The head of a youth jail at the centre of abuse allegations has stepped down.

Ralph Marchant, who is director of the G4S-run Medway Secure Training Centre, is stepping down following criticism of its management.

Mr Marchant, who will remain employed by the security firm, is being replaced by director of immigration removal centres at Gatwick, Ben Saunders.

There are not believed to be any allegations relating to Mr Marchant's conduct.

It comes after inspectors recommended body cameras should be worn by staff at secure centres following an undercover documentary, which revealed children allegedly being verbally and physically abused at the Rochester centre.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick also called for a commissioner to oversee Medway Secure Training Centre and for an enquiry into the failings.

Ofsted and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons sent six inspectors into Medway Secure Training Centre the day the footage was aired by the BBC Panorama programme.

The inspectors spoke to young people at the centre in Rochester and Mr Hardwick said: “The concerns raised with us by a small number of children are consistent with the evidence presented by the BBC investigation which showed targeted bullying of vulnerable boys by a small number of staff in addition to the condition of new staff.”

He added: “We have significant concerns about the centre. It is clear from the BBC footage that a number of staff must have been aware of unacceptable behaviour and the practice of falsifying use of force records but this went unreported to senior managers or external agencies.”

One of the main concerns raised by the team was the high turnover of staff - over the last twelve months around half of the custody team have left and been replaced by new personnel.

In interviews with inspectors several young people said this “led to new staff not fully understanding, or managing, behaviour on the residential units”.

A small number described the staff using insulting, aggressive or racist language, as well as not always challenging poor behaviour. The young people also said they did not feel safe in areas not covered by CCTV.

Out of the 55 young people at the centre during the inspection, 20 were interviewed and were generally positive about the quality of relationships with the staff and said they felt safe in the centre.

"I believe that we need to do more in order to have confidence that the STC is being run safely and that the right lessons have been learned" - Michael Gove, Justice Minister

The report also noted that the inspectors’ concerns were not confined to Medway, and called for the Secretary of State to establish a commissioner to oversee the centre.

Mr Hardwick has also recommended that staff in regular contact with children should wear body worn cameras with all footage reviewed by a senior manager.

He said: “We will carry out new inspections of all STCs as soon as possible to provide assurance that the concerns raised here are not more widespread.

“As soon as possible there should be an enquiry into the failings at Medway and the implications of this for the wider youth justice system.”

The visit on Monday, January 11, was not a full inspection due to the ongoing criminal investigation, and the young people involved in the police investigation were not invited to be interviewed.

Following the recommendations, Justice Minister Michael Gove today announced an independent improvement board led by local academy trust chief, Dr Gary Holden.

Mr Gove said: “We treat the allegations of abuse directed towards young people at the Medway Secure Training Centre (STC), run by G4S, with the utmost seriousness.

“Following the allegations, our immediate priority has been to ensure that young people at the centre are safe. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) and Ofsted visited Medway STC on 11 January and their findings are published today.

“I believe, however, that we need to do more in order to have confidence that the STC is being run safely and that the right lessons have been learned.”

The board will be chaired by Dr Holden, who is the chief executive officer and principal of academy chain, The Williamson Trust. The trust runs the Joseph Williamson Mathematics School, which is less than a mile from Medway STC.

The board also includes Bernard Allen, an expert in behaviour management and the use of restraint; Emily Thomas, interim governor of HM Prison Holloway and former governor of HM Young Offender Institution Cookham Wood; and Sharon Gray OBE, an education consultant and former head teacher with experience of working with children with behavioural difficulties, including in residential settings.

Mr Gove added: “The board will provide increased oversight, scrutiny and challenge of managerial arrangements, in particular in relation to the safeguarding of young people. Board members will have authority to visit any part of the site at any time, access records at Medway and interview children during their investigations.

“The board will report any concerns about the provision of services at Medway to me. The board’s work will assist me in determining the necessary improvements that G4S must make to restore confidence that young people are properly safeguarded at the STC.”

Peter Neden, Regional President, G4S UK and Ireland, said: “As part of a programme of measures to respond to recent events at the Medway Secure Training Centre, we are committed to supporting an independent review commissioned today by the Ministry of Justice.

“We welcome today’s announcement by the Secretary of State that he has appointed a team of independent experts to conduct the review.

“We also announce the appointment of Ben Saunders as the interim Centre Director for Medway STC. Ben is a qualified social worker with extensive experience of working with vulnerable people and will give the Ministry’s Independent Improvement Board our full support.”

Mr Saunders has a 26-year career in the care and safeguarding of vulnerable people, including 14 years at Medway and five years as director of the centre.

The allegations came to light after undercover journalist, Robert Charles, secretly filmed at the training centre, which looks after boys and girls aged 12 to 17.

The footage he captured showed staff appearing to use excessive force to restrain youngsters, children being bullied by staff, officers lying when reporting incidents and staff boasting about hurting inmates.

It has prompted calls for private security firm G4S, which runs Medway, to be stripped of its contract. No more children will be admitted to the centre while investigations are carried out.

Three men from Medway, aged 25, 34 and 35, were arrested on suspicion of child neglect. A Medway man, 28, was arrested on suspicion of assault, and a 25-year-old East Sussex man was also arrested on suspicion of child neglect. They have been bailed until April.