Offenders’ paint job far from perfect

Villagers stepped in to paint the new Muskham Rural Community Centre after work by young offenders on a rehabilitation scheme failed to meet expectations.

The chairman of North Muskham Parish Council, Mr Ian Harrison, said they wanted to give young offenders a chance and so signed up with the Notts Remedi scheme — a victim/offender mediation and restorative justice initiative.

He said they were told all offenders would be supervised by a competent tradesmen.

Mr Harrison said the group arrived last week to start work at 11am, but he was called to the hall at 4pm to find paint splattered on the wood-grain doors and window frames.

“There was in places more paint on the floors than the walls. The sink taps had a coating and there were large paint drip runs down the skirting boards,” he said.

He rang the scheme management to end the agreement and asked them to return to remove the unwanted paint. He said they returned for just 15 minutes the next day but did not remedy the situation.

Mr Harrison said they were unable to afford professional decorators and decided to appeal to villagers to help.

As a result a group spent the weekend painting the walls of the changing rooms, kitchen and meeting rooms.

The volunteers will return at 9am tomorrow and would welcome anyone else able to help. They should bring their own paint rollers and trays.

The building, to open in November, will be used for groups from pre-school to pensioners and is being paid for with a £350,000 National Lottery grant, £50,000 from Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd, £50,000 from Biffa waste management company, £60,000 from fundraising and a £55,000 loan from North Muskham Parish Council.

No one from Remedi was available to comment.