A COMMUNITY payback supervisor has resigned after confessing to using council vans to carry out cash-in-hand scam.

The man was supposed to be supervising a group of criminals paying their debts to society by carrying out unpaid work such as clearing rubbish, painting school railings or completing other work for the benefit of the community.

Instead, he allowed his work crew to take on paid work, out with the Renfrewshire area, using council vehicles and council waste disposal facilities.

A report to Renfrewshire Council’s Audit, Scrutiny and Petitions Board stated: “The Officer involved admitted to undertaking unauthorised work out with the Renfrewshire area, and using the Renfrewshire Council’s vehicle and waste disposal facilities to dispose of materials.

“He also admitted involving all client groups in these activities.

"The employee resigned shortly after the interview.”

Courts are given the power to sentence offenders of certain crimes to undertake between 40 and 300 hours of Community Payback.

This work is unpaid and demanding work that is aimed at giving something to local communities and forcing offenders to repay the community for the wrong they have done.

The council report continued: “The risks attached to working with these clients groups, warrants close scrutiny to all procedures and activities.

“However it was found that the procedures in place did not provide adequate assurance that the activities were being closely monitored by Community Payback Service management.

“Furthermore, internal control procedures were not sufficiently robust to adequately prevent or detect misuse of council resources.”

A Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “Community Payback Orders deliver significant work in the community for the community with nearly 64,000 hours of unpaid work being carried out each year.

“Where a person is given a Community Payback Order they are fully risk assessed and assigned appropriate work to do.

“In this case allegations were made that a team of service users were being taken off their assigned tasks.

“These allegations were taken very seriously.

"We launched a full investigation as soon as they were brought to our attention.

“During the course of the investigation the member of staff involved resigned."

“A full review of procedures has been undertaken to ensure that the Community Payback Service continues to be an effective way of rehabilitating offenders and helping them to make a valuable contribution to their community.”