Information on Loughborough

Getting to Grips with Graffiti in Loughborough?

Posted on 04/06/2008
P. Klein

Max Hunt with Graffiti in Loughboroughs Shortcliffe Park

REVISED guidelines to brush off the problem of graffiti have been drawn up by Charnwood Borough Council.

The Authority has updated its Graffiti Protocol, which details the timescales for the treatment of all public and private buildings in the Borough that have been daubed with slogans or paintings. The protocol states that Charnwood will clean off all racist, political, sexist, homophobic, defamatory or offensive graffiti off Council property within 24 hours of it being reported.

Officers will also clean it off domestic and private properties as long as written permission from the owner has been achieved.

The Council will not initially clean offensive graffiti off commercial properties, which includes cable boxes, and instead request it is removed within 24 hours of it being reported. Non-abusive graffiti will be removed from all public buildings within seven days by the Council – and from private and domestic properties as long as written permission has been obtained.

Cllr Mike Preston, Charnwood Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “This protocol sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour such as graffiti. We will aim to deal swiftly with the problem and work closely with the owners of commercial properties to ensure graffiti is removed from their buildings.

However the announcement has been met cynicism by the leader of Loughborough Labour group. Responding to the revised graffiti protocol announced by the Council today, Labour Leader, Max Hunt said "We have asked the Council to forego its £4,500 Annual Dinner to devote some real resources to a proper clean up. But with no resources are these just fine words or will resources be taken from other areas to provide the service. The graffiti on the Councils own play equipment in Shortcliffe Park was reported over a month ago and nothing has been done. It is now subject of an official complaint.

Cllr Neville Stork said: "Cable Cabinets have not been cleaned since the first protocol was published in March, so what credibility has this new document. The Council needs to get together with cable companies, post, electric and others whose property suffers and work together; what is actually proposed feels like a paperchase for bureaucrats."