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Graffiti and Fly Posting

Graffiti

What is graffiti?

Graffiti is a term used to describe the drawings, patterns, scribbles and messages which are painted, written or carved on walls, street furniture, shop fronts, public buildings and other surfaces.

 

What is the problem with graffiti?

Problems start when graffiti is placed in a prominent place and the person responsible goes undetected during the act. Other 'artists' then follow suit and move about to expand the area in which their graffiti can be seen. If as communities we tolerate and are indifferent to the presence of this, then it can lead to more widespread defacement of an area, a very visual form of neighbourhood crime. To the owners of the property defaced by graffiti its markings are a form of vandalism. It is unwelcome, can be distressing and difficult to remove without specialised equipment.

 

What can the Council do about graffiti?

The Council may prosecute perpetrators of graffiti under the Criminal Damages Act 1971 where sufficient evidence is gained of the offence. (The Anti Social Behaviour Act allows the local authority to issue penalty notices of £50 against those responsible).

 

What can I do?

If you see anyone committing vandalism, report it to the Police, Council, school authorities, or someone who can take action. Remember, vandalism is a crime.

 

Graffiti Prevention Tips for Businesses and Freeholders

Ongoing upkeep

  • Make every effort to keep the appearance of a facility clean and neat. An exterior appearance that suggests apathy and neglect attracts vandals.
  • Littered car parks and drives, existing graffiti, broken fences, overgrown landscaping, and poor lighting all send a message to vandals that business owners are not attentive or do not care about the business.
  • Rapid and continual removal of graffiti is the best way for businesses and commercial property owners to protect the image of their street and preserve customers' sense of security. Studies show that removal within 24 to 48 hours results in a nearly zero rate of reoccurrence.

Control access

  • Incorporate shrubs, robust plants, and vines to restrict vandal's access.
  • Add or improve lighting around the building to promote natural surveillance.
  • Use fences, controlled entrances and exits, rails, and other barriers that discourage through traffic.
  • Limit access to roofs by moving Euro bins away from walls and covering drainpipes to prevent vandals from scaling them.

 

Step up security

  • Install some type of security camera.
  • Organise a 'Business Watch' with nearby shop keepers to keep tabs on a business area. Businesses may want to employ security personnel to monitor property.
  • Don't allow a 'legal wall' or an area that permits graffiti, at your business; they are largely ineffective and may draw more graffiti vandals to the area.
  • Employ graffiti resistant materials or coatings on a chronically hit wall.

Further Information

Further information can be found on the following websites:

 

 

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Fly posting

What is fly posting?

Fly-posting is the illegal pasting of unapproved advertising posters, stickers and signs for commercial interests.

 

Why is it a problem?

The council has a statutory duty to keep the city clean. Fly posting is unsightly and spoils the environment. If it is not removed the posters slowly rot, becoming more unsightly and causing litter. In addition, the businesses involved are gaining an unfair advantage over their law abiding competitors by not paying for advertising space.

 

What can be done about fly posting?

The Council, with the enactment of the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 can issue £50 penalty charge notices on those who commit the offence of fly posting.

 

Further Information

Further information can be found on the following websites

 

If you wish to report graffiti or fly tipping or would like to discuss any of the above, please contact us on regulatory@fareham.gov.uk or telephone 01329 236100

 

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