By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
A care contract worth almost £400,000 will see vulnerable inmates looked after at an overcrowded Victorian prison.
The council is set to extend its agreement with care provider Practice Plus Group (PPG) for services at remand jail HMP Leeds in Armley.
Wealstun prison at Thorp Arch will also be served by the contract covering both male jails.
Prisoners in wheelchairs and those needing physical support will be aided by the care provider over the next three years.
A Leeds City Council report said the renewed contact with would cost a maximum of £393,660.
It said: “HMP Leeds is the busiest remand prison in the country and faces many challenges, including significant overcrowding, high turnover and a dated Victorian building.”
The report said there was no dedicated social care unit at the Thorpe Arch facility. Some prisoners were being transferred to HMP Leeds or other prison sites if their needs could not be be met.
Drug treatment, dental care and mental health support were among the services required.
The report said: “In Leeds there are two male prisons. HMP Leeds is a Category B prison with an operational capacity of 1,110 and around 500 new arrivals each month.
“HMP Wealstun is Category C training and resettlement prison with an operational capacity of 832 people, located at Thorp Arch.”
Social workers were appointed to see to prisoners at HMP Leeds, of which many were detained awaiting trial.
The report said: “Some people are at HMP Leeds for only weeks or months on remand, others serve out long sentences there.
“There is a large cohort of older prisoners in HMP Leeds serving sentences for historic sex offences.”
The contract was awarded to PPG in a council decision notice issued on March 18.
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