As part of this initiative, the Council is investing £1.3 million over two years in tougher enforcement, new litter bins, and creative deterrents like shutter art, wall murals, trellises, and planters to discourage vandalism. To encourage wider use of the Council’s free graffiti removal service, officers will be engaging with local businesses and residents to raise awareness of the offer.
The initiative begins with a six-month trial on Camberwell Church Street. The Council will assess the impact of the trial and adapt the approach based on what works best.
Councillor James McAsh, Cabinet Member for Clean Air, Streets and Waste, said: “Graffiti is one of the most complained about issues we hear from residents, which is why we’re stepping up our efforts to build cleaner, greener, and safer communities. Although it’s not just an issue Southwark, it’s one that affects communities across London and costs councils millions to address each year.
"We’ll be carrying out targeted clean-up blitzes in other known hotspots over the coming months, while also increasing monitoring and enforcement. We’re urging more businesses to take advantage of the Council’s free removal service to help improve the look and feel of our town centres."
Graffiti can be reported through the Council’s FixMyStreet app or on the Southwark Council website.