Telford & Wrekin Co-operative Council seeing results in Brookside

The council has been working alongside the Probation Service to identify areas in which community payback could be utilised to support the council by undertaking work which current service provision does not cover.

The council say the outcome of the work will be a better environment which will enhance the quality of life for local residents.

Taking place in Brookside, seven community payback workers, along with a supervisor, have begun to carry out tasks to make the public areas a more pleasant place to be.

This work includes leaf sweeping, weeding and general tidying. All these jobs help to create a better atmosphere and adds value to the councils existing service, but they are jobs which the council themselves is not able to offer through the current maintenance contract.

Much of the work taking place is due to the Brookside Improvement Group, an independent group set up approximately two years ago, who are keen to tidy up Brookside and help to improve the general health of it’s residents.

The group has been carrying out monthly walk abouts to identify problem areas as well as receiving feedback from Brookside residents on their views. In the past they have carried out some simple tasks themselves and reported others to the Council, who they have worked closely with since the beginning.

Previously areas of work identified that were not appropriate for the residents to carry out, and those tasks which the Council does not have within their maintenance contract were not able to be done.

This Co-operative pilot scheme, whereby community payback workers carry out work not in the Councils maintenance contract, means much more can be done within Brookside.

The council and probation service have agreed that Community Payback workers will be improving many areas of Brookside over the next 12 months, working two days a week.

Cllr Hilda Rhodes, Cabinet Member for Transport & Community Protection, said: “It is a real testament to the new Co-operative Council approach that we have been able to work so successfully with the Probation Service to offer a service that will make a real difference to the residents of Brookside.

“This is just one of many initiatives that will be seen across the borough in the coming years, and I’m delighted with the positivity that working as a Co-operative Council is bringing.

“Council officers, ward members and parish councillors have also been carrying out walk abouts through Brookside to support the work of the Brookside Improvement Group by identifying work which community payback can help with, which falls outside of the Councils maintenance contract.

“I look forward to seeing the results in Brookside over the next few months.”