Graffiti is a huge problem in Brighton and Hove. Tagging scars our buildings, bus shelters, walls, play parks, bridges, telephone and electricity boxes – in fact there’s hardly a surface that graffiti vandals leave untouched.
Many residents feel it’s an issue that the council can and should solve and, believe me, as council leader I take our duty very seriously.
But as we only have responsibility for our own buildings and property, and with limited budgets, it’s a very difficult problem to crack without support.
That’s why I’m hugely encouraged that more than 1,000 people have completed our consultation into what they think are the best ways of ridding our city of graffiti.
Launched in mid-October, the consultation asks who should be responsible for removing graffiti from buildings and property owned by mobile phone providers, gas and electricity suppliers and the railway as well as smaller workplaces, private properties and of course council buildings.
The last of those is obvious and is part of what we already do and – I admit – something we must be better at.
To me, the wealthier national and, in many cases, multinational corporations must take responsibility for removing graffiti from their property or pay the council to do it.
They cannot and must not expect us to use council tax payers’ money to keep their buildings and other property graffiti-free.
Thankfully, early indications from the consultation show that most people feel the same.
More difficult is agreeing who’s responsible for removing graffiti on the buildings of smaller companies and property owned privately.
Should you, as taxpayers, be expected to shoulder this burden or should it be the property owners’ themselves, albeit with help from the council?
I can see both sides of the argument and this is part of what a consultation is all about. To try to gather as many people’s views as possible and come to a consensus on a way forward.
If you haven’t already completed the consultation, please click here to do so before it closes tomorrow (Saturday 15 December).
It only takes 10 minutes – and it’s your chance to have your say on one of the most important and contentious issues our city faces.
Councillor Nancy Platts is the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.
It should be the taggers themselves that are caught and then forced to clean every surface they have defaced, regardless of how long it takes.