RESIDENTS of Chepstow have expressed their concerns after proposals for convicted criminals to clean up the town were rejected by Chepstow Town Council (CTC).

Proposed help from the Community Payback Service to help clean up Chepstow, which would have entailed having up to eight people per day working in the town undertaking tasks such as removing weeds, picking up litter and general maintenance (painting benches, cleaning signs etc.) free of charge as part of their community payback service.

In a letter to councillors seen by the Beacon, Dr Sue Kingdom, secretary of Chepstow Chamber of Trade and Commerce, wrote expressing her “grave disappointment” about the decision.

“We feel strongly that this offer would have helped improve the town from both a business and general well being perspective (especially as a potential budget of £2,000 from CTC had been identified),” she said.

“The offer made was £50 per day to cover the cost of an appropriate supervisor to co-ordinate the activities of up to eight people per day, participating in the Community Payback Scheme.

“Up to eight people per day for £50 is an extremely cost effective means to pick up a significant amount of litter and/or pull up a significant amount of weeds, clean signs, bins, carry out general maintenance etc; all of which need to be attended to within the town.

“Weeds, litter and poor maintenance make our town look ‘dead end’, does not help attract footfall and is unpleasant to live with.”

The issue was discussed at a meeting of Chepstow Town Council on 27th September, where councillors were concerned about the charge to the council for paying for the probation officer.

Monmouthshire County Council, which would have coordinated the maintenance programme, had previously agreed to pay half of the original £100-a-day cost.

The Probation Service is unable to make a profit or charge for service user time, and this charge would therefore have contributed towards petrol costs, equipment and protective clothing for the service users.