Whitworth Road to be cleaned up by offenders

One of the grot spots on Whitworth Road.

Whitworth Road has proved to be such an eyesore that residents have voted that it be the first area in Rochdale to benefit from a Community Payback clean-up.

Rochdale residents were asked to vote for their preferred projects to benefit from 'Community Payback', a scheme where the probation service arranges for offenders to make amends for the harm they have caused by carrying out supervised work in local communities.

Whitworth Road emerged as a clear winner with 70% of votes and offenders will start work at the end of this month for approximately 3 weeks.

Offenders will give the area a thorough tidy-up and will be made to work hard to clear the litter and clean up the roads, clear the pathway and cutback the overgrown shrubs and weeds.

This is first of five Community Payback clean-up projects due to be carried out this year. The other projects include Taylor Street, Spodden Street, Merefield Street and Norwich Street.

Sheila Acton, Chairman of the Healey Ward Forum, said; “I’m thrilled Whitworth Road is to benefit from a Community Payback project, and one that is necessary because the area was becoming such an eyesore. Cleaning up the area will benefit the whole community by making it a more attractive environment not only for everyone living in the area but also because it is on one of the major roads into Rochdale.

“Tough Community Payback punishments such as this mean that local communities can benefit from unpaid work and see justice being done.”

Councillor Ted Flynn, cabinet member for community safety, added: “Offenders will be punished and made to repay the community for the damage they have caused by carrying out this demanding clean-up.

“I think the Community Payback project is set to make huge improvements across the whole borough, and would encourage local people to nominate other projects that they think can benefit from this scheme.”

Nationally over 6 million hours of Community Payback is carried out by offenders each year for free. If paid at the national minimum wage, this work would be valued at £34.5 million.