People serving community sentences are playing their part in improving Swindon town centre as the Big Town Centre Clean-Up continues.
Swindon Borough Council has teamed up with the Probation Service to organise three Community Payback sessions in the town centre, with the first taking place on Wednesday 19 August.
Groups of up to 10 participants are taking part in full-day sessions under the supervision of the Probation Service, carrying out environmental improvement work around the town.
Among the jobs being tackled is the removal of graffiti from council-owned property.
Community Payback allows people who have been convicted of offences to complete unpaid work as part of their sentence, with the work intended to benefit the communities in which they live.
The Probation Service has procedures in place to ensure that Community Payback projects are properly planned, managed and supervised, with the safety of participants and members of the public treated as a priority.
The town centre sessions build on an existing partnership between the Council and Probation Service, with Community Payback participants already helping to maintain Whitworth Road Cemetery.
Once the latest clean-up sessions have been completed, the Council and Probation Service will look at other opportunities for Community Payback projects across Swindon.
The aim is to allow more people serving community sentences to make a positive contribution locally while helping tackle issues such as graffiti and litter.
Councillor Kevin Parry, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Recycling and Streetscene, said the Community Payback work was another part of the wider effort to improve the town centre.
“Everyone has a role to play in The Big Town Centre Clean-Up and in helping to make a positive difference to our town centre,” he said.
“I’m grateful to the Probation Service for working closely with us to establish these Community Payback sessions. They will provide practical support for our clean-up efforts while giving participants the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the community.”
Councillor Matt Hinton, Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Safety and Services, said the initiative built on the existing work at Whitworth Road Cemetery.
“Once these sessions have been completed, we will explore how Community Payback could play a wider role in supporting communities across Swindon and helping to address environmental issues that matter to residents,” he said.
The latest work forms part of the wider Big Town Centre Clean-Up, which has already seen residents, businesses, councillors and council staff getting involved in efforts to improve the appearance of central Swindon.
