Agenda item - Graffiti Strategy

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)           That the committee approve the Graffiti Reduction Strategy attached at Appendix 1.

2)           That the Environment, Transport and Sustainability (ETS) committee agree to the initiation of a consultation with businesses, statutory undertakers and private property owners in relation to a new enforcement process requiring property owners to remove graffiti within an agreed timeframe and that a process for enforcement of graffiti removal is brought back to committee for approval. 

3)           That the committee agree to officers exploring the feasibility of City Environment providing a chargeable graffiti removal service to owners of private and commercial buildings that will be brought back to committee for approval.

47.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that proposed a Graffiti Reduction Strategy that set out how the council and partner agencies could work together to reduce criminal damage caused by graffiti.

47.2      Councillor Peltzer Dunn stated that it may be unfair to fine property owners as they were the victims of graffiti rather than the offenders and may not have the financial means to do so. Furthermore, Councillor Peltzer Dunn noted that graffiti east of Hove Lagoon had been reported three times over 68 days and therefore, the council was not adhering to its own policy on removal.

47.3      The Head of Operations- Cityclean explained the council only had duty for removal of graffiti from its own buildings.

47.4      Councillor Miller stated that he believed that interpretation and enforcement of what was graffiti and what was graffiti art may be difficult given the numerous examples of the latter in the city. Councillor Miller added the strategy needed some tweaking in relation to costs and that he wholly disagreed with punishing the victims of graffiti with the cost of removal.

47.5      The Chair clarified that the proposals were intended to give the council greater powers to take action against large businesses that refused to remove graffiti from their buildings rather than increase enforcement action against individual property owners.

47.6      The Assistant Director, City Environmental Management explained that enforcement would be proportionate to circumstance and the Strategy was intended as an outline to guide the consultation and the detail of the action plan and that would be presented to a future meeting of the committee.

47.7      Councillor Wares stated that the Strategy was more of a discussion paper and the consultation had not yet started and therefore, proposed that recommendation 2.1 be changed to read: “that the committee notes the draft Graffiti Reduction Strategy attached at Appendix 1”. Councillor Wares added that he had concern that the council could take enforcement action against people who themselves were the victims of crime.

47.8      The Chair stated that she was not prepared to accept the proposal as the Strategy was a good one in its current form. The Chair added that it was important to send a strong message that the council intended to crack down on graffiti and clear up the city. The Chair noted that London Boroughs already had graffiti enforcement powers that had were not provided to authorities outside London and therefore, it was necessary to take an alternative route.  The Chair stated that sensitive work would be undertaken to support and develop existing community work alongside giving the council greater powers to enforce graffiti removal from commercial premises. The Chair reminded Members that the fuller action plan would be presented to the committee for approval.

47.9      RESOLVED-

1)           That the committee approve the Graffiti Reduction Strategy attached at Appendix 1.

2)           That the Environment, Transport and Sustainability (ETS) committee agree to the initiation of a consultation with businesses, statutory undertakers and private property owners in relation to a new enforcement process requiring property owners to remove graffiti within an agreed timeframe and that a process for enforcement of graffiti removal is brought back to committee for approval. 

3)           That the committee agree to officers exploring the feasibility of City Environment providing a chargeable graffiti removal service to owners of private and commercial buildings that will be brought back to committee for approval.