Hull against graffiti

Graffiti is bad for business. Graffiti is also a crime. It can make people think an area lacks pride or is unsafe. It can also give a false picture about crime levels and could potentially encourage people to commit other forms of crime and disorder.

Hull City Council's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, Citysafe, brings together a range of key organisations that can make a difference in your neighbourhood, particularly with tackling graffiti and other forms of crime and disorder in Hull.

This partnership is asking for the support of Hull's business community in tackling graffiti and are encouraging all businesses who witness this form of anti-social behaviour to contact Humberside Police on 0845 60 60 222.

By contacting this number you can:

• tell them who is responsible for graffiti in the strictest confidence
• have your say about the community payback work that offenders do in your neighbourhood
• find out how businesses can reduce graffiti at their premises

Hull City Council is taking every occurrence of graffiti seriously and is working with Humberside. Police to actively seek and prosecute offenders where possible. Whenever unsightly graffiti is reported to Hull City Council, Area Neighbourhood Teams will photograph and remove the offending graffiti in a bid to safeguard the environment.

 

Who to contact? 

If you see somebody committing graffiti please contact Humberside Police on 0845 60 60 222.

If you want to report a piece of graffiti you need to call 01482 300300. Hull City Council remove graffiti from public land and open spaces, including litter bins, seating and other street furniture.

You can report graffiti via an online form accessible here.

If your business is in the city centre, please contact the BID Services Hotline on 01482 611888 or 07595 820120.

 

Hull City Centre Business Improvement District (BID)

Hull City Centre is currently cleaned and maintained by the Council and this will continue at levels and frequency defined in the existing agreement with the BID. In addition the following services have been funded.

• Rapid response team deal with emergency graffiti removal, cleaning issues and fouling.

• A dedicated telephone number has been set up for City Centre businesses to alert the rapid response team to any problems.  The number is 07595 820120

• The city’s visual appearance is enhanced and maintained by an annual refurbishment programme.

Last year the BID team removed in excess of 2,200 pieces of graffiti in the city centre area.

You can read more about the BID and the work it does on its website.

 

Advice for businesses

Graffiti is a problem for the whole community and local businesses.

Like residential properties businesses are advised to remove graffiti as quickly as possible. If graffiti is not cleaned off straight away it can often be harder to remove, increase the possibility of attracting further graffiti, may deter customers from visiting your business and risk enforcement action.

Under the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, you, your business and your employees have a legal obligation to restrict the sale of aerosol paints to certain people. This law was introduced to reduce criminal damage in the form of graffiti by limiting the opportunity for children and young people to buy spray paints which could be used for graffiti.

Section 54 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, makes it an offence for people to sell an aerosol paint container to anyone under the age of 16 years. The offence may be committed by the business or employees, whether they are paid or unpaid, who are in a position that gives them the opportunity to prevent the sale.

It's important that businesses ensure that they are able to prove that they have taken all reasonable steps to avoid selling such items to people under the age of 16 years. As part of Hull City Council's enforcement activities, test purchases may take place by its trading standards to ensure that these steps are being taken.

  

Community payback scheme

The Community Payback scheme, led by the National Probation Service, sees offenders who have been identified by the courts doing unpaid work in your community as part of their community sentence. The offenders wear bright orange tabards and work in full view of the public.

Hull is one of 51 locations in England and Wales which is part of the Government's Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Agenda.

You can have your say about the Community Payback work that offenders do in your neighbourhood. Work can range from litter removal or clearing dense undergrowth, to repairing and redecorating community centres, or removing graffiti. The work must:

• benefit the local community
• not take paid work away from others
• not make a profit for anyone
• provide enough work to keep a group of offenders fully occupied
  be within the capabilities of the local Community Payback Team to undertake satisfy health and safety requirements

If you are an individual, member of a club, community group, faith group or voluntary organisation and want to nominate an activity, please contact the Humberside Probation Trust on 01482 480 068 or complete an online form.

 

Further information on Hull's campaign against graffiti can be found on this website:

http://www.hullagainstgraffiti.co.uk