Goodbye Graffiti!

Published 24 Dec 2011 08:00

CAMPAIGNERS in Earley are urging people to back a scheme which aims to catch graffiti taggers red-handed.

A team of Earley Liberal Democrats have rallied together to launch the 'Goodbye Graffiti' campaign, drumming up support from a host of residents who are also seeing red over the amount of "unsightly" graffiti that is being scrawled all over the town.

Lib Dem leader of the Conservative-ruled Earley Town Council, Cllr Tahir Maher, said: "It is well known that graffiti becomes a magnet for more graffiti.

"We need to clean up the graffiti in Earley before it gets out of control."

The campaign group's New Year's resolution is to work in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council - which removes graffiti for free from residential homes - in an attempt to have the town sparkling clean as soon as possible.

Campaigner Anthony Vick said: "It is appearing all over the town at the moment - just last week, we called in the community wardens to remove 10 tags drawn on a footpath near Gipsy Lane in just one night.

"I see it everywhere when walking my daughters to school, and it is even on the school playground at Hawkedon Primary.

"When graffiti taggers see it, they are encouraged to spray more, so we are asking people to back our campaign by reporting hotspot areas so that we can have a clean slate.

"We're already expecting Wokingham's Youth Offending Team to come in the New Year and whitewash one of the subways, so we are off to a good start."

Cllr David Hare, who represents the Maiden Erlegh ward, added that the "unsightly" graffiti can also appear threatening to people whose homes and fences are defaced with a spray can . He added: "We want people to tell us about graffiti so we can help have it removed as quickly as possible."

To report a hotspot area, call the campaign group's graffiti hotline on 0118 328 2668 or email graffiti@earleylibdems.org

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 23 Dec 11

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