Ashfield prison action group formed
A NEW group has been set up in response to plans to convert Ashfield Young Offenders Institute into an adult sex offenders prison.
Pucklechurch residents and councillors have formed the action group which hopes to facilitate direct lobbying in opposition to the controversial changes.
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Ben Stokes and Steve Reade at Ashfield
The group was set up following a public meeting on Tuesday, organised by the Chairman of Pucklechurch Parish Council with officials from the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and prison service operators Serco.
South Gloucestershire Conservative councillors for the Boyd Valley ward Steve Reade and Ben Stokes said: “Organised by the Chairman of Pucklechurch Parish Council, this latest meeting provided the opportunity for the community to come together to form this action group in order to try and influence the decisions being made by the NOMS in relation to the future of Ashfield.
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“The next step is to encourage residents to write individual letters based on a suggested template as this is felt to be the most persuasive form of lobbying.
“The Ashfield facility is an important local employer and so we want to ensure as much as possible that the changes are acceptable to the local community.”
The new group plans to organise a letter-writing campaign.
NOMS is still in negotiations with Serco about the change of use.
6 Comments
by themeercat
Monday, March 11 2013, 9:19PM
“I am unsure as too why local residents wish to lobby. Who are they going to lobby, Serco or NOMS? But more importantly what will it achieve?
The population change of the prison is linked to the closure of prisons nationally so Mr Steve Webb MP would have been aware of the intention of change long before the public disclosure.
For years locals have complained about car parking outside their homes. Complain no more! because the number of staff cars will reduce considerably giving you the parking spaces you craved for. Not to mention that less staff coming to Pucklechurch will impact on the revenue for local businesses.
Pucklechurch has been a site for a remand centre / prison for many years holding and releasing murderers, burgulars and sex offenders and more recently children. But i would image that the peception is that children do not commit the aforementioned crimes hence the reason for wanting to keep Ashfield as a YOI.
Sex Offenders in Ashfield will present no more risk to the public than that that already exists with holding 'children' in Ashfield. Infact very few if any will be released directly from Ashfield as it is not a 'local' prison. Nor will there be any inmates on show at the Revel.
The concerns in the village should be for the local people whose job may be at risk and the businesses that may suffer from fewer people spending in the village.”
by themeercat
Monday, March 11 2013, 9:14PM
“I am unsure as too why local residents wish to lobby. Who are they going to lobby, Serco or NOMS? But more importantly what will it achieve?
The population change of the prison is linked to the closure of prisons nationally so Mr Steve Webb MP would have been aware of the intention of change long before the public disclosure.
For years locals have complained about car parking outside their homes. Complain no more! because the number of staff cars will reduce considerably giving you the parking spaces you craved for. Not to mention that less staff coming to Pucklechurch will impact on the revenue for local businesses.
Pucklechurch has been a site for a remand centre / prison for many years holding and releasing murderers, burgulars and sex offenders and more recently children. But i would image that the peception is that children do not commit the aforementioned crimes hence the reason for wanting to keep Ashfield as a YOI.
Sex Offenders in Ashfield will present no more risk to the public than that that already exists with holding 'children' in Ashfield. Infact very few if any will be released directly from Ashfield as it is not a 'local' prison. Nor will there be any inmates on show at the Revel.
The concerns in the village should be for the local people whose job may be at risk and the businesses that may suffer from fewer people spending in the village.
Ex Prison Officer HMP & YOI Ashfield”
by Gazzabristol
Saturday, March 09 2013, 8:30PM
“Yeah I am all for executing them but........
This is typical NIMBY nonsense.
Perhaps the residents would rather we release them and let them roam the streets where their kids play?
Of course not. They want them locked up..........but in SOMEONE ELSE'S backyard.
Always "Mr Someone-else" isn't it.”
by whippetboy
Friday, March 08 2013, 6:28PM
“Peoples Protest against Pedo Prison.
If all pedos were strung up then we wouldn't even need a prison to put them in.”
by bokkbokk
Friday, March 08 2013, 4:48PM
“Just bring back the rope.”
by Big_Gregory
Friday, March 08 2013, 3:58PM
“Not in my back yard !
If its such an important local employer perhaps the locals would suggests who the inmates will be? Could it operate as a pretend prison with no villains inside to ensure those outside the walls remain safe?”