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Payback offenders clear garden

Summary:

Offenders on Community Payback cleared an overgrown garden in Grand Drive last week.

Offenders on Community Payback cleared an overgrown garden in Raynes Park’s Grand Drive last week

A team of seven offenders removed three tonnes of garden waste which will be turned into compost.

Community Payback, organised between London Probation, the Met Police and local authorities, aims to reduce the rate of reoffending while benefitting the local area through community work undertaken by offenders.

Merton Council’s environment and regeneration director Chris Lee said: “Our partnership with the Probation Service is very productive and constructive.

“In this case it has been a successful alternative to taking enforcement action against a vulnerable person whose garden became unacceptably overgrown.

“It also offers people who have committed low level crime the chance to make a positive contribution to the community.”

London Probation Trust placement manager Fred Cox said: “This is a great opportunity for the offenders carrying out work in Merton to work for the benefit of a local resident.

“In this case, I’m really proud that we have managed to make a clear difference to the appearance of this garden, improving it both for the gentleman who lives there as well as his neighbours.”

Other Payback schemes in Merton include cleaning graffiti, clearing allotments and clearing nature trails.

 

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