New graffiti reporting system for Exeter

News Desk
Authored by News Desk
Posted Thursday, January 4, 2018 - 2:54pm

There’s a new interactive way to report graffiti in the city.

The new updated system speeds up the reporting of graffiti and gives the public ongoing progress updates.

The City Council cleans off for free any graffiti from private homes provided the owners sign a disclaimer form.

The new system allows for real-time alerts to be sent directly to the clean-up teams, allowing them to prioritise and email customers to inform them that the job is complete. It also includes updated mapping.

Members of the public can take a photograph of graffiti on their smartphone and via the new system, send it directly to the clean-up teams. Global Positioning Satellites allow the precise location to be pinpointed, allowing crews to clean up the graffiti quicker.

Previously, reports were logged by back-room support staff rather than going straight to the clean-up teams. The new system saves time and money.

Cllr Stephen Brimble, Lead Councillor for Place, said: “This is a great piece of kit that not only speeds up the reporting of graffiti but more easily allows the public to get involved, report graffiti and get updates. We are continuing to devote more resources to keeping Exeter clean.”

The new system also allows the Council to collect data on the tags used by the graffiti artists, which help to identify those responsible, making it easier to catch the offenders and make prosecutions.

The City Council has expanded its graffiti clean-up team and last year received £1,125 towards the cost of chemicals when the Globe English School fined a group of students for spray-painting buildings in Exeter.

“Recruiting two more staff has enabled us to go from cleaning off 11 pieces a day to 40,” added Cllr Brimble. “We’re now working up until 8pm at night and this change in hours has enabled us to speak to more home owners when they get back from work.”

Construction of the new system is based on public feedback and the Council hopes that it will be used to report other environmental issues such as over-flowing bins and bottle banks in the near future.

People can report graffiti on the new system by going to https://exeter.gov.uk/graffitiremoval/

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