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www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk
t: 01454 300 400
October 2017
News
Jubilee Centre is latest target in graffiti spate
B
radley Stoke Town Council (BSTC) says it is working with the local police team to combat a spate of tagging-style graffiti on walls, bus shelters and other structures across the town. In recent months, graffiti images measuring up to 2 metres across have appeared at a number of very prominent sites, including on Bradley Stoke Way (underneath Primrose Bridge and close to the bridge over Stoke Brook), Baileys Court Road, Champs Sur Marne and the new skate park at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. Other sites that are regularly plagued by graffiti include various locations within the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve and the subway under the Winterbourne Road near Huckley Way.
In the latest incident, a large tag around 2.5m across was sprayed on the wall of the changing room block at the Jubilee Centre. The town council, which owns the block, has since contracted a specialist team at South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) to remove it at a cost to local taxpayers of £180. Figures obtained by the Journal show that 15 incidents of graffiti were reported to BSTC since the start of the year, with eight of these occurring within the first three weeks of September. However, many incidents are thought to go unreported or are dealt with by other authorities, such as SGC. Members of the public can report instances of graffiti to SGC via its website at www.southglos. gov.uk/report or by phoning
TIRED OF POTHOLES
FLYYTIPPING LOOSE PAVING DOG POOP VANDALISM BROKEN STREET LIGHTING?
To report graffiti, phone the town council on 01454 205020, visit www.bradleystoke.gov. uk/graffiti.php or use the FixMyStreet.com website or smartphone app
REPORT THEM TO
Street Care on 01454 868000. Its policy is to clean graffiti from council-owned property within three working days. Priority is given to offensive and haterelated graffiti. Difficulties arise, however, when the graffiti is on noncouncil property, such as utility company boxes or on private property. Fortunately, BSTC voluntarily acts a ‘clearing house’ for all cases of graffiti in Bradley Stoke and undertakes to inform the correct agencies e.g. South Gloucestershire Council, Western Power, Royal Mail, BT, depending on the property that has been defaced. To inform BSTC about graffiti within Bradley Stoke, visit the dedicated webpage at www. bradleystoke.gov.uk/graffiti. php, email administrator@ bradleystoke.gov.uk or phone 01454 205020. Another method for reporting graffiti (and many other
council-related issues) is to use the FixMyStreet website or smartphone app, which is very easy to use and provides a public record of all reported problems in an area. Reports using this system are automatically forwarded to SGC, which usually confirms receipt with 24 hours. According to its website, Avon and Somerset Police categorises graffiti as anti-social behaviour, and the public are asked to report it by filling out an online incident form at www.avonandsomerset. police.uk/report or calling 101. The Journal has passed photographs of recent graffiti incidents to the town council, but has chosen not to publish them. ● SGC offers a service to remove graffiti from private property, with the consent of the owner. The charge for this is £35 per hour. Details from Street Care.
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