Graffiti
IN THIS ARTICLE
- What is graffiti?
- Why is it a problem?
- What is the council doing about it?
- Report graffiti
What is graffiti?
Graffiti comes in many different forms, from spray can scrawl to acid etching. It can consist of slogans, stencils or tags that can be used to identify an individual or group.
Why is it a problem?
Graffiti is an offensive eyesore that makes areas look neglected, encourages anti-social behaviour and increases the fear of crime. One relatively small piece of graffiti can have a disproportionately detrimental impact on an otherwise well-maintained neighbourhood.
What is the council doing about it?
To tackle the problem of graffiti, Colchester Borough Council (CBC) have adopted a ‘clean all’ approach within a coordinated structured programme. This can include removing graffiti on private land (once a disclaimer form has been signed by the landowner) as graffiti offenders do not distinguish between public and privately owned property.
However, this approach does not relinquish property owners from their responsibility to contribute to the local environmental quality. Indeed, any property owner, including public utility companies, who are regularly the victim of criminal damage, are expected to contribute towards the service provision and work in partnership with us.
There are several different removal techniques and we will employ the one that best suits each individual instance. These may include chemical removal, hot wash and in some cases patch painting in a reasonably similar shade to the surrounding area.
Pictures are taken for evidence of repeat offenders and passed to the police for prosecution. All landowners that suffer from instances of graffiti are encouraged to report the crime as criminal damage to the police either via 101 or online.
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