A Northallerton advisory group is urging the Government to make reforms to the town's prison.

The Board of Visitors at Northallerton Remand Centre and Young Offenders' Institution is calling on the Home Office to make several improvements to the prison's facilities.

The annual report highlights the lack of outdoor recreational activities, the dearth of facilities in the visitor centre and the inadequacy of the prison's segregation unit. Its modern kitchen is described as "a first class modern facility", but the board criticises a change in the way menus are organised.

The chairman of the board of visitors, Ted Darwin, said: "Until last year, Northallerton was allowed to get on with the job of feeding its prisoners the way it wanted to. It got lots of pats on the back for it.

"We were told we had to fall into line with the prison service's national policy, and now we have to offer a pre-select system which means that, before the prisoner goes to the kitchen, he is allowed to say what he wants.

"These are youngsters and a lot of them haven't got a clue what they want. One of the problems we have had is that they don't know what half of the things on the menu are or know if they like them. Now a chap can roll up having forgotten what he ordered, making extra work for the staff."

The report says the lack of a decision about the building's future by the prison service is leading to low morale among its 137 staff. "It has been known for years that Northallerton would have to change," said Mr Darwin.

"It is a Victorian site and is quite small and is not really cost-effective. For a long time there has been talk of it being used to house a niche population. But the prisons are under tremendous pressure due to increases in the number of inmates and this has led to Northallerton's future being put on the back burner."

The report also criticises the institution's governors for failing to inform or debrief the board over a rooftop siege. "The system has got much better since and it appears now to be working fine," said Mr Darwin. "We are kept informed as to what happens."

Areas praised in the report include the prison's gymnasium. The staff are also commended for increasing the number of hours inmates can spend out of their cells, with activity hours up to an average of 22 compared with about 18 in 2000.

Mr Darwin said: "One of the things that we are completely happy with is the relationship between the staff and the inmates, which is much better than what we are led to believe is the case at other similar establishments.

"The thrust in this last year has been to try to get the inmates out of their cells as much as possible. We all admit the cells are not as good as we would hope them to be. But it is quite difficult because the more you let prisoners out of their cells, the more officers you need to control them.

"The difficult thing is getting them out and getting them doing something useful that benefits them and us."

Prison governor Martin Ward said: "The commitment by the physical education staff and the introduction of sports and games officers helps to provide a wide and active programme. They work closely with education and health care, supporting programmes that address drug-related issues and resettlement."

He said other issues such as the meal menus had been resolved. "Prisoners who work in the kitchen were found to be enthusiastic about their role and the food that they served," he said. "The menu showed a great deal of imagination in meal preparation.

"The original attempt to introduce the pre-select menu was ill conceived and implemented which led to numerous complaints. However that has now been addressed.