Staff reject prison travel offer

The new prison was due to be populated this month

A row between the government and prison officers over compensation payments for their extended commute to a new jail on the Isle of Man looks set to continue.

Members of the Prospect Union rejected a one lump sum payment of 40p per extra mile over a three-year period.

It means there could be a delay in moving inmates to the £41.7m Jurby prison in the island's north west, which is due to begin later in May.

The Department of Home Affairs said it had made a "fair and equitable" offer.

The existing jail is on Victoria Road in Douglas on the east of the island, while the new facility is located 21.5km (13 miles) across the other side in the north west.

Prospect has said the compensation offer does not reflect the additional personal time staff will use up having to travel to work.

Night duty allowances for the new jail are also yet to be agreed

On Thursday, it revealed a ballot of prison officers over the mileage claims had shown a "firm rejection of the current offer".

Members have accepted new rostering arrangements for the prison, which the department has welcomed.

"These arrangements are of major importance in terms of the operation of the Isle of Man's new prison at Jurby," a spokesman said.

"However, the department is extremely disappointed that the offers put forward in respect of mileage and night duty on-call allowances have been rejected."

The spokesman said the offer had now been removed from the table and the matter would be decided by the Civil Service Commission's joint negotiating committee.