Vandals to help clean graffiti under new scheme

Vandals who spray graffiti in Nottingham will be made to "clean up the messes they have made" under a new council scheme.

Nottingham City Council is introducing a graffiti removal team, supported by the county's police and crime commissioner's (PCC) "immediate justice programme", which involves "community-based reparative activities".

In a statement, the authority said the new approach was designed to ensure "those responsible for low-level offending make a positive contribution to the communities affected by anti-social behaviour".

Gary Godden, PCC for Nottinghamshire, said the partnership with the council was "a win-win" for residents.

The announcement comes weeks after the council said it would use some of its £20m underspend on projects to clean up areas of the city.

As well as tackling graffiti, the authority said it is also working on "enhancing the appearance of the city centre, district centres and key visitor routes".

Matt Shannon, the city council's executive member for community protection, neighbourhoods and equalities, said it is hoped that by getting offenders to clean up their own graffiti, it will help deter reoffending.

"Our investment in a dedicated graffiti removal service will make sure that when graffiti goes up, it comes down again quickly," he said.

"By responding quickly to reports of graffiti and vandalism, we will reduce the impact on our community and help keep our streets looking their best."

Godden added: "This partnership is ensuring public spaces remain clean and tidy for local residents to enjoy, making them feel safer, whilst giving swift and visible justice to offenders at the same time."

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