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Item 12.4 - Attachment 1 |
Graffiti Management Options
Paper - March 2009 |
GRAFFITI MANAGEMENT
(OPTIONS PAPER)
March 2009
F2008/03695
– D01144282
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
2. DEFINING
GRAFFITI
3. NSW
GRAFFITI LEGISLATION
4. COUNCIL’S
CURRENT GRAFFITI REMOVAL PROTOCOLS
5. GRAFFITI
REMOVAL OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
(a) Rapid Removal - Public Property
(b) Rapid Removal - Private Property
(c) Graffiti Removal Kits
(d) Graffiti Removal Records
(e) Graffiti Removal Agreements & Partnerships
(f) Private Graffiti Removal Contractors
6. DEVELOPMENT
APPLICATIONS
7. GRAFFITI
HOTLINE
8. COMMUNITY
REPORTING & COMMUNITY PRIDE CAMPAIGN
9. EDUCATION
10. SPRAY
PAINT CAN DISPOSAL
11. RETAIL
SALE OF SPRAY PAINT CANS TO MINORS & UNSECURED RETAIL DISPLAY
12. NEIGHBOURING
COUNCILS
13. LOCAL
COMMUNITY GROUPS, SCHOOL GROUPS & ORGANISATIONS
14. COMMUNITY
SERVICE ORDERS
15. COMMUNITY
WORK PROGRAMS
16. GRAFFITI
HOTSPOT REMOVAL & MONITORING
17. DIVERSION
PROGRAMS
18. LEGAL
WALLS
19. MONETARY
REWARD CAMPAIGNS
20. STATISTICAL
EVALUATION
21. COUNCIL
EMPLOYEES (GENERAL)
22. COUNCIL
GRAFFITI MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This
Options Paper has been constructed on the premise that graffiti is an illegal
activity and is unwarranted within the Parramatta LGA. It details what action Parramatta City
Council could potentially take to further address the issue of illegal
graffiti, and how Council could potentially work with the community and
stakeholders to minimise the impact of graffiti vandalism within the LGA through
sustainable graffiti management practices.
Parramatta
City Council is committed to providing a clean, vibrant, safe and welcoming
atmosphere for all residents, workers and visitors within the Parramatta Local
Government Area (LGA). As part of this
commitment, Council maintains a network of infrastructure to support the
community and ensure the LGA presents in good repair and condition. This infrastructure is regularly subjected to
vandalism in the form of graffiti, thus diminishing perceptions of
Graffiti
management supports both Parramatta City Council’s Twenty-25 Strategic Plan
destination to create neighbourhoods that are liveable and distinctive by
improving perceptions of safety within the community, and Council’s City Centre
Crime Prevention Plan (2008-2013) strategy for responding to, and reducing,
priority crime.
Historically,
Parramatta City Council has addressed the issue of graffiti vandalism in a
variety of ways. Council has, for
example, assisted residents to remove graffiti from their properties by
providing free graffiti removal kits, and has provided advice to businesses on
how to reduce the likelihood of their property being targeted by graffiti
vandals. Council has instigated artistic
diversion programs and approved funding for the establishment and maintenance
of several ‘legal walls’ within the LGA in an attempt to provide manageable
facilities that graffiti proponents could utilise with Council permission. Council has also previously established a
graffiti hotline telephone number, and has initiated a ‘Dob In a Graffiti
Vandal’ campaign in the Lachlan Macquarie Ward of the LGA. Graffiti in the public domain has been
removed generally as the result of information received via Council’s Customer
Request Management (
A
recent review of graffiti management within Parramatta would suggest that
Council’s past graffiti management practices have been insufficient to
adequately address the issue of graffiti vandalism in the public domain, and
several past initiatives have either served to exasperate rather than alleviate
the problem of graffiti vandalism, or have been proven ineffective in reducing
the instances of new graffiti in large metropolitan and suburban areas. This Options Paper suggests a range of
strategies and partners involved in a coordinated response to graffiti
vandalism. Such strategies include the
potential utilisation of a range of cost neutral labour sources, and a
commitment to additional Council resources and graffiti management practices
that can be evaluated at regular intervals for effectiveness. The Options Paper provides details of
Council’s current expenditure on graffiti management practices in conjunction
with estimated costs associated with the implementation of suggested strategies
and practices.
At its ordinary meeting on
2. DEFINING GRAFFITI
The
term ‘graffiti’ generally refers to illegally defacing private and public
property with markings and/or graphics without the consent of the property
owner. Graffiti vandalism can take
multiple forms including designs, words or images applied to property via the
use of paint, ink, chalk, chemicals and etching, and also includes the
unauthorised posting of bills and placards.
3. NSW GRAFFITI LEGISLATION
The
NSW Graffiti Control Act (2008) consolidates existing graffiti-related
provisions contained within a range of other Acts into one specific piece of
legislation. This Act covers all aspects
of graffiti law ranging from graffiti related offences, including the
possession of graffiti implements, through to the regulation of possession and
sale of spray paint.
Part 4 of the NSW
Graffiti Control Act (2008) makes
provision for graffiti removal work by local Councils, and states:
10 Interpretation
In this Part, occupier,
owner, private land and public place have
the same meanings as in the Local Government Act (1993).
11 Graffiti removal work—by agreement with
owner or occupier
A local council may,
by agreement with the owner or occupier of any private land, carry out graffiti
removal work on the land.
12 Graffiti removal work—without agreement of
owner or occupier
(1) A local council may,
without the agreement of the owner or occupier of any land, carry out graffiti
removal work to property on that land if the graffiti concerned is visible from
a public place.
(2) The graffiti removal work
referred to in subsection (1) may only be carried out from a public place.
(3) The local council
concerned is to bear the cost of graffiti removal work referred to in
subsection (1).
(4) If a local council
carries out graffiti removal work in accordance with this section, the council
must, within a reasonable period, give the owner or occupier of the land concerned
written notice that the work has occurred.
(5) A local council must pay
compensation for any damage caused by the council in carrying out graffiti
removal work in accordance with this section.
Note: Section 730 of the Local Government Act (1993) provides
for the resolution of claims for compensation relating to damage under this
section in cases of dispute between the person claiming the compensation and
the council.
13 Register of graffiti removal work
(1) A local council must keep
a register of graffiti removal work carried out in accordance with this Part.
(2) The register is to
specify in respect of each incidence of graffiti removal work carried out:
(a) the owner or occupier of the
premises on which the graffiti was situated, and
(b) the nature of the work
carried out, and
(c) the actual
cost, or an estimate of the cost at current market rates, of carrying out the
work, and
(d) in the
case of graffiti removal work carried out in accordance with section 11—the
actual amount charged by the local council for carrying out the work.
4. COUNCIL’S CURRENT GRAFFITI REMOVAL PROTOCOLS
Council currently uses both staff and contractors to
remove graffiti from Council property including; administration buildings,
libraries, town halls, public toilets, community centres, open space buildings
and infrastructure, roadways, footpaths, Council owned bridges, bus shelters
and seats.
Service requests for graffiti removal are raised in
Council’s online system via information from residents and staff. The Graffiti
Teams also do regular inspections of ‘graffiti hot spots’ removing any graffiti
in the one process. Graffiti removal is prioritised by location and
offensiveness of the graffiti.
Graffiti Removal Service
Agreements:
Council has a partnership
with State Rail and Holroyd City Council to share responsibility for graffiti
removal in the
Council also has an
agreement with Integral Energy for
Since October 2008, information on graffiti removed is
recorded in an Excel database, and digital photos are supplied by Council’s
Graffiti Removal Team and external contractors which are downloaded to
Council’s network.
The 2008/2009 budget is as follows:
Employee
costs* $ 147,725.47
Contractors $ 85,000.00
Materials $ 24,712.00
Fleet $ 27,916.56
Miscellaneous (eg.
phones, stationery) $ 1,863.00
TOTAL $ 287,217.03
* Employee
costs were previously factored as less than 50% of relevant staff time however
graffiti removal has become primary role since October 2008.
5. GRAFFITI REMOVAL OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
(a) Rapid Removal - Public Property
1. That Council consider providing resources to
enable the removal from public property graffiti that is deemed racist, sexist,
defamatory, inciting, threatening, politically inappropriate, vulgar or
otherwise offensive within 24 hours of such graffiti being identified or reported.
2. That Council consider providing resources to
enable the removal from public property all other graffiti within 48 hours of
such graffiti being identified or reported.
Current: Since
October 2008, Council has monitored graffiti management work closely and
approximately half of all jobs are completed within 48 hours of notification
and less than 5% of all jobs exceed 7 working days. Work undertaken in-house is completed
quicker than contractor jobs, however, the type of work also varies. Council depends on contractors, for example,
to remove graffiti from bare brickwork or sandstone as it does not have the
necessary equipment. Council staff use
chemical removal for small areas of graffiti but generally rely on painting
over the effected area.
Proposed: Removing
graffiti quickly can improve public amenity and deter further graffiti. In some areas, however, graffiti occurs very
frequently and rapid response will only escalate resource requirements. Increasing the proportion of graffiti removal
completed within 48 hours would require additional resources. Council could consider setting targets for
improved rapid response depending on resources available as outlined below.
Cost: Council
could target 75% of graffiti removal completed within 48 hours, for example, by
increasing staff and reducing use of contractors. This would likely cost approximately $145,000
in employee costs, partially off-set by reduced contractor costs of
approximately $50,000. Achieving more
than 75% completed within 48 hours would, however, require Council to become
equipped to do graffiti removal from brickwork etc. Preliminary costings, for example, for soda blasting equipment and vehicle indicate
a capital outlay of approximately $95,000 and ongoing operating costs of
approximately $190,000 p/a.
(b) Rapid Removal - Private Property
3. Where graffiti that is deemed racist, sexist,
defamatory, inciting, threatening, politically inappropriate, vulgar or
otherwise offensive is publicly visible on private property, that Council
consider notifying the owner or occupier of such private property within 48
hours of such graffiti being identified or reported, requesting the immediate
removal of such graffiti by the owner or occupier.
4. If such graffiti removal is not conducted by
the owner or occupier within 72 hours of Council notification, that Council
consider exercising its authority under section 12 of the Graffiti Control Act (2008) and take any reasonable measures to
effect the removal of such graffiti within the confines of section 12
subsection (2) of the Graffiti Control
Act (2008). (Section 12 (2) of the
Graffiti Control Act refers to Council’s authority to remove graffiti from
private property without the agreement of the owner or occupier so long as such
graffiti removal work can be carried out wholly from a public place).
5. Where other graffiti is publicly visible on
private property, that Council consider notifying the owner or occupier of such
private property within 7 days of such graffiti being identified or reported,
requesting the removal of such graffiti by the owner or occupier.
6. If such graffiti removal is not conducted by
the owner or occupier within a reasonable period of time after Council
notification, that Council consider exercising its authority, where practicable,
under section 12 of the Graffiti Control
Act (2008) and take any reasonable measures to effect the removal of such
graffiti within the confines of section 12 subsection (2) of the Graffiti Control Act (2008).
7. That Council provides a new service targeting
residential properties to remove graffiti that is publicly visible on private
property with the consent of the owner.
Current: Council
does not generally engage in graffiti removal from private property except on
rare occasions when Council officers have attempted to notify owners of
offensive graffiti to encourage its removal.
Proposed: Council
could consider acting on offensive graffiti on private property as outlined
above. Council could also consider
notifying private property owners of other graffiti and consider taking action
to remove such graffiti within constraints of the Graffiti Control Act (2008) as outlined in Item 6. Alternatively, Council could initiate a new
service such as that outlined in Item 7.
Cost: The
cost to Council of removing offensive graffiti on private property is difficult
to predict but would represent an additional cost to Council’s current graffiti
management activities. These costs
would escalate substantially if Council were to include removal of other
graffiti from private property, partly due to the large amount of such graffiti
and partly due to the disincentive it would create for property owners to
undertake such work themselves.
Council
staff are not aware of other councils undertaking routine work on private
property except for Blacktown City Council.
It is understood
(c) Graffiti Removal Kits
8. That Council consider continuing the supply
of graffiti removal kits free of charge upon reasonable request of a bona fide
and current resident or residential property owner of the Parramatta LGA.
9. That Council consider extending the
availability of free graffiti removal kits to bona fide and current business
owners and operators within the LGA.
10. Further, that Council consider maintaining
accurate records of all property owners or occupiers that request and receive a
free graffiti removal kit so as frequency can be monitored, potential abuse of
the system be minimised, and problematic premises or locations identified with
a view to receiving further attention in the form of a Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (CPTED) safety audit.
Current: Council
currently provides free of charge a Taubmans ‘Guardian’ Gel Graffiti Removal
Kit upon request to a legitimate resident or residential property owner within
the LGA. Such kits are currently
available upon validation of identification and status from Council’s Customer
Service Centre and, from March 2009, all Branch Libraries. The current cost to Council for each graffiti
removal kit is $24.34 (excluding GST), and Council expended approximately
$3,000 on the purchase and supply of such kits during 2008 to residents and
residential property owners only.
Proposed: It
is envisaged that the availability of such kits, within reason, to business
community members will assist the rapid removal process of graffiti from
private property within the LGA.
Information relevant to the availability and criteria for receiving such
kits can be promoted by various means including a flyer in the quarterly rates
notices and partnerships with Chambers of Commerce.
Cost: It is
difficult to predict the potential uptake of such a service by the business
community, however, as an indication, a cost in excess of $10,000 per annum, in
addition to the current $3,000 per annum, would be anticipated.
(d) Graffiti Removal Records
11. Where Council employees or external parties are
involved in the removal of graffiti, that Council consider, prior to removing
such graffiti, the recording of all pertinent information and digitally
photographing such graffiti.
12. Furthermore, where Council employees or
external parties are involved in the removal of graffiti, the Council consider,
upon completion of removing such graffiti, the recording of all information
pertinent to such removal.
13. That Council consider entering such photographs
and records as soon as practicable into a dedicated computer database to
facilitate the provision of accurate statistical, intelligence and evidentiary
information.
14. In cases where potential offenders are
identified, or other investigative requirements dictate, that Council consider
making such information available upon request to an appropriate officer of the
NSW Police Force.
15. That Council consider purchasing the Australian
Graffiti Register (AUSGR) computer database program as an integral part of
Council’s strategy to maintain accurate records and photographic evidence
relevant to graffiti within the LGA.
Current: Previous recording of graffiti was not systematic,
however, since October 2008, information
on graffiti
removed within the LGA is recorded in an Excel database, and digital photos are
supplied by Council’s Graffiti Teams and external contractors which are
downloaded to Council’s network. Council officers are not aware of any of any
requests to Council by Police for access to such data at this time.
Proposed: That
consideration be given to the Australian Graffiti Register (AUSGR) computer
database program to make the recording of graffiti-related information more
efficient, reliable and accessible. This
database is externally maintained, is currently utilised by more than 55% of
Sydney Metropolitan Councils and complies fully with legislative requirements. A demonstration of the AUSGR can be arranged
for Councillors and stakeholders if required.
Cost: The
AUSGR database is available at an annual cost of $3,950 (excluding GST). Accompanying Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)
devices are available at a one-off cost of $930 per unit, with an annual
maintenance and upgrade cost of $395 per unit.
A total of 4 PDA devices would be required to equip Council employees at
a one-off cost of $3,720 and an annual cost of $1,580.
(e) Graffiti Removal Agreements & Partnerships
16. That Council
continue its current agreements with private graffiti removal contractors to
provide, on behalf of Council, the following graffiti removal and maintenance work:
17. Integral
Energy – Conduct monthly inspections of 241 Integral Energy owned electricity
boxes throughout Parramatta
18. Merrylands
Train Station Underpass – Conduct regular inspections and maintenance of
existing artistic murals throughout the Merrylands train station underpass and
remove graffiti as required, at a cost to Council of $10,260 (excluding GST)
per annum.
19. That Council
consider actively encouraging action based partnerships with external
government agencies, utility holders, and other stakeholders within the LGA to
reduce the impact of graffiti vandalism, particularly on property owned and
managed by such external partners. Where
possible, such partnerships should involve a commitment to rapid removal,
resourcing, funding, managing, or other appropriate support on behalf of the
external partner, and be cost neutral to Council.
Current: As stated.
Proposed: As
stated.
Cost: As
stated. Staff time only to establish and
maintain new partnerships and/or administer any resulting service agreements
similar to the current Integral Energy agreement.
(f) Private Graffiti Removal Contractors
20. That Council make all reasonable efforts to
facilitate graffiti removal within the LGA by virtue of potential voluntary and
free labour resources, and Council employees in preference to private graffiti
removal contractors in order to achieve desired service standards.
Current: Council’s
City Operations has an allocation within the budget of $109,712 per annum which
funds Council’s essential graffiti removal resources (paint/chemicals/coatings)
as well as the costs of utilising private graffiti removal contractors. Council currently engages
Proposed: As
stated. Council could seek to reduce
the use of contractors by increasing staff resources, however, equipment such
as a soda blasting machine will be necessary if staff are to be equipped to
manage much of the work currently allocated to contractors.
Cost: Preliminary
costings of appropriate equipment such as soda blasting equipment and vehicle
indicate a capital outlay of approximately $95,000 and ongoing operating costs
of approximately $190,000 p/a.
Additional employee costs of
approximately $145,000 would be partially off-set by reduced contractor
costs of approximately $50,000 and significantly increase the in-house teams
capacity to respond ie. volume of work completed, type of surfaces managed,
promptness of service, and ability to remove rather than paint over more
graffiti.
6. DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS
21. That Council consider applying Crime Prevention
Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles in the assessment of commercial
and large scale residential Development Applications to minimise the risk of
graffiti vandalism at the site of new developments.
Current: Both Parramatta City Centre DCP 2007 and Parramatta DCP 2005 require safety, security and crime
prevention requirements to be considered in the planning and design of
developments. This includes the NSW Police ‘Safer by Design’ crime prevention
through environmental design (CPTED) principles. All developments are required
to be assessed against these principles which includes minimising the risk of
graffiti vandalism.
The
majority of the staff in the Development Assessment Service Area over the last
year have attended the NSW Police ‘Safer by Design’ training with the remaining
two staff members to attend training this year.
Proposed: Continued application of CPTED principles in the assessment and
determination of development applications.
Cost: Staff time only.
7. GRAFFITI HOTLINE
22. That Council consider re-launching the graffiti
hotline telephone number and promote the existence of this hotline throughout
the LGA. All information received by
virtue of this hotline to be forwarded to Council’s City Operations via the Customer
Request Management (
Current: While the
graffiti hotline exists, it has not been widely promoted in recent years except
in relation to the Reward Campaign initiated in the Lachlan Macquarie Ward in
2008. References to the hotline are
available on Council’s website, for example, calls are responded to by the
Customer Service Centre who either connect the caller with the Police and/or
report the graffiti via Council’s
Proposed: Council
could develop strategies to more actively promote the graffiti hotline through
an ongoing communications program. This
would encourage community awareness of graffiti issues and likely result in
increased reporting of graffiti. While
it could be a specific project, promotion of the hotline would ideally be
incorporated with other graffiti management and community awareness activities.
Cost: The
cost of this specific action would be small involving small staff time and
promotional materials. Council may also
incur additional costs as a result of increased service requests.
8. COMMUNITY REPORTING & COMMUNITY PRIDE CAMPAIGN
23. That Council consider devising an information
campaign encouraging community members to report all graffiti to Councils’
graffiti hotline, and to take ownership of their communities.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: Council
could consider developing a broader information campaign to encourage community
members throughout the City to take pride in their
communities, and assist Council in eradicating graffiti vandalism and improving
perceptions of safety within the LGA.
The campaign would include a variety of communication and engagement
strategies including, for example, web promotions, working with local community
groups, generating regular media reports, and producing a graffiti hotline “magnet”
to be distributed with Council’s quarterly newsletter.
Cost: A
broader anti-graffiti campaign would require additional resources, both in
staff time and promotional materials.
The level of activity could be varied according to funds available and
would ideally be in the range of $20,000 to $50,000 p/a. It is envisaged that such a program may also
incur additional costs for Council as a result of increased service requests.
9. EDUCATION
24. That Council consider funding a graffiti
education program similar to that provided by the Warner Education Group Pty.
Ltd. in all schools within the LGA for a period of three years.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: This
‘Graffiti Education Awareness Program’, as presented to Councillors and
stakeholders on 20 November 2008, targets young school people in Year 5 and Year
8 with information pertinent to graffiti vandalism and its associated social,
economic and legal consequences, as well as health and safety risks.
Cost: The program
is available for delivery in the 44 primary schools and 20 secondary schools
within the LGA at an annual cost of $68,900 (excluding GST), with a one-off initial
set-up cost of $9,500 (excluding GST).
This will comprise an estimated total of 106 education programs being delivered to an estimated 7,420 students
within the LGA annually. The Warner
Education Group Pty. Ltd. has established working relationships with a range of
schools and other local councils and no alternate suppliers of a similar
education program have been identified at this time.
10. SPRAY PAINT CAN DISPOSAL
25. That Council consider promoting to residents
and businesses the free paint/chemical disposal service periodically offered by
the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Current: The
Department of Environment & Climate Change bi-annually provides a free
paint/chemical disposal service that permits the disposal of unwanted paint and
chemical products at various locations throughout the metropolitan area. Current locations include
Proposed: Council could consider expanding its advertising of such services,
and incorporating these activities in any wider anti-graffiti promotional
campaigns.
Cost: Minimal cost in staff time and materials.
11. RETAIL SALE
26. Where retail premises within the LGA are reasonably
suspected as breaching section 7 of the Graffiti
Control Act (2008) in respect of illegal sale of spray paint cans to
persons under the age of 18 years, that Council consider immediately informing
an authorised officer of the NSW Office of Fair Trading or NSW Police Force of such
activity.
27. Where retail premises within the LGA are reasonably
suspected as breaching section 8 of the Graffiti
Control Act (2008) in respect of improperly secured spray paint cans, that
Council consider immediately informing an authorised officer of the NSW Office
of Fair Trading or NSW Police Force of such activity.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: As
stated.
Cost: Staff
time only.
12. NEIGHBOURING COUNCILS
28. That Council consider actively liaising, and
encourage reciprocal information sharing relevant to graffiti management
practices, with the neighbouring Council’s of Blacktown, Holroyd, Auburn, Ryde,
Fairfield, Bankstown, Baulkham Hills and Hornsby in order to minimise the
effects of graffiti vandalism displacement amongst the LGA’s.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: As
stated. In additional to information
sharing, advantages may arise from co-ordinating community awareness campaigns
and the potential to share anti-graffiti collateral.
Cost: Staff time
only.
13. LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS, SCHOOL GROUPS & ORGANISATIONS
29. That Council consider approaching local
community groups, local school groups, and other identified local organisations
within the LGA and actively encourage the involvement of such groups in the
voluntary regular removal of graffiti from their property and/or Council
approved property such as park facilities.
30. Further, that Council consider providing such
voluntary groups with the appropriate resources in order to facilitate such
graffiti removal.
Current: Council has previously encouraged some groups
to support graffiti removal however this has been ad hoc.
Proposed: As
stated.
Cost: Staff time to
contact or establish groups, plan work program and provide necessary
information and resources. Costs would
depend on number of groups participating, level of Council supervision required
and materials to be provided by Council.
14. COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS
31. That Council consider utilising NSW Department
of Corrective Services - Community Service Order (CSO) participants in the
removal of graffiti within the LGA.
32. That Council consider utilising NSW Department
of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) – Youth Justice Conferencing (YJC) participants in
the removal of graffiti within the LGA.
33. That Council consider utilising NSW Department
of Corrective Services - Probation & Parole participants in the removal of
graffiti within the LGA.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: CSO participants are available to undertake
graffiti removal work within
Juvenile
YJC participants may be available by way of consultation and agreement with DJJ
to undertake graffiti removal work within
Periodic
detention participants are available to undertake graffiti removal work within
Cost:
Costs to Council of participating in any or all of these community
service labour programs would include initial staff costs in establishing
partnership and then ongoing costs in maintaining the program, providing
appropriate supervisory staff and required materials and resources such as
chemicals, paint,
15. COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAMS
34. That Council consider utilising MTC Work
Solutions - Community Work program participants in the removal of graffiti
within the LGA.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: Based in
Cost: Council would received funding to assist with the
cost of providing work experience with a minimum of six persons to be accepted
for each two day period. MTC can provide
a trained supervisor for any accepted persons or alternately, Council can
provide its own supervisor. Council is
required to provide all other resources necessary for any projects undertaken.
Cost: Costs to Council of participating in such community work programs would
include initial staff costs in establishing partnership and then ongoing costs
in maintaining the program, providing appropriate supervisory staff and
required materials and resources such as chemicals, paint,
16. GRAFFITI HOTSPOT REMOVAL & MONITORING
35. That Council consider initially identifying
graffiti hotspots within the LGA and target such areas with a rapid removal
response. Such area(s) to be regularly
monitored to identify success or otherwise of the rapid removal process and to
gauge repeat graffiti activity. Area(s)
identified as problematic after a period of regular monitoring to be
subsequently subjected to a CPTED safety audit.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: As
stated.
Cost: The
operational costs directly associated with rapid response would depend on the
number of hotspots identified and level of graffiti experienced. Additional staff time would be required to
monitor and analyse data and completed a safety audit. Costs may also be associated with any
corrective actions arising from the audit although these many also assist in
reducing future graffiti removal costs.
17. DIVERSION PROGRAMS
36. That Council seek funding to devise, manage,
and monitor appropriate diversion programs, in consultation with appropriate
youth services, for persons identified as potentially being able to benefit
from such programs.
Current: Council
currently supports a number of youth programs although none directly target
graffiti offenders. Granville Youth and
Community Recreation Centre currently receives funding for a Youth Crime
Prevention project. The project is an intervention program that works with
local schools targeting chronically suspended youth who have been linked to
anti-social behaviour.
Proposed: Seek
funding to create and deliver specific graffiti-related diversion programs.
Costs: Staff
time in developing project ideas and appropriate funding proposals.
18. LEGAL WALLS
37. That Council consider undertaking a review of
Council’s existing legal graffiti walls by way of consultation with appropriate
youth services, NSW Police Force, and other interested stakeholders to
determine the effectiveness of such walls in reducing the instances of illegal
graffiti within the community, including in the vicinity of such walls.
38. Further, that any recommendations of such
consultation be presented to Council for consideration.
Current: Council resolved on
Proposed: Such
legal graffiti walls have been identified by NSW Attorney General’s Department
research as exasperating rather than alleviating the problem of illegal
graffiti vandalism within communities, particularly around the vicinity of the
legal walls themselves. Issues such as
poor management, poor maintenance, inappropriate environmental designs and
locations, and lack of Council resources have all been seen to contribute to
the failure of legal graffiti walls in reducing graffiti vandalism, however, it
has also been identified that a key factor in the increase of illegal graffiti
associated with legal walls is the exposure such walls give the public to this
activity. Illegal graffiti ‘art’ is not
the problem that Council’s are faced with, rather it is illegal graffiti
‘tagging’, and such legal walls, while catering for a small minority of genuine
artists within the community, may inadvertently serve to promote graffiti to
the wider non-artistically inclined community.
Cost: Staff time
only for review.
19. MONETARY REWARD CAMPAIGNS
39. That Council consider reviewing its existing
‘Dob In a Graffiti Vandal’ campaign operating in the Lachlan Macquarie Ward of
the LGA.
Current: The
‘Dob In a Graffiti Vandal’ campaign was launched in June 2008 in the Lachlan
Macquarie Ward. The scheme encourages
residents to identify a graffiti vandal, and if such information leads to a
conviction a monetary reward of $1,000.00 will be paid to the resident by
Council through the Urgent Ward Works program.
While no rewards have been paid to date, the campaign has resulted in an
increase in calls to report graffiti activity.
Proposed: The
value of the ‘Dob In a Graffiti Vandal’ campaign would appear to be in the
increased community awareness and reporting of graffiti rather than as an aid
to the prosecution of graffiti vandals. Similar
campaigns have been identified as unsuccessful in reducing the instances of
graffiti vandalism in metropolitan areas and have been criticised for the
potential risk of claims, for unfairly targeting and victimising youth, and being
open to potential abuse by graffiti proponents. A review of Council’s current program is
proposed, particularly if Council supports broader community reporting and
community pride campaigns.
Cost: Staff
time only for review.
20. STATISTICAL EVALUATION
40. That Council consider undertaking monthly
evaluations of Council maintained graffiti statistics to provide accurate
information relevant to the amount of graffiti incidents presenting within the
LGA, and to identify locations commonly targeted by graffiti vandals.
41. Further, that Council consider providing such
statistics to the NSW Police Force on a quarterly basis via the Community
Safety Precinct Committees (CSPC) of Parramatta, Rosehill and Eastwood.
Current: Removal
statistics provided to Council on a weekly basis and as requested.
Proposed: As
stated.
Cost: Staff
time only.
21. COUNCIL EMPLOYEES (GENERAL)
42. That Council consider promoting graffiti
management to all Council employees and encourage all employees to take a
proactive role in graffiti management by reporting identified graffiti on
property within the LGA.
Current: N/A.
Proposed: As
stated.
Cost: Staff
time only plus any additional operational costs as a result of increased
service requests.
22. COUNCIL GRAFFITI MANAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATION
43. That Council consider the appointment of a
dedicated person to coordinate and manage all aspects of Council’s graffiti
management practices.
Current: Several Council staff are involved in different
aspects of Council’s current graffiti management activities including City
Operations staff and Council’s Crime Prevention Co-ordinator, all of whom have
other work responsibilities. A
dedicated graffiti management position is not currently required but would
become necessary if Council adopts a number of the proposed strategies in this
report such as initiating community reporting and community pride campaigns and
increasing graffiti removal through using community service labour programs.
Proposed: As
stated. A dedicated position could be created
as either a short-term or ongoing position.
Cost: The
cost of an appropriate officer’s salary, including on-costs, equipment and
vehicle would be in the vicinity of $100,000 p/a.