Offenders' Community Payback in Watford (From Watford Observer)

Offenders' Community Payback in Watford

5:40pm Wednesday 16th December 2009

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Offenders sentenced to community service can be seen clearing litter, removing graffiti and repairing and redecorating community centres in Watford.

Watford Borough Council has teamed up with Hertfordshire Probation and Hertfordshire Highways to run a Community Payback project on the town's Kingswood estate.

The national scheme sees offenders handed up to 300 hours of unpaid work completing projects to benefit the community.

Those taking part in the scheme wear orange high visibility jackets, marked Community Payback.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working in the town, which has been going on for around three years now under various names. The work the offenders do makes a real difference for residents and, hopefully, makes a real difference to the way offenders view their community.”

Stuart Pile, executive member for highways and transport at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "Hertfordshire Highways is happy to be involved in this scheme with our partners at Watford Borough Council and Hertfordshire Probation. There are lots of small highway jobs, like hedge trimming, that can really help to freshen up the appearance of our streets - the work the offenders carry out clearly benefits the whole community."

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