Video to clean up graffiti problem

GEELONG council is set to use a $28,000 graffiti prevention grant to encourage people to remove graffiti themselves.

The City of Greater Geelong plans to spend the State Government grant creating videos that highlight the best products to use to remove graffiti from different surfaces.

City services director Guy Wilson-Browne said the grant would “help property owners understand when they can remove the graffiti themselves and when they may need to seek professional assistance”.

“We will also be developing new web material to help the community understand the nature of graffiti and their responsibilities in this area,” Mr Wilson-Browne said.

Graffiti costs Geelong ratepayers more than $600 a day in clean-up bills.

The City of Greater Geelong poured about $1.25 million over five years into cleaning up graffiti.

From 2014 to December last year, residents made more than 13,000 reports of graffiti vandalism to council.

Geelong was among 20 councils to receive the grants to help stamp out graffiti.

Parliamentary secretary for crime prevention Frank McGuire announced yesterday the successful recipients of the 2019-20 Graffiti Prevention Grants program would share in more than $455,000.

“Improving the look of our neighbourhoods helps Victorians feel safer and that’s exactly what these grants will do,” Mr McGuire said.

“I look forward to seeing the results of the projects supported by these grants and the positive changes they’ll have on communities around Victoria.”

The grants are part of the Government’s Community Crime Prevention Program, which supports communities to prevent crime and improve community safety.