Increased graffiti 'in danger of turning Axminster into a slum', says resident

Axminster is "in danger of being turned into a slum" thanks to the increased amount of graffiti in the town.

That was the view of one resident who recently shared his concerns in the public forum of a Axminster Town Council meeting.

The resident said that, while examples of graffiti could be found all over the town, he was "sad to say" that he believed the issue had increased since the opening of the new skatepark at Cloakham Lawn, and that graffiti was largely concentrated around this area.

He added that many of the graffiti 'tags' were similar, so he believed the issue was only being caused by a small group of people.

He then asked of council staff and equipment could be used to remove graffiti from private property, and for more support from the police.

The Mayor of Axminster, Cllr Jill Farrow, said that local police were aware of the issue and were investigating.

Both the mayor and town clerk Paul Hayward explained that it was not the responsibility of the council to remove graffiti from private property, and that equipment could not be lent out in case of damage to property and other health and safety issues. 

Cllr Jeremy Walden said he was "unhappy" with the issue of graffiti being associated with the skatepark, adding that it was the "last thing many skatepark users would want to do".

Axminster Town Council has since issued the following advice on how to report and deal with graffiti:

If your property is damaged or you have seen someone writing graffiti, you can report it to the police on 101.

The responsibility for the removal of graffiti, and the liability for any damage caused in the process of removing it, lies with whoever owns the property that has been damaged. This means there is no one person or organisation responsible for graffiti removal per se. 

If you notice graffiti or damage to any of the following, contact Axminster Town Council and they will have it removed:

• Benches, bins and play equipment in Jubilee Field
• Most of the benches within the town
• Most bus shelters

You can call 01297 32088 or mail [email protected]

If you notice graffiti or damage to any of the following, report it to Devon County Council:

• Road Signs
• Grit Bins
• Street lighting

Report it on their website at https://www.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/report-a-problem/

If you notice graffiti or damage to any of the folloowing, report it to East Devon District Council:

• Play park equipment (except in Jubilee Field)
• Street name plates
• Street Bins
• EDDC owned car parks and public toilets
• Council houses

If you see graffiti on one of the green utility boxes, this will be the responsibility of whichever utility company own the box. 

Cleaning of all property in private ownership is the responsibility of the property owner. 

If you are unsure who owns something that has been vandalised, contact the Axminster Town Council office.Normal opening hours are Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4pm, email [email protected] or call 01297 32088.