A new community garden has been created in the grounds of Hawkhill Community Centre.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill, is expected to visit the site today (11 July).

The garden was created with support from the Clackmannanshire Council's Criminal Justice Service, and in particular, the unpaid work squads.

Every month in the area, hundreds of hours of unpaid work are carried out by offenders who have been required to undertake a community payback order by Alloa Sheriff Court.

A Community Payback Order is a court sentence that requires offenders to pay back to communities for their crimes by carrying out unpaid work for charities and community groups. Under the supervision of Council officers, the unpaid work squads have helped to dig and prepare the ground for planting.

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Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "The improvements made to Hawkhill Community Centre have provided the chance for low-level offenders to repay the local area for the damage they have done. It's also heartening to hear of the collaborative approach which has seen the community group work alongside offenders to create this new garden.

"As well as punishing these offenders for the crimes they have committed, this unpaid work has given them the chance to learn new skills and hopefully the opportunity to turn their backs on crime and start contributing to society.

"Since we introduced the Community Payback Order in 2011, and provided £4m of cash seized from criminals to support payback schemes, areas across the country have benefitted from new and improved leisure facilities ranging from mountain bike trails to better play parks."

Councillor Les Sharp, Housing, Health and Care Convenor and member of the Fife and Forth Valley Community Justice Authority Board, added: "From the outset of our involvement with this project it has been clear that the community group did not want tasks completed for them. The community group want to work alongside and learn from our supervisors, as well as offenders subject to unpaid work, in order to take ownership of the garden in the future.

"We have provided labour, expertise and equipment to the Hawkhill Community Centre which has facilitated the creation of a community garden."

(JP/CD)