HMP Ford near Arundel criticised for living conditions

The annual report for open prison HMP Ford, near Arundel, described conditions for inmates as “neither fair nor humane”.

The Prison Service “insisted” – despite objections from the governor - that bunks be installed into the single rooms after B-wing was deemed “dangerous” due to a failed fire safety inspection in November 2020.

The 40 temporary pods were instead used for 80 inmates due to a “pressure on accommodation” at the 544-capacity prison.

The wartime billets were deemed "unsafe" after a failed fire safety inspection

The report criticised senior management for appearing to have “no plan in place” despite criticism in the last 13 annual reports of the fire-hazard wooden billets in B-wing. The closing of B-wing led to the operating capacity of the prison reducing by around 35 per cent.

It also criticised management for showing “no urgency in getting the two-tier bunks restored to single beds”.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at HMP Ford was "disappointed" that despite being mentioned in previous annual reports, a number of kitchens still do not have sinks, meaning crockery and cutlery have to be washed in the shower rooms.

Some of the kitchens do not have sinks, meaning showers have to be used to clean plates and cutlery

This situation had still not been addressed as of October last year. The report ran from November 1, 2020, until October 31, 2021.

A Prison Service spokesman confirmed the cells have since been reduced to single beds. 

The IMB praised staff for their relationship with prisoners and commended them for keeping prisoners safe during the pandemic, with only 19 contracting Covid-19 in 2021.

The report stated: “We are delighted that at last the wooden accommodation billets have been condemned and are emptied.

HMP Ford was opened in 1960

“However we fail to understand why action was not taken earlier in view of the complaints made over many years. The subsequent attempt to turn the pods into double accommodation was completely unrealistic and in the opinion of the board would undoubtedly have led to serious accidents.

“The policy was reversed promptly by the prison but four months later, at the end of the reporting year, the bunks had not been converted back to single beds and the occupants were left in uncomfortable and unsuitable conditions.

“In the board’s view the whole exercise was a complete waste of public funds.”

A Prison Service spokesman said: “All pods have been returned to single use and all bunk beds have been replaced with single beds.

“We are also building 18,000 additional, modern prison places that will help reduce the number of double occupancy cells across the estate.”