Take Advantage of Free Graffiti Cleaning

6.09.05pm GMT Tue 6th Nov 2007

Cllr Dave Wood with graffiti in Eastcott

From the Swindon Advertiser: GRAFFITI continues to scar the town because homeowners are not giving graffiti cleaners permission to remove tags.

More than 900 private properties in the town are still marked with tags despite Swindon Council offering to wipe them off for free.

The council has sent out 1,427 disclaimers since April asking residents whether they want the graffiti on their homes removed.

But less than one third - 472 - have sent them back.

The council has run a number of Safe and Clean days throughout the town to blitz graffiti.

Park North, Broadgreen and Eastcott are among the areas that have been cleaned.

Only 24 households out of 120 in Broadgreen returned disclaimers allowing the council to wipe away tags on the Safe and Clean Day.

By mid-October only another eight more had been sent back.

The council says it has received no feedback on why residents are not allowing them to clean their properties.

Coun Martin Wiltshire (Eastcott, Lib Dem) said it was a shame more people didn't give permission during a Safe and Clean Day in Eastcott.

He said: "We cleaned off the graffiti from places we had permission for, but couldn't clean the rest where we didn't have consent.

"Sometimes we have to get permission from landlords who rent properties. It can be tricky to get hold of them.

"Maybe we should consider cleaning them without.

"The graffiti removal is a great service from the council, and people should take advantage of it."

Related Link:

Swindon Advertiser Full Article.