Graffiti
While some people think graffiti
is an art from for most the reality is that it makes an area look
untidy, is often offensive and adds to people's perceptions that an
area is unsafe.
If graffiti is not removed it can encourage more
anti-social behaviour and crime and make people feel frightened and
intimidated.
Removing your graffiti
As part of our efforts to clean up the borough and make people feel
safe, the council will be relaunching its graffiti service.
The new service will make it easier for residents and businesses to
have small graffiti daubings removed free of charge. The graffiti
removal service will get rid off offensive scrawlings within 24
hours and all other types within five working days. The daubings
will need to be easily accessible from the ground floor.
If you are a business or resident and you'd like to notify us of
some graffiti and find out if you can have it removed free of
charge, call 020 8430 2000 or
report the incident using My Newham.
Businesses will also need to sign a disclaimer giving the council
permission to clean graffiti from their premises. However companies
that fail to sign the disclaimer and fail to keep their properties
clean will be forced to remove their graffiti and hit with a fixed
penalty notice under the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003 and the
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.
You can also help us to catch those committing these offences as by
taking photos that document the graffiti and time and place that it
has taken place. This can be used as evidence in the event that a
tagger is arrested and charged.
Protecting your property
There are a number of methods available to ensure that your
property isn't targeted by graffiti vandals:
- Avoid having outside wall painted white where possible - as
this will act as a canvas for graffiti
- Apply textured surfaces such as pebble dash to walls
- Create shrubberies against walls to restrict access to wall
surfaces
- Prevent access to high walls or roofs by coating drainpipes
with non drying paint
- Secure fencing around your property to limit easy access
- Think about installing security cameras
- Coat walls with suitable graffiti resistant coating