Public invited to Justice Service open day in Dingwall – 12 November 2025
The Highland Council’s Justice Service team in Dingwall will be hosting an open day on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. This is a chance for members of the public to come along and find out more about community sentences in Scotland, particularly in Dingwall and the surrounding area.
The open day will be divided into four public sessions. Social Work staff will be explaining some of the justice process with emphasis on the work that The Highland Council Justice Service provides to the Court, the Parole Board, Scottish Ministers and other stakeholders. This will include information about the interventions provided to individuals with a range of needs including Sex Offender and Domestic Abuse treatment programmes, etc.
Each session will be divided in two separate informal presentations; one explaining sentencing and what it means for individuals to complete a Community Payback Order or to be on any type of licence and another session showcasing the work that has been carried out over the years in Dingwall by individuals receiving unpaid work requirements as part of their sentences.
Chair of the Dingwall and Seaforth Committee, Councillor Graham MacKenzie commented: “The Council’s Justice Service plays an important role in our communities throughout the region and provides support and supervision to offenders, aiming to help them reintegrate into the community and address issues that lead to offending. Importantly, they aim to put offenders in a position to gain new skills and confidence to enable them to avoid reoffending while making a positive contribution to their local communities.
“This open day will provide members of the public with an opportunity to gain an insight into the service and find out more about the excellent work going on locally.”
Examples of community sentences carried out in the local area include:
- Support provided to elderly residents living in sheltered housing schemes across Ross-shire. Following requests from Sheltered Housing Wardens, the team agreed to maintain communal outdoor spaces at six sheltered housing schemes. Their work includes regular grass cutting, weeding, and path clearing throughout the summer months. This initiative not only provides a vital service to vulnerable residents but also eases pressure on Council resources, offering a cost-effective solution at a time of financial constraint.
- Saltburn Community Council partnered with the Community Payback Team to transform the Saltburn Community Gardens into a more accessible and productive space for local residents. The project involved dividing the garden into a series of raised beds with footpaths in between, making it easier for users to navigate and maintain the area. The team constructed the beds using reclaimed scaffold boards, secured with wooden stakes, and filled them with soil ready for planting. Weed control fabric and stone chips were laid to form clean, low-maintenance paths between each bed. Over 156 hours were dedicated to this initiative, which has significantly improved the functionality and appearance of the gardens.
- The Community Payback Team has made a significant contribution to The Field, an outdoor initiative led by The Place Youth Club in Alness, which supports young people from diverse backgrounds through a range of projects and programmes. Since April 2023, the team has dedicated over 755 hours to developing and enhancing the site. Their work includes thinning half an acre of woodland, constructing 300 metres of bark pathways, repairing wooden huts, and installing play equipment. They also reconstructed a wooden chalet to serve as an outdoor kitchen, rebuilt a summerhouse, and created animal enclosures and stone paths. In addition, the team dismantled and relocated a gazebo, installed festive decorations including two eight-foot Christmas trees, and assisted with storm damage repairs to a large polytunnel. The project has not only benefited local youth but also provided a sense of pride and achievement for the clients involved, many of whom brought their children to enjoy the facilities they helped build.
The sessions will take place at 9.30 am, 11.00am, 1.30pm and 3.00pm and will last a maximum of 90 minutes. Anyone interested in coming along is asked to book a place on one of the sessions in advance by telephoning 01349 781 781. The Justice Service in Dingwall is located at Ross House (first floor), Wardens Lane, Dingwall, IV15 9RY.