A PRIVATELY-RUN youth custody centre in Pucklechurch is suffering because it is being deprived of services available to similar public sector centres.

Ashfield Young Offenders Institution (YOI) is being excluded from a support network existing between public sector prisons because it is privately-run, according to a report by the prison's independent monitoring board.

In an annual report Arthur Williams, chairman of the board, said the 400-juvenile prison had completed another successful year.

He praised YOI director Vicky O'Dea for creating a safe and positive environment at the prison despite increased population pressures and prisoners' challenging behaviour.

But he criticised the Prison Service for excluding YOI from its support network.

He said: "Ashfield is the largest juvenile establishment in the country and yet because it is part of the private sector it is isolated from other juvenile institutions.

"This isolation is not only in terms of sharing best practice and knowledge, but also the support network that exists within the public sector juvenile prisons.

"Simply because it is a contracted prison, Ashfield is being deprived of professional advice from juvenile experts on areas such as substance misuse.

"This can often lead to a lesser service to the relevant functional heads."

Mr Williams also said the Prison Service set Ashfield tougher targets than other public sector establishments, which it manages to meet, on treatment and education of young offenders.

Young offenders at the prison earned more than 5,000 qualifications over the year, including AS-levels and Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The institution received a glowing report from the chief inspector of prisons Anne Owers in March.

She said current director Vicky O'Dea had turned the prison into one of the top institutions of its kind.

It was also declared one of the most expensive prisons run in the country this year when Home Office Minister Gerry Sutcliffe revealed it cost £48,669 per prisoner a year.

The average for other private prisons was only £33,722 and state prisons £28,486.

The Prison Service was asked why Ashfield was excluded from meetings involving other establishments in the public section, but has not yet come back with a reply.