing, with hMp Wolds
being competed at the end of the contractual term. a
further four new prisons have already been earmarked
to be built and run by the private sector.
Mr Clarke has said the move will deliver innovation,
efficiency and better value for money for the taxpayer,
but also do so without compromising standards.
Cumulative savings over the lifetime of the contracts in
the three existing prisons “are a very impressive £216
million”, he added.
all prisons in the Uk have been told to deliver 10
per cent efficiency savings over the next four years.
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16 g4s International issue 2: 2011
previous page :
G4S staff
on the steps of HMP
Birmingham in the
city’s Winson Green
district. right: Pete
Small (centre), the
new director of HMP
Birmingham, on the
steps of the prison with
Jerry Petherick (right),
managing director of
G4S Custodial and
Detention Services,
and Steve Williams,
deputy director.
if the private sector succeeds in taking over eight of
the nine prisons now being put out for tender, they
will then manage 15 per cent of the prison market in
England and Wales.
the 15-year hMp Birmingham contract was
awarded to g4s following a rigorous government
competition exercise. g4s has proved its capabilities
in the successful staffing and management of four Uk
establishments (hMp altcourse, hMp parc, hMp rye
hill and hMp Wolds) during its 20 years of managing
prisons. it also runs prisons in south africa and
australia.
Mr Clarke also announced that g4s is to manage
another West Midlands prison, the new-build 1,605­
place prison, hMp Featherstone ii, on the same site
as hMp Featherstone prison in Wolverhampton,
from april 2012. the two contracts are said to be
worth £750m over their lifetime and will mean, on
completion, that g4s will have responsibility for the
running of six of the Uk’s 13 private prisons.
“g4s has an excellent track record in running prisons
on behalf of the government,” says Jerry petherick,
managing director of g4s Custodial and Detention
services. “We will be looking to make efficiencies
throughout all areas of the prison and are also looking
to introduce a number of new initiatives. it feels good
to get things moving while having the opportunity to
take a step back and think about some of the longerterm strategies that need to be put in place.
“one of the biggest challenges will be integrating
the public sector culture with our g4s culture, while
ensuring the prison remains in a steady state and that
both staff and prisoners are treated with respect and
decency in a safe environment.
“since arriving at Birmingham, the g4s transition
team has been greatly encouraged by the constructive
discussions it has had with prison staff and their
representatives.
“When the government decided to move
operational control of hMp Birmingham to us it was in
the knowledge that efficiencies needed to be made,”
he explained. “We were transparent with staff from
the very beginning, making it clear that in order to
deliver the savings required by government, some job
g4S International issue 2: 2011
“g4s has an
excellent
track record
in running
prisons on
behalf of the
government.”
losses might be inevitable. however, we have been
able to minimise the number of positions at risk, and
are even in the position of being able to recruit for
additional staff.
“We now look forward to working together with all
our staff to make hMp Birmingham one of the flagship
prisons in the Uk.”
peter small, who was governor of hMp stafford, has
been appointed the new director at hMp Birmingham.
he is stepping into a position that was originally
accepted by sue saunders, governor of holloway
prison, but who has decided not to take up the post
following the tragic death of her son in a road traffic
accident.
“We are clearly saddened that sue has felt unable
to take up the role but her decision to step down is
a reflection of her integrity and commitment,” Jerry
petherick commented. “a large part of what has
already been achieved at Birmingham is down to sue’s
work, and pete assumes the position with her blessing.
“over the past six months we have been very
impressed by the positive way he has worked with us,
and when sue decided she was unable to take up the
director’s position, pete was the obvious candidate.
We look forward to working with him in the next
exciting stage of Birmingham’s history.”
the new staffing levels will be in line with those g4s
has successfully and safely adopted in the four other
prisons it currently operates. With redundancies being
kept to a minimum, staff remaining in the prison will
transfer over to g4s.
along with several other private security companies,
g4s has long campaigned to create a viable private
prison sector. the Ministry for Justice’s decision about
which prisons are selected for competition or closure
is based on a wide criteria, including potential for
improvement and innovation, and not just on the basis
of the poorest performers.
among several initiatives g4s will be introducing
at hMp Birmingham, as part of its innovation and
Betterment programme, are:
• G4S Canine Services to provide active and passive
dog cover
• A body-mounted video device, consisting of a
small high definition video camera and microphone
replacing the hand-held video recorders currently
used during responses to incidents
• Identity-based biometric software kiosks to
provide technology that will enable prisoners
to take responsibility for their own affairs at a
reduced cost
other initiatives involve services for children and
families, which start when a prisoner is admitted to
a g4s prison, and is already successfully run at hMp
Wolds and hMp parc.
“a key goal, particularly in the light of the
expected controversy surrounding the moving of
hMp Birmingham to the private sector, is to ensure
that g4s aspires to and reaches the highest ethical
standards,” Jerry petherick adds.
“We must not be complacent but i do believe we
are ahead of the game. g4s must also strive to better
explain to external stakeholders what we do and how
we add value through our initiatives.
“this includes putting plans in place to ensure that
g4s enjoys a good external reputation with regards to
all six prisons in our custodial estate and that we are
fully compliant with all regulatory requirements.”
g4s Care & Justice services believes the success
of the contract lies in seizing the opportunity
for improving performance, helping everyone to
understand the role they play and ensuring they feel
valued and included in the pursuit of this goal within
the prison. ❚
For More inForMation …
For further information on the topics covered
in this article, log on to www.g4s.com or e-mail
[email protected]
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