Decision

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note the demand being placed on, and the work being carried out by, Environmental Services to remove graffiti in Aberdeen;

(ii)            to note the current work being undertaken by the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) to reduce graffiti and the steps being proposed to gather data and evidence to help tackle the problem;

(iii)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations, following consultation with the Community Safety Manager, to bring a report to the Communities, Housing and Public Protection Committee in the Summer 2027 to give an update on the progress being made;

(iv)          to instruct the Chief Officer - Operations to explore with the Neighbourhood Board  whether some of the (up to) £20 million Pride in Place Programme funding, to be provided by the UK Government over the next 10 years, could be used to help prevent and remove graffiti within the relevant Pride in Place neighbourhood and report back to this Committee by January 2027 on how this funding could best support efforts in this regard; and

(v)           to recognise the positive contribution which Aberdeen Inspired’s Nuart project has made to the city and agrees that, as part of the officer’s report, consideration should be given to involving local artists in the creation of commissioned public artwork at suitable locations, helping to discourage the unregulated graffiti currently blighting parts of the city.