Open prison plan revealed for Featherstone

A section of a South Staffordshire jail is to become an open prison for around 260 inmates, under controversial new Government plans revealed today.

The move will mean some prisoners at Featherstone Prison will be regularly allowed out of jail to work in the community – and has already sparked concerns.

Councillors and residents fear the plans, due to be announced by the Government today, will see criminals who are still serving prison sentences being allowed to walk the streets or absconding from the prison.

The New Road-based jail, which has a capacity of some 680 prisoners, neighbours the Brinsford Young Offenders Institution and is near the new £200m HMP Oakwood.

It is understood that there are no plans to increase the capacity of the category C prison but that part of the jail will be sectioned off as a category D unit for those afforded "open" conditions.

MP Gavin Williamson said he would be opposing the plans unless the concerns of his constituents were properly addressed.

He added: "My main concern is that problems behind a prison wall don't become problems in the wider community.

"I don't have a great deal of interest as to the rehabilitation this will offer prisoners; my concern is the impact on local residents. I have been assured by prisons minister Crispin Blunt that this will have little or no impact but I will be continuing to ask searching questions about what benefits this is going to bring to my constituents."

Councillor Barry Pickering, vice-chairman of Featherstone and Brinsford Parish Council, said: "There is a degree of concern. I would have thought there would be some communication between the parish council and prison but there has been none."