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Following a brief TV appearance on the BBC Crimewatch Road Show, The Gazette spent time seeing what all the hype was about. Although the Isle of Wight does not have a major problem with graffiti, the council and its partners are keen to remove any graffiti and keep areas clean.
The Isle of Wight Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, of which Isle of Wight Council is a member, has allocated £30,000 this year to tackle graffiti removal, following successful campaigns during 'Not in My Neighbourhood Week' in 2007 and 2008. The Gazette spent the day with the graffiti removal contractor Community Clean who has been touring the Island in a bid to get rid of graffiti.
Much of the graffiti and the tags that the Communtiy Clean team remove as part of their everyday work have been reported by residents to the council via a special graffiti hotline or web form, where pictures of the tags can be uploaded.
Since March 1 there have been 361 tags reported by frontline staff, including Environment and Neighbourhood Officers, PSCO's and Police Officers from safer neighbourhood teams, as well as the members of the public. Graffiti is removed from all types of property, including public and private properties.
Andy House from Community Clean said:
"The
project so far has been an unprecedented
success
and a tribute to the staff involved.
However, this
is
just the first stage of the clean
up and we are
not
complacent and expect our
work to continue
for
some time to come. The
sooner perpetrators
realise that we are serious
about keeping the
Island graffiti free and stop
wasting everyone's
time and money the better.
It's really good to see
the public who has
supported us in this initiative
and encourage them
to report fresh outbreaks
when they occur."
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Last year the IW Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership announced an ongoing purge on the illegal and unsightly graffiti that blight the island.
It is hoped that removal of long standing graffiti will produce a 'clean sheet' in neighbourhoods and deter further graffiti tagging. It would also make it easier to identify and report fresh tags and this, coupled with education and enforcement, should send a tough message to graffiti vandals.
The IW Council is encouraging residents and traders to report graffiti as part of the project. The hotline is 01983 823515 and the council will record all new graffiti that is reported and share that information with Hampshire and IW Police. Alternatively, residents can report graffiti and upload photos at: www.iwight.com/graffiti
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