Row over pay level for prison chaplain

OFFICERS WARN STAFF UNHAPPY OVER WAGE DISPARITY

PRISON bosses have come under fire for offering to pay a Christian chaplain up to £8,000 more a year than its officers.

Troubled HMP Northumberland, which is run by private company Sodexo, advertised the role with a salary between £25,000 and £28,000.

In a job advert which appeared on the company’s website, it said the chaplain would provide pastoral needs to prisoners, whatever their religion.

They would also give counselling to inmates and staff and encourage the faith community outside the Acklington jail to take an active interest in the rehabilitation of prisoners.

Candidates needed to have a “great ability” to work with people from different ethnicities and have the necessary recognition from lead faith authorities.

However, the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) warned that some staff had been left feeling “undervalued” due to the disparity between salaries.

Guards at the category C jail typically start on a wage of £20,000 a year and receive nine weeks of training.

Last year, a job advert on Sodexo’s website stated that all the prison asks is that the applicants are “made of the right stuff”.

Terry Fullerton, the North East’s representative for the POA, said: “We argue that starting salaries for officers are not acceptable.

“This is why so many prisons are having major problems with recruitment and retention all across the country.

“I can understand prison officers feeling undervalued. More and more staff feel undervalued when they are on front line having to deal with violence and drug taking.”

Last November, a damning report said the jail recorded 142 violent incidents, including 29 assaults on staff, in the six months before a July inspection.

The HM Inspectorate of Prisons said 61% of inmates also told inspectors it was easy to obtain drugs.

But Sodexo, who said it has taken steps to tackle drugs and violence at the jail, defended the pay grades for its staff.

A HMP Northumberland spokesman said: “All our roles are benchmarked to an industry standard and take into account all aspects of the relevant role, including qualifications and professional experience.”