Crowthorne Parish Council is considering using convicted criminals to do odd jobs.

The project would see criminals who have been ordered to carry out unpaid work as part of their sentences do jobs such as painting, picking up litter and raking leaves.

The council teamed up with the Thames Valley Probation Service for the plan.

Do you think it is a good idea? Why? Have a say.

Parish councillors will hear a presentation from Thames Valley Probation before they commit to the scheme.

Tina McKenzie-Boyle, chairman of the parish council, said: “There’s two sides to the argument.

"Of course there are those who have their worries, who don’t want criminals around in case they’re casing out their houses and things, and then there will be those who think it’s a good idea.

“We will have to look into the terms of what they can offer us and what sorts of services they have provided other councils with.”

Offenders who will be asked to do the work will be low-level criminals who do not pose any danger to society.

Fiona Tarrant, spokesman for the probation service, said: “There is a multitude of crimes they could have committed but they are all thoroughly risk-assessed.

“No-one convicted of fraud will work with money and no-one convicted of burglary would be able to work in close proximity to people’s homes.”

“Offenders work in teams of six or eight and are supervised. They wear tabards to let people know that they are doing community payback.”

Often the offenders get the community service order as a stand-alone punishment but sometimes it is attached to other punishments.

Bracknell Town Council adopted the scheme a year ago.

Clerk Mary Harris said: “It’s been extremely successful.

"They’ve assisted us with painting playground equipment, raking leaves, litter-picking, they’ve washed railings in playgrounds and they’ve rubbed down goalposts around the town ready for the new season.”