A GROUP of former offenders helping to spruce up Hale Cemetery in Alma Lane as part of their ‘community payback’ recently received a visit from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Surrey, David Munro.

Mr Munro, a councillor in Farnham prior to his election as PCC, said he was “thrilled” to speak to the group, supervised by the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Community Rehabilitation Company (KSS CRC), as they undertook some conservation work on behalf of Farnham Town Council.

KSS CRC delivers a range of rehabilitation services to people who have been sentenced by a court to either custody or community supervision.

During the visit, Mr Munro spoke to KSS CRC staff and service users about the underlying causes of offending which can be a result of accommodation, employment and health issues and the support available to help individuals break this cycle of reoffending.

Community payback (CP), a punishment often given as an alternative to prison, requires offenders to complete between 40 and 300 hours of unpaid work depending on the severity of the crime committed and the individual’s criminal record.

CP has many benefits including its flexibility, allowing service users to complete their CP time alongside current work commitments.

In addition, women-only groups and individual placements are available to allow service users to complete their hours in a positive environment alongside like-minded people who can mentor, motivate and exchange credible expertise encouraging them to learn new skills to support their rehabilitation.

Mr Munro said: “I am a keen advocate of rehabilitation, not just for the benefit of the offenders but I also believe this scheme, with crucial support from the criminal justice system, is essential in helping to cut crime and reduce the number of future potential victims.

“This type of work can go a huge way towards bettering those who have been in trouble with the law by offering them with an alternative to prison time and improving their integration back into the community.

“This, in turn allows them to pay their debt to society while expanding their potential to seek full time employment following the completion of projects they have been working on.

“Community Payback also goes a long way in benefiting the wider Surrey public as service users often take part in conservation work, retail work, painting and decorating and litter picking among other things.