POA Circulars

Please find attached NEC minutes for 23^rd December 2020, for your information.

This year has started dramatically with further announcements from the Prime Minister implementing further National lockdowns in England, with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland introducing restrictions of a similar nature but I recognise there may be differences in each of the four countries where the POA have membership.

The National Executive Committee recently advised you that we have been working on a programme to improve our back-office systems and the face of the POA.  To this end, I would like to inform the membership that on Sunday 10th January 2021 we will be launching our new website. 

Enclosed is the latest update from Gold that has been forwarded to all Governors.

I enclose for your information the latest Gold Briefing that is being issued to Governors. If you have any questions, please contact your area NEC Representative.

I would like to remind you about the following which I first advised you about in POA Circular 165/2020, on behalf of the POA National Executive Committee I have been in discussions with Professor Nick Hardwick the former Chief Inspector of Prisons and his colleagues from the University.

Please find attached NEC minutes for the 9th and 11th December 2020, for your information.

It is with regret and sadness that I write to inform you that Officer Wynne Gibbs has passed away. Wynne was diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID 19). Sadly, Wynne’s condition suddenly deteriorated and he passed away at his home on Sunday 20th December 2020. The coroner will need to formally confirm cause of death.

For your information HMPPS have forwarded the following briefing to all Prisons in England and Wales.

Over the weekend great swathes of the population have been placed into Tier 4 with clear advice from Government regarding the clinically extremely vulnerable, that this group is advised to stay at home at all times, unless for exercise or medical appointments, and not to attend work, even if they are unable to work from home. The group list of extremely vulnerable has been updated on the www.gov.uk website.