PROPOSED financial cuts and overcrowding at Dartmoor Prison have been criticised in a report to the Ministry of Justice by the Independent Monitoring Board for the jail.

The report recognises improvements in the Category C prison's performance, made since the new Governor Tony Corcoran arrived in January, but it also highlights a number of concerns.

The Independent Monitoring Board for HMP Dartmoor says the number of prisoners held in custody is too high for the prison service effectively to carry out the duties expected of it. It also says financial cuts proposed for both the prison service and probation present a real danger to the safety of those who work and live in prison and to the public.

The state of the buildings and in particular the numbers of cells taken out of commission due to damp was very worrying, said the board. Forty cells had been lost but work was to begin this autumn on extensive repairs to two of the wings. The prison has an operational capacity for 646 prisoners.

HMP Dartmoor is an historic listed building within a national park, leased from the Duchy of Cornwall. This year it celebrated its bi-centenary. It is the only prison in the country to have a museum and attracts large numbers of visitors to Princetown, both from this country and abroad.

The IMB said the cost of maintaining these historic buildings should not fall on the prison service alone and English Heritage should be encouraged to spend some of its taxpayers' money on restoring the historic prison buildings at Dartmoor.

The rapid cuts and changes being introduced by the Prison Service, combined with the record numbers of prisoners held in the estate, were reasons for increasing concern about the safety of the public, prisoners and staff, continued the report.

The removal of the prison officer grade was of considerable concern; their leadership would be missed, especially at the sharp end, during serious incidents. These imposed efficiency savings could affect the ability of National Offender Management Service [NOMS} and the prison to fulfil their declared functions.

The Board is asking the Minister to set up an independent inquiry into the 28/60 day population control protocol in the South West where difficult and disruptive prisoners are moved from one prison segregation unit to another every 28/60 days, depending on their categorisation.

A spokesperson for the IMB at Dartmoor said: 'While we recognise the pressure placed on staff and resources by difficult and disruptive prisoners, we are concerned about the detrimental effects that this regime may have on the prisoners themselves.

'Continual confinement in segregation, coupled with being moved from prison to prison every 28 or 60 days for months and in some cases years, may cause mental health and other serious problems.'

But the report also complimented the new governor and staff, who had worked to bring the prison up to a level 3 prison after it dropped to level 2 last year.

The board said the present Governor has brought strong leadership, coupled with greater visibility. He is developing a clear strategy for the prison and challenges unacceptable attitudes and behaviours.

In a statement, Governor Tony Corcoran said: 'We are pleased to note that the IMB has recognised the improvements in performance at HMP Dartmoor this reporting year.

'We are currently in the process of producing a written response on the issues raised within the report.

'I have every confidence in the managers and staff that these improvements will continue and HMP Dartmoor will receive the recognition it deserves.'