FOI Reveals £150k Annual Cost Of Prison To North Wales Police

The new Wrexham ‘Super Prision’ is projected to cost North Wales Police £147,000 a year along with other costs, it has been revealed.

The Freedom of Information Request regarding the cost of policing the new prison in Wrexham was submitted by Councillor Arfon Jones, who is also standing in the forthcoming Police and Crime Commissioner elections for North Wales.

North Wales Police replied to Mr Jones noting that the time costs meant the FOI could be totally refused, although ‘as a gesture of goodwill’ some information was provided.

The FOI asked: “I request that I be provided with information relating to the most recent estimates of the cost of policing the new prison in Wrexham. This to include all aspects of the prison, inmate crime and disorder as well as impact of visitors to the prison and staff.”

North Wales Police replied: “Work has been ongoing since the announcement of the North Wales Prison in partnership with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), National Offender Management Service (NOMs) and National Offender Management Service Wales (NOMs Wales) to provide the most effective and efficient response to the potential increase in demand created by the new prison.

“Based on the available data, incident and crime prediction work has been undertaken and current estimates put the police staffing costs at £147,000 per annum with £52,500 capital costs in year one and £21,000 per annum associated revenue costs thereafter. Central funding from the Home Office has been applied for to cover these costs.”

A further request asking: “I request copies of the impact assessment” was rejected for time and cost reasons under FOI law, with North Wales Police advising “To obtain the information in the format you have requested would involve manually reviewing 800+ records on our force system.”

Mr Jones commented: “I am glad we finally have clarity on the policing costs but I do however feel that these costs are on the low side and only include the cost of Police Officers and not the total cost of investigating offences which is why we need to see the impact assessment of the prison on policing.”

“We also need an undertaking that the MOJ or the Home Office pay for the cost of policing the prison and not the taxpayers of North Wales”.