THE lead supervisor for a community improvement scheme in Monmouthshire, which involves prison workers carrying out activities that fell previously within the council’s resources, will receive a pay rise of more than £3,000. The scheme involves prisoners from HMP Prescoed, a category D open prison just outside Usk which also operates as a satellite prison to the category C HMP Usk. Cllr Phil Murphy, the cabinet member for resources, signed off on the matter on Thursday, May 10 and will be adopted formally later this month. Nigel Leaworthy, the council’s operations manager, described the prison service placements were “valuable” to the authority and of “high-quality” in the report. He added that the community improvement teams performed activities across the county which council staff no longer did due to resource reductions. “The prison service provides a valuable placements resource to MCC [Monmouthshire County Council],” said Mr Leaworthy. “The teams carry out various operational activities for communities throughout Monmouthshire, undertaking maintenance and improvement works that are no longer undertaken by our staff due to reductions in resources. “This is a crucial role in assessing the suitability and capability of those placements and involves direct liaison with the prison service. “Our community improvement teams provide a much-valued high-quality service throughout Monmouthshire and engage daily with members, community councillors, and various clients in undertaking works within their respective wards, of which are inclusive of litter picking to trunk roads throughout Monmouthshire, path clearance, clearance of overgrown areas, grass cutting, hedge cutting.” The role has been re-evaluated and moves from one band of the council’s pay structure into a higher section, from a band E job – £20,541 to £23,111 – to band F – £23,111 to £26,470 and with five incremental points within the salary band, The position is also funded by a Welsh Government grant aimed at preserving the environment of towns across the nation. “The annual salary for post of lead community improvement supervisor would increase by £3,293.00 of which would increase annually on an incremental basis,” said Mr Leaworthy. “The post is funded wholly by Welsh Government Tidy Towns Grant funding.”