As part of a new UK government pilot, offenders serving Community Payback sentences will carry out local clean-ups within 48 hours of cases being reported.
The pilot is part of the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. The government says that offenders will carry out up to 20,000 hours in six months with the aim of cleaning up fly tipping, vandalism and littering incidents within 48 hours of cases being reported to the Probation Service.
The Community Payback website will also be relaunched early next year so members of the public can report anti-social behaviour and nominate potential projects in their neighbourhoods. This is set to work alongside the government’s new reporting tool.
The scheme will be piloted in the Probation Service regions of Greater Manchester, East of England, Wales and the North East.
These rapid deployment teams will mean eyesores are dealt with swiftly to restore community pride.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk KC MP, said: “Anti-social behaviour is a blight on our society and can leave proud neighbourhoods feeling neglected.
“These rapid deployment teams will mean eyesores are dealt with swiftly to restore community pride and ensure convicts are made to give back to the communities they have offended against.”
Last month, a new law also came into effect requiring local probation services to consult annually with specific community leaders such as charities, victim organisations and elected policing bodies, on the type of unpaid work that would benefit the region.