OFFENDERS on a community payback scheme in Sandwell have been given a new graffiti removal machine.

Walls, buildings and fences across Blackheath, Rowley Regis, Oldbury and Cradley Heath are set to get cleaned with the new machine.

Sandwell Council has provided the Sandwell Community Payback Unit with the graffiti removal machine.

Councillor Simon Hackett, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for safer communities, said: “Community Payback is a very visible way for offenders to put something back into the community where they committed their crime.

“We are working with the police, Probation and other organisations to stamp out crime and anti-social behaviour in Sandwell.”

He added: “We are also responding to local people’s priorities because we know from resident surveys that the way an area looks can affect people’s feelings of safety and satisfaction in their neighbourhood.”

Phil Gilbert, Sandwell Council’s community protection manager, added: “We found that when offenders were carrying out litter and fly tipping clean ups in the borough, there was sometimes graffiti that needed removing too, but they didn’t have any equipment to do it.

“So the council has responded to this gap by providing the Community Payback team with a graffiti removal machine.

“It’s great that offenders can now do graffiti removal at the same time as clearing up litter and fly tipping.

“And this fully complements the council’s own street cleaning and graffiti removal work.”