Leading councillors at Chichester District Council have agreed to allocate £30,000 to tackle a recent increase in graffiti and fly posting across the district.
A targeted removal campaign will be delivered over a twelve-month period. Information about graffiti and fly poster removal will also be collected, including identifying hot spots, common themes, and repeat offenders. This will be shared with the police and other agencies and recommendations will be made for the future management of graffiti.
Cllr Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for Chichester Contract Services and the Environment at Chichester District Council, says: “We have seen a significant increase in the amount of graffiti and ‘tagging’ that is appearing across the district, and so this campaign aims to tackle this problem head on.
“We know how strongly people feel about this, especially as high levels of graffiti can be associated with anti-social behaviour, fly tipping and crime in general.
“Tackling this issue is also a priority for our partners, including the Community Safety Partnership, and so it is very much about working together to tackle this crime. Our Community Wardens also play an important role in this, working closely with the police and local communities to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
“We live in one of the most beautiful and safest parts of the country and we want to make sure that it stays that way.”
Under the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, Chichester District Council is responsible for keeping highways and public areas clean. This includes the removal of litter, detritus and fly tipped waste, but it does not require the removal of graffiti and flyposting. Instead, it recommends local agencies work together on an agreed approach.
Chichester District Council hopes that the £30,000 investment in the targeted removal campaign will not only help to tackle the problem but will also shape how the council and its partners manage graffiti in the future.
