Mitie Care & Custody has been awarded the contract to operate HMP Millsike, the UK’s first all-electric prison that will provide around 1,500 places.
Due to open next year, the Category C prison is the third new prison being built as part of the government’s £4 billion prison expansion programme, delivering 20,000 new places.
The facility will run solely on electricity, making it the first of its kind in the UK. The build will use solar panels, heat pump technology and more efficient lighting systems, meaning that it will use approximately a quarter of the energy used to heat traditional Victorian prisons.
In addition, Mitie Care & Custody will deliver drug treatment that supports abstinence-based recovery for prisoners in prison and after their release, a learning package tailored to prisoners to help them boost their skills, and 1,000 living wage jobs for prison leavers over the course of the contract.
Prisons Minister Edward Argar said: “We are creating modern and secure prisons with rehabilitation at their heart so we can turn offenders lives around for good and cut crime and reoffending further.
“We are building 20,000 prison places now that we are keeping the most dangerous offenders behind bars for longer and I look forward to seeing Mitie Care & Custody’s innovative approach in action when HMP Millsike opens next year.”
The building of the prison has already provided offenders with valuable work experience, with prisoners on day release supporting its construction, learning key construction skills, as well as transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and organisation that will help them find jobs at the end of their time in prison.
Over £117 million has been invested in the local community through the construction so far, and Mitie Care & Custody will employ over 500 people when the prison is operational.
Danny Spencer, MD of Mitie Care & Custody, said: “We are pleased to have been awarded this contract to operate HMP Millsike.
With our experience delivering critical public services to support the immigration, justice and care sectors, as well as our expertise in facilities transformation and decarbonisation, we are excited to bring a modern and caring approach to prison management at this innovative new site.”
