Information on Loughborough

Graffiti in Loughborough and Charnwood

Posted on 01/07/2008

graffiti in Loughborough

Cllr Max Hunt is asking for a public debate about graffiti.  “It is clear that the Council’s current approach is too weak and not sufficiently thorough to beat the problem that persists in Loughborough”

Almost all graffiti in the Borough is found in Loughborough and is perpetrated by a very few vandals, probably with aerosols bought illegally from a few shops in the town.  

Cllr Hunt  will be raising this with questions at the Loughborough SW Area Forum on Thursday evening, saying:

“Out of 29 instance of graffiti that I have personally reported over the period, none of those on cable or utility cabinets have been cleaned.  Nor has action been taken against the companies concerned as the law provides and promised in the protocol.  With a few notable exceptions, the Council’s own property remains blighted with little interest in cleaning it within the seven days stipulated.  Other graffiti on commercial premises stares out at shoppers for far too long.”

Cllr Hunt says the Council must get round the table with utilities, businesses and other public bodies to solve the problem.  He acknowledge that recently equipment has been deployed on private and public property, such as the underpass into Queens Park and True Lovers Walk, but this is unsustainable unless we act together:

Cllr Hunt is proposing a five point plan to clean up the town properly:

  • Address the small number of vandals responsible for graffiti and drive down the problem.
  • Tackle the retailers illegally selling aerosols to minors.
  • Introduce a graffiti hotline and text line for rapid reporting, as well as using Street Wardens and Inspectors.
  • Work together with the utilities, businesses and public bodies to remove graffiti and fly-posting with minimal delay.
  • Share the costs with public utilities and other bodies.

    This is the approach advocated by the Environment Department, DEFRA and Charnwood needs to follow it.