Graffiti will be in the spotlight in Nottingham as part of a dedicated period of action to help clear the city and advise residents and businesses on how they can help tackle the problem.

The action is part of Nottingham City Council’s Big Spring Clean campaign and saw the launch of Nottingham City Council’s new graffiti booklet and a blitz on city centre graffiti hot spots.

The booklet details the City Council’s strict policy on graffiti and how they will pursue the prosecution of those identified doing graffiti and provide support and advice to organisations and businesses requesting help to tackle graffiti.

Residents can help tackle the problem by reporting all instances of graffiti online at www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk or by calling 9152000. If people know who is responsible for doing the graffiti they could be in line for a cash reward, if the information leads to a conviction.

Shops are urged to support the work by the City Council by not selling products that can be used for graffiti – such as spray paint or marker pens - to anyone who is or appears to be under 16 so it is harder for graffiti vandals to get their supplies.

Businesses that find graffiti on their own property are also advised to contact the City Council for advice on prevention and removal. The council will provide a graffiti removal and anti-graffiti coating service to businesses at a very competitive rate.

The action will continue throughout the coming weeks where the team will tackle other hot spot areas including:

• Notts County Football Ground, Iremongers Road entrance, on Monday March 17 at 12 midday, with Notts County FC managers and players giving a helping hand.
• Bulwell Market Place on Tuesday March 18.
• Clifton Main Shopping Street on Wednesday March 19 with the Youth Offending Team.
• Bracebridge Drive Shops, Bilborough, and surrounding area on Wednesday March 26.
• Gregory Boulevard and surrounding areas on Thursday March 27.

Councillor Katrina Bull, Portfolio Holder for Environmental and Climate Change, Nottingham City Council said: “Even a small amount of graffiti can misrepresent a neighbourhood’s image – even more so if the graffiti is racist or otherwise particularly offensive. In Nottingham we take the view that all graffiti is unacceptable and the Council commits significant resources to keep graffiti under control.

“However removal is not our only option and we will not hesitate to pursue enforcement action against those defacing our city with graffiti. The Council is keen to work with businesses to keep graffiti under control and I am urging businesses across the city to support the anti-graffiti initiative and believe that by working together we can show that graffiti is not welcome in our city.”

Notes:

• Nottingham City Council clears approximately over 70,000 square metres of graffiti across the city a year which costs £250,000. They will remove offensive graffiti, (racist, sexually explicit, abusive or names an individual) within 24 hours of being reported and all other graffiti in public places within 48 hours.

• Those caught applying graffiti can be prosecuted and the maximum fine is £5,000. The City Council has the power to issue £75 fixed penalty notices to anyone caught doing graffiti and persistent offenders may be issued with an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.