Wednesday 29 September

Justice Secretary Jack Straw spoke to offenders and community leaders when he visited a pioneering Community Payback project in Brighton on Monday 28 September.

Taking time out from the Labour Party conference Mr Straw spent more than an hour at the Bristol Estate, where offenders have completed nearly 9,000 hours of work since January 2008.

The project is an excellent example of the community working closely with Sussex Probation Area to direct the work being carried out by offenders, with an emphasis on making the estate look better and feel safer.

Work carried out has included:

• Refurbishing the basements of 11 tower blocks
• Painting old internal coal storage areas, bin stores, communal hallways and porches throughout the estate
• Cutting back overgrown and overhanging branches, bushes and undergrowth to prevent them being used as cover by street drinkers and drug users
• Planting new beds and shrubs
• Clearing litter and fly-tipped rubbish
• Renovating allotments

• see the Gallery of his visits