Who Clears the Graffiti?

Graffiti clear Jul 14 We’ve had a recent spate of graffiti here in Botley. Well, if May is considered ‘recent’.

In the spring, we were tagged with ‘Mango’. It was everywhere: bus shelters, utility cabinets, buildings in West Way, A34 underpasses, grit bins, other places. The Louie Memorial Pavilion was a big target.

So, you may ask, who is responsible for cleaning it up? Vale? County? Parish? Me?

I went to the Vale officers in late May to ask for advice and help. Officers from the Community Safety team visited the area and called on owners of some of the defaced property, and also notified the police to be vigilant.

Some of the tagging has been cleaneStella Bella Stellad up, but not all.

The Vale website has information about who is legally responsible for clean-up: http://www.whitehorsedc.gov.uk/services-and-advice/environment/street-cleaning/graffiti

Essentially, the owner of the property is responsible for its removal.

For phone boxes and utility cabinets, it is the relevant company (numbers are on the website).

For bus stops, it’s the county council.

For bus shelters, it’s the parish council.

For Louie Memorial Pavilion, Muga and playing fields, it’s the parish council.

For street name plates, or the public toilets at West Way, it’s the Vale. To report graffiti on property owned by Vale of White Horse District Council, please contact our waste contractors Biffa by emailing admin.vale@biffa.co.uk or calling 03000 610610 (local call rate).

The volunteer supporters of the Louie Memorial Pavilion had a clean-up day in July. Adults and kids got stuck in, painting over the defaced surfaces, and trying to make the pavilion less attractive as a target.

I would sure like to see the bus shelter on Arnold’s Way cleaned up. It’s been awful for a long time. If a parish councillor is reading this blog post, how about it? Could you ask the PC to organise a graffiti clear up?