By Alesha Capone
Graffiti vandals cost Wyndham ratepayers almost $370,000 during 2021.
Wyndham council spent $369,696 on removing graffiti from infrastructure including playgrounds, public toilets, street furniture, signage and fire hydrants between January and December 2021.
In comparison, the council spent $364,300 cleaning up after graffiti vandals in 2020.
A council spokesperson said that the top three suburbs for graffiti removal in Wyndham are Werribee, Hoppers Crossing and Point Cook.
“Council spending on graffiti takes away valuable resources and spending from other important council services,” the spokesperson said.
“Council acknowledges that it is not possible to completely eliminate graffiti and we are committed to the continuous reduction of graffiti and its negative impacts in Wyndham.“
The council is conducting public consultation on its graffiti management policy for 2022-2027.
The spokesperson said the council was seeing less graffiti across Wyndham during 2021, compared to 2020.
“This downward trend has been observed over the past two years and it means our prevention programs are working,” they said.
The council’s draft graffiti management strategy states that it is focused on three areas, prevention, removal and enforcement.
The strategy mentions that the council aims to remove offensive graffiti from its own assets within one working day from the time the clean-up request is received, and “general graffiti” within three working days.
In addition, the council supplies information about tagging to Victoria Police, to assist in the prosecution of offenders.
During 2020 and 2021, police recorded 106 criminal incidents involving graffiti within Wyndham.
The council also install murals in graffiti hot-spot locations to deter vandalism, and works with schools and community groups to coordinate preventative mural projects and graffiti education programs.
There are also legal locations where street artists can paint in Wyndham, known as “hit up walls”.
Feedback on the graffiti management policy will close on Thursday, March 17.
Details: theloop.wyndham.vic.gov.au
