More than $1.6 million was spent over the past five years to remove illegal graffiti in Wyndham.
A new graffiti management strategy was adopted by Wyndham council on Monday night in a bid to reduce the amount of unsightly tagging in the city .
Cr Peter Maynard said council figures revealed that vandalism was on the rise throughout Wyndham.
“There were 4223 graffiti incidents recorded on council’s graffiti database in 2013, which resulted in about 47,000 square metres of graffiti being removed,” Cr Maynard said.
“This is significantly up from 27,000 square metres removed and 2281 incidents that occurred in 2009, when the previous strategy started.’’
Cr Maynard said the increase in vandalism paralleled population growth.
“It’s important that we continue to be dynamic in how we engage with the community, remove graffiti promptly, undertake preventive activities and also utilise enforcement activities allowed under legislation and local laws.”
The budget of council’s parks department, which removes graffiti in public spaces, will increase from $390,000 to $405,990 next financial year as part of the new strategy.
Cr Peter Gibbons said the council would also introduce legal ‘‘hit up’’ walls – areas where street art is approved – while continuing to remove illegal graffiti.
“By removing these visual keys, it removes the unspoken invitation to further mischief or crime,” Cr Gibbons said.
“Council will also continue with its successful mural strategy.
‘‘This strategy sees school-aged children involved in an education program about street art and community crime, resulting in the creation of a mural by the students in an area previously exposed to tagging and graffiti.”
The new graffiti management strategy will be in place until 2017.
