Love Medway: Rochester Graffiti Concerns

Graffiti on Holcombe Road, Rochester - Near St Peters Primary School

Despite the glut of advertisement across Medway for the Love Medway application, there is a very real concern about the increasing amount of graffiti in Rochester, its impacts on our local community, and quite how much awareness there is amongst the public about self-reporting online.

This weekend I received several twitter messages from concerned residents about increasing amounts of graffiti or 'tagging' appearing in the Delce area. A problem which residents indicate has been getting worse over the last couple of months.

I paid a number of site visits and took several photos of the graffiti. It is clear that the problem stems from a very small number of people. Some seemingly so arrogant that in the below case revealing mobile phone numbers on full public display.

Glut of graffiti with mobile numbers! Site is off St Peters Road / Delce, Rochester

In addition, there are worrying signs that school property and signposts near schools are being targeted as well. The below is on the wall of St Peter's Primary School itself.

Graffiti on external schoolwall of St Peters Primary School (from alleyway)

With the recent work ongoing in the Luton & Wayfield ward I have decided to report these cases using the Love Medway phone applicaton to report cases of anti-social behaviour and review follow-up from the Council.

You can register on the lovemedway.co.uk website and to make things easier you can even register using your twitter, facebook and even blogger log-in.

All it then takes is for you to upload a photo of the concern and drop a pin on the location.

A public report is then generated which can be reviewed online from work or home. It is also publicly accessible.

With increasing levels of concern around crime it is important that graffiti and small instances of low-level crime is picked up and actioned. I am a supporter of the 'broken window' philosophy whereby allow one window to go broken and it allows further such cases to occur.

I will also ask fellow bloggers in Medway to advertise this application as much as possible and use it.

I, alongside the ward Councillors, Teresa Murray and Nick Bowler and the team in Rochester will be keeping an eye on follow up.

We urge all residents to support the scheme and report all cases of anti-social behaviour. Like the post-riot clean-up in London; the community can stand together and challenge bad behavour. The tools are there.