An advocacy plan to tackle graffiti will be developed following the results of a recent graffiti blitz presented to Maribyrnong City Council last night.
The blitz, which ran from July to November last year and removed 12,614 square meters of graffiti from public and private property, came after residents and Councillors became increasing fed up with the negative visual effects of graffiti on inner city suburbs.
Council is preparing an advocacy plan to work with stakeholders on a regional approach to dealing with graffiti.
The plan is expected to be submitted to Council for approval in April.
“The graffiti blitz removed a staggering amount of illegal graffiti from our City,” said Councillor Grant Miles, Mayor of the City of Maribyrnong.
“Illegal graffiti is a bad look for our City and the removal blitz has made our City look a lot better.
“Although the blitz was a success, we acknowledge that it will not stop graffiti returning. Running a graffiti blitz and ongoing removal programs is expensive so Council also needs to look at preventative measures to prevent graffiti from spreading in the first place.
The blitz removed graffiti from 369 individual sites over the five month period.
In the future council is looking to engage young people through public art pieces to prevent graffiti, rather than having to deal with removing it.
Council also offers free kits for removing graffiti on private property.
“The best way to help prevent graffiti is to remove it as soon as it appears,” Cr Miles said.
