£300m Aylesbury Vale mega prison would drain local police resources, says Police Commissioner

The commissioner spoke out against the mega prison plans in a meeting with an MP this week.
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Thames Valley's Police and Crime Commissioner says a planned new 'mega-prison' at Grendon Underwood would be a drain on local policing resources that should be spent elsewhere.

Matthew Barber joined MP for Buckingham, Greg Smith, at the Springhill Road site on Monday, August 16, to discuss the impact the Ministry of Justice's proposed 'mega prison' would have on local policing resources.

Mr Barber said: "We need prisons, but we need them in the right places.

Matthew Barber, Police and Crime CommissionerMatthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner
Matthew Barber, Police and Crime Commissioner

"Already in Thames Valley, we have a significant prison estate and that has a real impact on local policing.

"All of the crime that takes place within the wire has to be investigated. That is a drain on police resources that should be spent policing our communities outside the wire.

"And so another additional prison will just put more pressure on Thames Valley's resources.

"And that is why I think this is the wrong decision by the Ministry of Justice."

Greg Smith said: ”It is frightening to think that, on top of all the other huge reasons to say no to this prison, if it is allowed to go ahead it would take away police resources from local communities across Buckinghamshire in order to investigate the multitude of crimes that would inevitably take place within the prison, as they do in all other prisons.

“I was very pleased Matthew agreed with me and local campaigners that a new mega-prison adjacent to HMP Springhill and HMP Grendon should not go ahead.”

Mr Smith attended one of three 'stop the mega prison' exhibitions organised in Bucks this month. He attended Steeple Claydon Hall event which followed similar informal meetings at Edgcott Village Hall and Grendon Village Hall.

The events were designed to inform residents on how they could lobby the Government officially, in attempts to block the planning proposal. Edgcott and Grendon Underwood Parish Council officials organised the meet-ups.