MoJ to pilot ‘rapid deployment’ community payback teams

The teams will be sent to clean up fly-tipping or vandalism within 48 hours of a report being sent to the Probation Service.

A pilot will be launched of Community Payback rapid deployment teams who will attend reports of fly-tipping or vandalism within 48 hours of the Probation Service receiving a report. 

The six month pilot will see offenders serving community payback sentences being sent out to communities across the country to carry out local clean-ups.

The MoJ has said that the pilot will see offenders carry out up to 20,000 hours of unpaid work across the probation areas of Greater Manchester, East of England, Wales and the North East.

Meanwhile, a Community Payback website will also be relaunched next year – enabling members of the public to report ASB and nominate potential projects in their local areas more easily. 

This will work alongside a new reporting tool that will allow members of the public can quickly and easily report incidents of anti-social behaviour when they take place.

The government is investing up to £93 million into Community Payback. 

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.”