The summary and positive findings below were written from the report by an AI model. The Board's own wording is in the report linked above.
Summary
Summary written by this site (AI-generated)
This IMB report for HMP Huntercombe highlights a generally safe environment, yet raises significant concerns about increased assaults and self-harm. Persistent issues with heating, hot water, and cell ventilation negatively impact humane treatment. Challenges in property management, reduced education, and limited resettlement opportunities further underscore areas needing urgent attention.
Positive findings
Summary written by this site (AI-generated)
The IMB believes HMP Huntercombe is a generally safe environment, noting that individual incidents are handled appropriately by staff. The Board commends the use of specific rehabilitative programmes like Stoic, Getting Court, and Geese Theatre. They were also pleased to see the completion of the new healthcare building and noted the professionalism of staff in areas such as the segregation unit and during use of force incidents. Furthermore, positive staff-prisoner relationships, successful catering training, and effective social video calls for foreign national prisoners were highlighted.
Recommendations 5 items · 3 repeated
Recommendations were extracted from the report by AI, and responses and their status from the ministerial response by AI. Each recommendation shows whether its wording has been checked against the report.
Addressee: Ministry of Justice · Topic: Estate · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
The Board understands that the work required to update the heating and hot water system at Huntercombe is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice. This issue has been raised in each of the Board’s reports over the past four years. The Board, therefore, seek a clear and definitive timetable from the Minister for when all those at HMP Huntercombe will receive a consistent and reliable supply of hot water and heating?
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Administration · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
As requested last year, when will the Prison Service ensure that all prisons consistently follow agreed procedures for all issues? The Board has, again, identified numerous areas where this is not the case, including the management of prisoner property.
Addressee: HMPPS · Topic: Property · Repeated from a previous year
Recommendation (the Board's words)
As the Board has reported each year since 2021, there remains significant issues about prisoner property at transfer between prisons. As the Prisoners’ Property Policy Framework is obviously not working for prisoners, what is the Prison Service planning to do to look after prisoners’ property in a more effective way?
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Regime
Recommendation (the Board's words)
When will the Governor undertake a review and set out a clear plan, including timescales, to bring the football pitch back into use for the prisoners?
Addressee: Governor / Director · Topic: Purposeful Activity
Recommendation (the Board's words)
Will the Governor continue to review the available spaces and allocation processes, and set out actions to ensure prisoners have consistent access to meaningful activity while they are at Huntercombe?
Key concerns 7 items
Key concerns were extracted from the report text by an AI model.
Key concern 1
Safety
An increase in both prisoner-on-prisoner assaults (27% rise to 65 incidents) and self-harm incidents (from 63 to 73).
Key concern 2
Estate/Conditions · Repeated from a previous year
The persistent failure of the central heating and hot water system across the estate, an issue reported in the last four Board annual reports with no permanent solution.
Key concern 3
Estate/Conditions
Ventilation from the extraction vents in the cells during the very hot summer was totally inadequate in removing stale air. An air quality report found that not one cell met the minimum requirement of around 24 litres per second on air flow.
Key concern 4
Other · Repeated from a previous year
These can cause stress for prisoners and additional work for staff; when personal items are lost, this can lead to increased frustration and, at times, anger. 5.8.2 In 2025, there were 269 complaints about property (273 in 2024) out of a total of 1274 complaints in the whole prison. 5.8.3 As in previous years, complaints relating to property lost in transit or during transfer continue to reflect, to a significant extent, the lack of effective volumetric control when prisoners are moved between establishments.
Key concern 5
Education/Purposeful Activity · Repeated from a previous year
Reduced education provision due to funding cuts and staff changes, leading to fewer opportunities for prisoners to engage in meaningful activity and gain qualifications.
Key concern 6
Resettlement/Release · Repeated from a previous year
Limited opportunities for men at Huntercombe to undertake programmes to prepare for release or to access release on temporary licence (ROTL), exacerbated by high prisoner churn and difficulties in finding suitable employers.
Key concern 7
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The football pitch has been unavailable for use by prisoners since April 2025.
Safety statistics
Incidents during the reporting year.
Report details
- Establishment
- Huntercombe
- Type
- Prison, category C
- Report year
- 2025
- Published
- 22 July 2026
- Responsible body
- Huntercombe
- Recommendations
- 5
- MoJ rating (2025/26)
- 3, Good
Other reports for Huntercombe
Published 27 Jun 2025 · Population 491 · Self-harm 63 · Key concerns recorded
Published 5 Jul 2024 · Population 470 · Key concerns recorded
Published 20 Jun 2023 · Population 469 · Self-harm 96 · Key concerns recorded
Published 22 Jun 2022 · Population 447 · Self-harm 100 · Key concerns recorded
Published 6 Aug 2021 · Population 420 · Self-harm 115 · Key concerns recorded