Anti-graffiti plan gets a spray

– Russell Bennett
STREETON Ward councillor Noel Cliff has slammed his own council’s Graffiti Management Plan.
Yarra Ranges Council endorsed the new 2011-2016 plan at its 14 December meeting but not before it was met with scathing criticism.
The new plan was devised after consultation with five focus groups but Cr Cliff said it “lacked depth”. The plan focuses on graffiti prevention, early intervention, and community partnerships – groups working with the shire to solve the problem.
“But it doesn’t reflect the actual views of the groups doing all the work, specifically the hard working volunteers in Montrose and Upwey,” Cr Cliff said.
“I’ve been told the plan is ‘piss-poor’ and ‘wishy-washy’ and that’s right.
“We’re not actually listening to the people who do all the work.”
According to the plan, Yarra Ranges Council will provide “a suite of resources to assist in graffiti clean up”.
These include clean up kits, a clean up trailer available for community groups, and portable graffiti ‘bins’ for traders. “Right now, the shire is only responsible for cleaning their own property so that leaves these guys (volunteer groups) to work their arses off,” Cr Cliff said.
“These people are liquid gold and we’re not treating them well at all.”