Last week I mentioned that we had noticed a sharp rise in graffiti tags around the ward.
I received an email today from a constituent about this problem:
'...just to report an increase in the last week or so of graffiti on the walls and a garage door as well as the green "junction boxes" between Allcroft Road and the top of Redlands. I also note that the bus stop at the green has been attacked again as have the fronts of the shops. I have reported the walls and garage door to the police following a recent article in the Evening Post but have heard nothing more. I have also seen fresh graffiti this morning on the way to work on the Reading Bowling Club building on Kendrick Road - it's a real mess!'
Jonny Fordham's article in the Evening Post to which my correspondent refers helped to raise the profile of this issue and I hope the number of reports to the Council and the Police have increased.
I quizzed Superintendent Steve Kirk last night at a meeting of the Safer Reading Campaign about what was being done locally to catch the taggers responsible.
The Police have had some successes but it is difficult for them to catch taggers when this offence is just one in a long list of local priorities.
He admitted that although the 'Big Clean Up Campaign' led by the Council, working closely with the Police had been effective in reducing the amount of graffiti on our streets, resources were now being diverted elsewhere.
This is a concern. While criminal damage may appear to be a minor offence, graffiti can make our neighbourhoods look very rundown, as well as lead to other anti-social behaviour creeping up in an area.
Each month Kirsten, Glenn and I get lots of emails about graffiti so it clearly is an issue that local people get very fed up about.
Until a couple of years ago, and active campaigning by the Lib Dems the Council used to charge residents for graffiti removal. We think that the free graffiti removal service should continue.
As my constituent points out our area is becoming a mess. Sadly, it seems every year Redlands is the target for taggers, I'm not quite sure why.
I will be making urgent enquiries about what resources are at the Council's disposal to ensure the good work achieved by the Streetcare team and local Police in tackling graffiti over the last couple of years is not undone.
The Council and Police must not let vandals hijack our streets and open spaces. Now is not the time to let taggers off the hook.
That all important info again: If you come across graffiti in your area please report it to the Police on 0845 8 505 505 so it can be logged on their database of tags. The Council will also remove the graffiti free of charge - call Streetcare on 0800 834 035.
Comments