RESIDENTS across South Lakeland are being called on to have their say on how convicted offenders pay back the community for their crimes, reports Luke Dicicco.

Under the Home Office's Community Payback scheme launched today (Wednesday), local people are being urged to decide what work offenders serving community orders, as part of their court sentence, should perform.

At present, offenders perform a variety of community-based tasks such as graffiti removal, litter picking, grass cutting and maintenance work on community buildings.

Now residents, businesses, voluntary groups, local councils and faith groups are being urged to nominate worthy projects for offenders to undertake.

Alan Gadman, Cumbria Probation Service's assistant chief officer for intervention, which includes unpaid work, urged the community to play a part in improving where they live while helping the rehabilitation of offenders.

"Communities in Cumbria have already benefited from more than 67,000 hours per year, but this work often goes unnoticed," he said. "That's why residents from across Cumbria are encouraged to support us in identifying projects that will help make their community a better place to live by becoming actively involved in the selection of unpaid work projects.

"These projects involve work that would not normally be carried out and combine demanding work with learning new skills for offenders."

After projects are completed they will be branded with a Community payback' logo to show where offenders have had a positive impact in their neighbourhood.

Community Payback was set to be launched in Cumbria at a reception at the Cumbria Park Hotel, Carlisle, involving civic leaders, community groups, businesses and beneficiaries of unpaid work projects.

The scheme is being launched in Cumbria following a successful pilot in six areas in England and Wales.