Governors give warm welcome to new prison service chief

HEATHER MILLS

Home Affairs Correspondent

Richard Tilt, the man called upon five months ago to run the Prison Service in the wake of Derek Lewis's controversial sacking, was yesterday formally appointed to the post of Director General - on about half the salary of his predecessor.

Mr Tilt, 52, will earn pounds 77,000, the salary of a Grade 2 civil servant, with performance pay up to an estimated pounds 5,000. Derek Lewis, the first businessman lured in from industry to try turn the troubled service around under its new "agency" status, earned pounds 125,000 with up to pounds 35,000 in annual bonuses.

As a former prison governor, Mr Tilt's appointment has delighted both governors and staff in the country's 136 jails. They had viewed the appointment of Mr Lewis, a former television executive with neither government nor prison experience, as a costly and failed experiment. Last week, Michael Howard, the Home Secretary conceded he would pay up to pounds 200,000 to settle Mr Lewis's claim for unfair dismissal after a damaging prison escape inquiry.

But there was no initial decision by ministers to resort to "in-house" appointments. In the five months since Mr Lewis's sacking, informal approaches were made to people like Andrew Foster, controller of the Audit Commission, to see if they would be interested. Further, head-hunting agencies told the Home Office that Mr Howard's treatment of Mr Lewis made it unlikely that the post would be able to attract high-quality candidates from outside the service.

Mr Tilt himself, although commanding the respect of all prison staff, was also initially reluctant to stand for the job - widely regarded as a poisoned chalice. But his success over the past five months has both changed his mind and convinced ministers that he is the man for what they accept is a very difficult job.

Last night, David Roddan, general secretary of the Prison Governors' Association said: "We are delighted at this news. We have long campaigned to have a head of the service who has personal experience of running prisons. Mr Tilt has this and he will enjoy the full confidence of prison governors in this country."

Yesterday, Mr Howard, who made the announcement in a Commons written reply, said: "Richard Tilt has done an excellent job as Acting Director General. I have every confidence that he will provide the service with the leadership it needs."

Mr Howard said he also proposed to establish a Prison Service Advisory Board to advise on the performance and plans of the service. Mr Tilt's 30-year career in the Prison Service has included governing both Gartree and Wakefield Prisons, as well as being a regional manager and, most recently, director of services and custody.