Shepway Lib Dems Challenge Council to Wipe Out Graffiti

10.57.21am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 13th Jul 2005

Briddock: "what sort of impression does it give local residents and tourists of our area when even areas on beautiful Hythe seafront are covered in graffiti?"

Local Liberal Democrats are calling on Shepway Council to buy equipment that will help tackle graffiti. The Lib Dem group have put forward a motion to the 20 July Shepway Council meeting calling for a new graffiti busting machine to be bought.

Councillor Neil Matthews is hopeful that the council will listen to the Lib Dem group:

"Reducing graffiti in the area should be a priority for Shepway, ad this new equipment would be a great tool in meeting that priority."

Darren Briddock, Lib Dem campaigner for Hythe South, agrees:

"Grafitti makes areas look neglected and untidy - getting it removed where it occurs should be a high priority.

"As an example, what sort of impression does it give local residents and tourists of our area when even areas on beautiful Hythe seafront are covered in graffiti? It gives an impression that crime and neglect is tolerated locally - and we must not allow that impression to continue."

The full text of the motion to Shepway Council reads:

"The Council believes that, as emerged from the work of the 2003 Open Spaces Quality Improvement Programme, the control of graffiti should be a high priority for Shepway.

"The Council considers that removal of graffiti is an important factor in the control of graffiti, and so asks that arrangements be made for the acquisition of "graffiti-busting" equipment.

"It is understood that the cost of suitable equipment would be approximately £16,000.

"The Council also requests that arrangements be made with the Probation Service for the operation of this equipment as part of the fulfilment of Community Service Orders."