Community Payback provides a clean sweep at Chesil Beach. During the first weekend of 2010 two large groups of offenders cleared a significant amount of rubbish from Chesil Beach.
Under the Supervision of Graham Metcalfe, a Dorset Probation Area Community Payback Supervisor, an area of beach approximately a quarter of a mile long was cleared. The rubbish was placed in bags and collected by the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council Waste Management Services.
An Unpaid Work Requirement of between 40 and 300 hours can be added to a Community Order which is a legal requirement. Whilst subject to such an order, good behaviour, punctuality and hard work are ensured by experienced Supervisors. Discipline is firm but fair. Unacceptable behaviour and failure to attend, results in robust breach action being taken by the Offender Manager with the matter being returned and dealt with by the Court.
Mike Thomas, Unit Manager of the Dorset Community Payback Scheme commented on the "suitability of the Chesil Beach site to provide offenders with demanding, unpaid work". This enables offenders to "payback their community for offences that they have committed against them." The beach is owned by the Crown Estates.
Projects are not permitted to involve work which would normally be done by paid employees and have to meet certain health and safety requirements. But within these guidelines there is plenty of scope for people to choose exactly what happens in their area. Mike Thomas stated that "we encouraging communities to take this opportunity to identify work that they would like to see done and nominate their projects by contacting the: Dorset Probation Community Payback Unit". Telephone: 01929 556513, or email: community.payback@dorset.probation.gsi.gov.uk