A COUNCILLOR wants criminals to put something back into Ramsbottom by clearing its buildings of obscene graffiti.

Coun Barry Theckston has applied to the National Probation Service for local offenders who have been sentenced to do unpaid work, to spend some of it cleaning the graffiti off walls in Ramsbottom town centre.

Coun Theckston said: "There is graffiti, some of which is offensive and insulting, in high profile parts of the town centre such as near the Co-op, and the youth centre in Central Street, and it needs removing, it's making the place look a mess.

"The building near the Co-op is also very close to a nursery, young children shouldn't have to see such offensive language.

"I would of course have preferred for those who actually did the graffiti to be caught and made to clean it off themselves, but this is the next best thing."

He has spoken to the probation service and officially nominated the project under the Community Payback scheme, which was launched last year to involve the public in how unpaid work tasks are selected.

Its aim is to make the unpaid work performed by offenders more visible and more representative of communities' needs.

Coun Theckston said: "The probation service said they were interested in the project, so I'm waiting to hear whether it will go ahead.

"I think businesses and residents would be very happy to see the town cleaned up."

Offenders are sentenced by the courts to perform up to 300 hours of unpaid work -previously known as community service - often ordered by magistrates for offences such as anti-social behaviour, vandalism and graffiti.

Some five million hours of unpaid work are carried out every year in England and Wales. Projects include graffiti removal, redecorating community centres and environmental work.

As well as carrying out work, offenders acquire skills which are useful in the job market.

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