Borough Getting to Grips with Graffiti

A multi-agency project, supported by the Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, Cheshire County Council, Social Landlords, Cheshire Fire Service, Police and Probation has seen criminal damage across the Borough reduced by 25% in the last 12 months.

Far from resting on their laurels, the Community Safety Partnership has launched a project aimed at reducing criminal damage even further.  By targeting activity on the 30 most vulnerable streets in Crewe and Nantwich, the initiative intends to reduce recorded and repeat incidents by a further 20% over the next 12 months.  A criminal damage operational group has been set up to tackle this crime by concentrating on initiatives such as environmental audits, high visibility patrols conducted by police, PCSO’s and Community Wardens.  They will be supported by increased use of mobile CCTV, ‘Whatever it Takes’ impact weeks, the use of the Probation Service visible unpaid work scheme and the rapid removal of graffiti.

Graffiti removal plays a large part in the Community Safety Partnership’s activity and it has been working hard to ensure that, in areas blighted by graffiti, it is removed swiftly and effectively.  Community groups, agencies and members of the public will be able to report graffiti to the Borough Council’s Streetwise team.  The Probation Service will then use their visible unpaid work scheme (formerly known as ‘community payback’) to clean up these areas.

Nordic Pioneer Ltd have delivered fully accredited training in the use of the graffiti removal equipment and environmentally friendly products in the last two weeks to officers from the Probation Service, as well as Borough Council Community Wardens and staff from Wulvern Housing.  The training and equipment for graffiti removal has been provided by the Safer Communities Partnership and Cheshire Fire Service who have also hosted the training Events at Crewe Fire Station.

Nationally, there are over 2.5 million incidents of criminal damage recorded at a cost of £2.2 billion pounds annually.  It costs our communities an estimated £19 million or £53,170 every day according to National Audit Office figures.  In Cheshire, there are a recorded 22,410 incidents of criminal damage annually.

Commenting on the multi-agency programme, Borough Councillor John Dwyer, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, said:  “There can be no doubt that graffiti is mindless vandalism which makes an area feel unsafe.  I am delighted that we have been able to invest in equipment and skills to quickly remove graffiti when it is spotted and I know that this will make a significant contribution to making our residents feel safer.”

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28^th January 2008

COUNCIL CONTACT:      
Carol Hill – Safer Communities Project  
Tel: 01270 537178           

news.views@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk