Bromford Group Press Release 1/7/10
Communities a clear winner thanks to Payback
Offenders are helping to improve the quality of life for local communities by digging out ditches, chopping back dense undergrowth and tidying up waste ground.
These are some of the tasks that offenders have carried out for social housing landlord Fosseway Living as part of their unpaid work sentence imposed at local courts.
The dozen or so projects in and around Cirencester and Stroud have achieved some dramatic transformations near homes owned and managed by the non profit-making provider – part of the Bromford Group.
It was repairs team leader Ian Williamson who saw the opportunity to improve surroundings for many Fosseway Living communities by tapping into the Community Payback scheme.
He approached the probation service and suggested a number of community-based projects that could be tackled by offenders as part of their unpaid work sentence.
The first few projects – clearing waste land and digging out bin stores GassonsWay, Lechlade – were completed last summer, and Ian can produce an impressive list of other successful jobs carried out since.
The list also includes clearance work at digging out ditches at Melville, Bourton on Water, and Fenhill Close, Bourton on Hill – part of a wider project to help safeguard nearby homes from flooding.
“People may not be aware of it but some five million hours of unpaid work are carried out every year through Community Payback,” says Ian.
“These projects range from removing graffiti and redecorating community centres to environmental improvements. In our case, I identified a number of projects that would not otherwise be carried out but which would improve the environment for our customers.”
A prime example, according to Ian, is at Bowbridge locks, Stroud, where offenders spent a total of 45 “man” days clearing car park areas and thick undergrowth on the steep banks leading down to the Thames & Severn Canal running through a Fosseway housing estate.
“The difference is dramatic,” says a proud Ian, standing beside the metal fencing that runs around the canalside slopes.
“Before the work started, you couldn’t see the water down there. Clearing away the undergrowth has transformed the appearance.
“The offenders were supervised by Gloucestershire Probation Trust staff. They wore Community Payback visability vests and health and safety clothing. I/we briefed them, handed them the tools and they got on with the job with minimal supervision.
“As a social landlord, we are trying all the time to deliver the best possible value for money for our customers and stakeholders. This is just one example of how we are achieving that aim – and, in a general sense, improving the quality of life for our neighbourhoods.
“I have totted up the total number of man days worked by offenders since the first job started last July and it comes to more than 170. If we were paying people say £75 a day that comes to a grand total of £12,825 that is being put back into the community.
“As well as carrying out the work, offenders are acquiring skills which will be useful to them in the jobs market. It’s a real win-win for everyone.”
ENDS
Fosseway Living is part of Bromford Group, which has been in the housing business for more than 40 years, growing organically and through merger partnerships to become an industry leader. The group owns more than 26,000 homes, ranging from Stoke in the north to Cirencester in the south, and employs more than 1,100 people. Other members of our group include: Bromford Living, HomeZone Living, Bromford Support and Bromford Homes.
