West Mercia Probation Trust Community Payback Annual Report 2013

Transcription

1 West Mercia Probation Trust Community Payback Annual Report 2013

2 Foreword 2013 has, in many ways, been a difficult year for Community Payback. Having put the challenge of Community Payback being contracted out, en bloc, behind us with all the blocks on further development that this caused, it has now been thrown into the uncertainty of Transforming Rehabilitation. I choose the term, "en bloc" carefully to differentiate what had been government policy from our approach of a network of different partners working with us to deliver Community Payback across West Mercia. We have continued with our strategy of locating Community Payback as firmly as possible within the community. But new developments have been difficult to deliver in the context of Community Payback forming part of the Community Rehabilitation Company's (CRC) remit. There is uncertainty about who will own the CRC and what sort of contracts will be possible with competitors which are themselves going through a tendering process which will, along with other factors, affect their plans for how they will deliver Community Payback. Indeed, by the end of the year the longest standing of our local government partners had given us notice of pulling out of the arrangement to deliver Community Payback in their area. Despite these set backs we have undertaken a thorough review of the operation of Community Payback to ensure the closest match of method of Community Payback delivery to the characteristics of offenders. Thus ensuring that probation resources are reserved for the direct supervision of the most challenging offenders and external placements are used for others. A second reason why this has been a difficult year for Community Payback is that the workload has fallen dramatically, just at a time when the introduction of intensive Community Payback would have been expected to add to the hours worked, if not the number of orders made. Whilst, locally, some of this reduction may be attributable to the introduction of the Senior Attendance Centre, broadly our Community Payback numbers are down in line with national figures and it is very hard to account for the change. We are grateful that NOMS has recognised that our decline in numbers is part of a wider pattern and have adjusted our targets; for our part we have reduced staffing in this part of the service, broadly in line with the reduction in demand. So, having used the rather nautical term "steady as you go" to describe Community Payback last year, there was a danger, to extend the metaphor, that we became becalmed this year amidst falling demand and uncertainty about the future. Instead, we have taken the opportunity to take stock and steady the ship, reset our course in line with the restock and review and cut our cloth in line with the resources available. We have not been idle and have also restocked with a new fleet of vehicles, so that whoever is master of the ship post the CRC share sale they will inherit a trim, fit for purpose Community Payback capacity. Whilst there will be good reasons for the changing intentions towards Community Payback, these are not considerations that drive staff and it would be remiss of me not to mention, in this last West Mercia Community Payback report, the continued commitment of staff within Community Payback to deliver a good job. Despite the current downturn in demand, the long term picture must be one of Community Payback returning to its central role within the CRC. It touches so many policy priorities about "community", "paying back", "restoration", "skills acquisition" that it cannot be otherwise once the external environment settles down. Though no longer to be delivered by West Mercia Probation Trust, Community Payback will continue to be a core element in working with offenders to reduce their reoffending and to pay back their community by making good the damage caused by offending. David Chantler Chief Executive Community Payback Annual Report

3 Contents Page OVERVIEW Probation Trust and Geographic Area 3 Community Payback 3 Unpaid offender hours Projects completed 4 Successful completion of Community Payback sentences 4-5 Beneficiaries 5 Comments from Beneficiaries 5-6 DEVELOPMENTS New Initiatives 6 Service Level Agreements 6-7 Working with Criminal Justice Partners 8 Working with other Organisations 9 Joint work with Education, Training and Employment 9 ACHIEVEMENTS 10 Community Payback Annual Report

4 Overview West Mercia Probation Trust and Geographic Area West Mercia Probation Trust is one of the 35 Probation Trusts in England and Wales. We cover Herefordshire, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Worcestershire. The area is 2868 square miles and has a population of approximately 1.19 million. Whilst West Mercia is predominantly rural, it also contains some densely populated urban areas and many market towns. The area shares borders with the West Midlands conurbation on the east and some of the wildest parts of Wales on the west. Our Local Delivery Unit structure matches the four areas we cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin. In 2013 over 6200 offenders were under the supervision of the Trust at some time during the year. Community Payback Community Payback is a punishment which requires offenders sentenced to Unpaid Work to pay back the community for the crimes they have committed. They have to carry out demanding work as a sentence from the courts for between hours. If they are in full-time work or education they must give up one day at weekends to do Community Payback. Unemployed offenders may have to work for up to three days a week. Unpaid Offender Hours 2013 The number of offender hours worked in the community in 2013 was 116,900. This gives a value to the community of 737,639 (based on the current minimum wage of 6.31 for over 21 year olds). Offender hours worked in the community Value to community at minimum wage (based on current minimum wage) , , , , , , Of the 116,900 hours worked offenders carried out 38,290 hours in individual placements 74,800 on work parties and 3,810 on other projects. Community Payback Annual Report

5 The total figure of 116,900 can be broken down into the number of hours worked at each main location, as follows:- Herefordshire: 18,120 Kidderminster: 13,270 Redditch: 14,600 Shropshire: 25,390 Telford: 18,590 Worcester: 26,930 Projects Completed During the year 325 Community Payback projects were worked on by offenders. The work was carried out by work parties or by individuals in specific placements. Projects combine punishment and hard work for the offenders and some offer a chance to learn new skills. Offenders carried out demanding work in their local communities such as:- street clean-ups, ground clearance and landscaping, painting and decorating community facilities, graffiti removal, canal restoration, recycling, litter picking and work for local charities. Some local examples follow:- Hodnet Pre-School, Shropshire Offenders worked for two weekends to tidy up the play area at Hodnet Pre-School prior to the start of a new term. They sanded down and painted the fencing surrounding the play area and the children s climbing frame and cut back the long grass. Help with Floods Some areas of West Mercia suffered with flooding once again in Wyre Forest District Council provided an undercover area and sand for offenders to make sandbags during rainy periods. The sandbags were loaded onto pallets ready for immediate delivery to flood areas. Ian Miller, Chief Executive, Wyre Forest District Council, said, I want to thank you for the support provided filling thousands of sand bags for us to deliver to help protect local residents and businesses from flooding. This has made a real difference locally in terms of reassuring communities. Successful Completion of Community Payback Sentences The number of successful completions of Community Payback sentences this year was 879 giving us a completion rate of 79.9%. Community Payback Annual Report

6 Number of successful completions Successful completion rate % 76 % 75.6 % 79.9 Beneficiaries Over 325 projects have benefited from Community Payback work this year. Offenders have helped to improve community environments, make people feel safer in the places they live and undertake work that would not otherwise be done. Beneficiaries include:- community centres, local authorities, parish councils, churches, the National Trust, hospitals, housing associations, sports clubs, schools, animal sanctuaries, local charities and nature reserves. We have received a huge amount of positive feedback, comments and letters of thanks from grateful beneficiaries. Here is a small selection from around the area. Comments from Beneficiaries Herefordshire St Mary s Church, Ross-on-Wye We would like to thank you for the valued work undertaken by the unpaid work team in the Garden of Remembrance. We are especially pleased with the work you do as it allows our very small group of volunteers more time to concentrate on other churchyard tasks. Visitors to the garden have been complimentary saying what a good job you have done and what a difference it has made. Kidderminster Wyre Forest District Council Ranger Service Thank you for all the work your team has carried out on the nature reserves of Wyre Forest. They have cleared all manor of invasive scrub and the work has been done in a very professional manner, this is very important as the site has both a high public usage and high conservation value. We would not hesitate to use the service again and recommend it to others. Redditch Redditch Skate Park and BMX Track Community Payback has been a really valuable resource to us. We are a small charity so it would work out expensive for us to have to pay for all the work. Our volunteers have only got so much time to give so we have managed to get a lot done using Community Payback. You get 10 people strimming or helping to knock down a ramp and the work is done quickly. I think the offenders get valuable experience that will help them improve their lives, so it is a two way thing really. Community Payback Annual Report

7 Shropshire Daniel Kawczynski, MP, Shrewsbury and Atcham Please pass my sincere thanks to your team for the help given to one of my constituents to prevent her house from flooding. The work carried out has made such a difference to her life. She is 80 years old and suffers from arthritis. The ditch in the field behind her home was blocked which meant during the heavy rain water backed up from this ditch into her home. The team worked for two days to clear all blockages and she is delighted and very grateful. In her words, the team were fantastic, extremely helpful and at night she can sleep in peace for the first time in years. Telford & Wrekin St Andrew s Church, Church Aston We would like to thank you for all the hard work that the Community Payback workers have put in to tidy up the church yard at St Andrews. We have had many comments from the community about how hard they worked during the time they were here and how wonderful it looks now. Developments New Initiatives During the year our Business Development Team has continued to negotiate with local bodies and councils to develop income generating partnership arrangements and cost neutral schemes. Having completed a pilot with North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership in 2012/13 we now work with a range of local groups through the partnership. We have a partnership arrangement with Shropshire Council Recreation Services where members of their staff act as supervisors. The supervisors supervise a work party carrying out community based work. They have provided our Community Payback team with a minibus. Worcestershire Highways Department has joined our partnership with Worcestershire Countryside Service which has provided new types of work for offenders. We have a contract with Shropshire Council s Customer Support and Asset Group carrying out predominantly landscape and cleansing activities for a total of 45 days this financial year. Service Level Agreements We have a number of Service Level Agreements (SLA) in place. Arrangements vary with each council and may involve them funding a probation Community Payback supervisor or provision of a council employee to assist with supervision for work we do for that council. Worcester City Council funds a Community Payback supervisor for 120 hours each month to supervise Community Payback work carried out for the council. We have extended our contract with Worcester Business Improvement District (BID). BID funds a Community Payback Supervisor who takes a work party out every Sunday to make improvements to the city centre. Community Payback Annual Report

8 We have maintained our partnership arrangement with Telford and Wrekin Housing Trust which is a cost neutral model. Probation has trained a member of the Housing Trust's staff to act as a supervisor. The supervisor supervises a work party of offenders carrying out work on their housing estates. Telford and Wrekin Council has increased their work with us and we now have a grant agreement from them which funds Community Payback work and training for participants through Telford College of Arts and Technology, in partnership with Telford and Wrekin Housing Association. We have a joint funded project with Worcestershire Countryside Service and South Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership whereby we share the cost of a full-time supervisor. The supervisor supervises a work party of offenders for five days a week carrying out work for the Countryside Service. This year this agreement has been extended to include the Worcestershire Highways Maintenance Team. We have a Service Level Agreement with the Canal Trust (British Waterways) for one day per week in Kidderminster maintaining canal towpaths. Worcestershire Countryside Service Our partnership with Worcestershire Countryside Service and Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership is now into its sixth year. The project carries out improvements to Worcestershire parks, countryside and rights of way that may not otherwise get done. A work party of up to six offenders is supervised by a full time supervisor who is paid for by the partnership. This year we have agreed further funding up until 31 March 2015 for this project but with the addition of the Worcestershire Highways Maintenance Team. This will enable work to be done to improve the rights of way network, natural green spaces and the highways network. Pay as you go scheme A Community Payback pay as you go scheme has been set up in partnership with Worcestershire County Council for its Parishes. There are nearly 200 Parishes in Worcestershire and the scheme enables them to request a days work in their area and pay an agreed sum of money for the work. Work may include clearing rubbish, footpath clearance, painting parish halls and clearing gullies. Telford and Wrekin Council have replicated this model in their area. Shropshire Council s Outdoor Recreation Service West Mercia Probation Trust work in partnership with Shropshire Council s Outdoor Recreation Service on improving recreation opportunities for local communities. The project started in the summer and will run for two years initially. The offenders work on the rights of way network and council owned parks and green spaces. They also work with the Parish Paths Partnership and are in the process of improving a section of the Shropshire Way footpath which was suffering from erosion. Deb Hughes, Shropshire Council s Outdoor Recreation Manager, said: In just four days the offenders and local volunteers have installed over 100 metres of the new path with support and expertise from my team. There is more to do, but this is a really positive start to a project that links offenders into local community needs and is also supporting the tourism economy in Shropshire. Community Payback Annual Report

9 Working with Criminal Justice Partners We work with the police and other organisations through local Community Safety Partnerships, which have generated a number of Community Payback projects that contribute to community safety. Projects include rubbish removal, overgrowth clearance and restoring parks and communal facilities in high vandalism areas. Suggest a Project in Wyre Forest We joined forces with Wyre Forest District Council, Wyre Forest Community Housing Group and the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership to offer local community groups a team of Community Payback workers to carry out projects that would benefit the community. Residents in some areas of Stourport and Kidderminster were invited to suggest a project that, ideally, could be sustained in the future for the community to enjoy. The scheme was advertised locally and suggestions for projects were identified around the area. Work included clearing overgrown areas and footpaths, trimming hedges, litter removal and painting fencing. This made local areas much safer and more attractive for residents to enjoy. Telford & Wrekin Community Safety Partnership The Trust has been working with Telford & Wrekin Community Safety Partnership for the last two years. Paul Fenn, Telford & Wrekin Community Safety Team Leader, said: This partnership delivers an effective and efficient Community Payback scheme across the area, allowing offenders to carry out work in priority areas but also ensuring that they can access local training and education opportunities. The group continues to go from strength to strength with the development of a 12 month rolling environmental works programme, allowing local communities to visually see the positive and very impactive work that the offenders carry out. During the year this partnership has developed links with voluntary sector organisations and are looking to include them in arrangements for next year. Community Payback staff regularly receive suggestions from Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meetings, organised by the police, where they can pick up on issues in communities that may be addressed with Community Payback work. Partners and Communities Together (PACT) In Kidderminster, work parties have been carrying out targeted litter picks during the year in areas that have been suggested at local PACT meetings. Sentencers are kept regularly informed about Community Payback projects in their areas at their Probation forums held three times a year. Magistrates are offered the opportunity of visiting Community Payback projects in their area to observe the work in action an opportunity that is regularly taken up. Community Payback Annual Report

10 Working with other Organisations We also work with a whole host of other organisations carrying out Community Payback work, such as community centres, schools, colleges, charitable organisations and churches. Some are one-off jobs and others have more permanent arrangements. Here are some examples from around the area:- Work with the National Trust such as maintaining pathways and clearance takes place across the area for example at Dudmaston, Hanbury Hall and Brockhampton. Work continues with the Canals Trust providing litter and fly tip removal and mowing and strimming the tow path. Working with local friends of... community groups to improve open areas and footpaths in local communities. Offenders work at Wharf Meadow Animal Sanctuary maintaining the site and helping out with the animals. We work with charity shops around the area. We continue to work with numerous churches around the area, maintaining their graveyards and carrying out other work. We work with the local charity, Redditch Wheels Project, to help maintain the skate park and BMX track for residents to use. Redditch Cricket, Rugby and Hockey Club is a community sports facility. We help with maintenance and upkeep of the grounds and buildings. Some of our work comes directly from the general public via a Community Payback nomination process. Anyone can access our website and nominate a project in their local area, provided it meets with the criteria listed. Nominations can be made on our website at on the Community Payback page. Joint work with Education, Training and Employment Unemployed offenders sentenced to Community Payback are assessed for employment, training and education needs at the induction stage. During the course of undertaking Community Payback a maximum of 20 per cent of an offender s hours may contribute to the achievement of specific training or education. This may be assessment of their work as they carry out specific Community Payback tasks or referral to other provisions such as college courses, specific training or job search workshops. Training carried out during the year included basic IT, numeracy and literacy training. In addition, a number of offenders undertook a health and safety qualification. We are in the process of producing a business case for a Community Payback pilot with Shropshire Council s Outdoor Recreation Service whereby Kidderminster College will assess participants for an NVQ qualification. The college has designed a work book specifically for participants. If this pilot is successful this scheme can be replicated across the Trust area. Community Payback Annual Report

11 Achievements During 2013 West Mercia Probation Trust s Community Payback provision achieved:- 116,900 offender hours worked in the community Communities benefited from unpaid work to the value of 737,639 (based on the current minimum wage) Over 325 Community Payback projects were worked on by offenders Over 325 beneficiaries benefited from Community Payback work 879 offenders successfully completed Community Payback sentences 79.9% successful completion rate of Community Payback sentences Contact: Jackie Bell West Mercia Probation Trust 90 Mill Street Kidderminster DY11 6XA head.office@west-mercia.probation.gsi.gov.uk Community Payback Annual Report

12 Community Payback Annual Report