HMP Lowdham Grange: Prison taken over by government ‘is in crisis’

The IMB criticised the response of Sodexo managers to its attempts to raise concerns, saying it is “disappointed to report that it struggled to garner co-operation”.

“[The] working relationship with prison staff and management may not be as strong as in previous years with the prior prison operator,” the report said.

“While the board recognises that there has been a weakened and continually changing carousel of [leadership] members for the whole year, the work of the [IMB] has been frustrated time and again by failures of Sodexo managers to respond to legitimate enquiries and requests about issues affecting prisoners, and to keep the board updated on ongoing investigations.”

A Sodexo spokesperson said Lowdham Grange “is a prison facing a unique set of challenges”, and said the company had “worked tirelessly” with the prison and probation service “to improve stability and deliver the significant improvements expected”.

“At this time, we are focused on working alongside the MoJ and [prison and probation services] to ensure a safe, secure and seamless transfer for everyone who lives and works at the prison,” they said.

The MoJ said: “The prison system is in crisis and we are gripping the situation.

“As the Chief Inspector recognised, there has been positive change since we took over the running of the prison – including extra officers and bolstered security – and we’ll continue to drive improvements further to help more offenders turn their back on crime and improve staff safety.”

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