FOI Request - Community Payback Orders
Request 101002968832
1) How the local authority social work services team decides on the activities that can be carried out by offenders as part of the unpaid work requirement of a Community Payback Order.
2) The current activities within the local authority that can be carried out as part of an unpaid work requirement of a Community Payback Order as of 18 January 2022. If the local authority does not keep a definitive list at any given point in time, please list all activities that contributed towards an unpaid work requirement of a Community Payback Order since 1 April 2021.
3) The total number of outstanding unpaid work hours that need to be completed as part of Community Payback Orders within the local authority as of 18 January 2022.
Response 14-02-22
1. How the local authority social work services team decides on the activities that can be carried out by offenders as part of the unpaid work requirement of a Community Payback Order.
We promote our service on Twitter and use the feedback from this to inform our work. We have no shortage of requests from the community as word of mouth gets around as to the type of work we carry out. We try to ensure that all areas of Moray are carried out evenly however during the pandemic this has been more problematic due to limitations on our use of transport. We also assess work that is suitable each day dependant on the skills of those attending for unpaid work i.e. we undertake an assessment at the commencement of their order as to what types of work they are skilled at/interested in and we utilise the skills and interests of those subject to court orders.
2. The current activities within the local authority that can be carried out as part of an unpaid work requirement of a Community Payback Order as of 18 January 2022. If the local authority does not keep a definitive list at any given point in time, please list all activities that contributed towards an unpaid work requirement of a Community Payback Order since 1 April 2021.
Routine squad work includes; painting and decorating of community and school halls; general tidy up of environment and community areas; litter collection; grass cutting and gardening; maintenance of footpaths in rural locations; snow and ice clearing during winter months; woodworking; bench making; making raised beds and craftwork which benefits day centres; nurseries and coastal paths etc.; collecting and delivering for the Christmas Toy Appeal. Every year we also have “one off” requests, for example assisting with the erection of a memorial Christmas tree in Lossiemouth in 2021. Due to COVID-19 restrictions there have been the development of ‘work from home’ activities such as bird box making. Individual placements have not been as available due to the restrictions in place however there have been hours of unpaid work completed at Forres in Bloom during this period.
3. The total number of outstanding unpaid work hours that need to be completed as part of Community Payback Orders within the local authority as of 18 January 2022.
9843 hours