TWENTY-NINE jobs are to go as part of the proposed budget cuts imposed by the Prison Service on Sheppey's Elmley Prison.

Despite a ballot where members of the Prison Officers' Association overwhelmingly rejected the proposals to reduce staff, the POA says the Prison Service decided to ignore the wishes of jail staff and attempts by the branch committee to reduce the post cuts.

As a result, 26 officer posts and three senior officer posts are being cut.

Governor Brian Pollett has decided to impose the new work profiles from early next March with an increase of nine operational support grade posts.

However, a reduction in staffing does not mean people will lose their jobs. Stephen O'Connell, deputy governor, explained: "It will be achieved through natural wastage such as officers retiring, promotion and people moving to other posts within the prison service or resigning and taking other jobs. It's just that the 29 posts won't be replaced."