Graffiti Removal

No matter where you live or work in London, graffiti is an all too frequent fact of everyday life. Where it occurs it is highly visible and has a great impact on the public and their perception of the area.

Graffiti is not just an isolated nuisance but linked to other forms of enviro-crime that demean and spoil our streets, town centres and open spaces. Graffiti is a costly and annoying expression of anti-social behaviour that can undermine our sense of well-being, making us feel uncomfortable in our own neighbourhoods.

The cost of graffiti is two fold, the financial cost of removing and enforcing against it, and the cost to our communities.

London has led the way nationally, in pushing for legislative changes to allow local authorities to tackle graffiti and provide the services that people want. This echoes the direction of National Government to improve the quality of the local environment by giving Local Authorities greater and additional powers to deal with enviro-crimes. This Code of Practice sets out the powers contained in the London Local Authority Act 1995 (as amended) relating to Graffiti Removal.

However more is needed than just removal if we are going to eradicate graffiti from London's streets, town centres and open spaces. This poses a number of challenges for local authorities and other stakeholders to work together to prevent graffiti, to actively tackle the nuisance and take enforcement action against the perpetrators.

London Councils and London local authorities acknowledge that property owners and occupiers are also the victims of graffiti, and suggests that real progress towards eradicating this nuisance can only be made if local authorities and stakeholders work in partnership; developing new and innovative local and regional solutions to remove and prevent graffiti and enforcement against the perpetrators, sharing information and best practice at a regional level in a coordinated London approach.

Ultimately each of us has a role to play. London Councils believes that this approach is achievable across the capital and hope that through publicising the recommended process of partnership working London can make real progress in eradicating graffiti.

- Published March 2008