BY SHY-ANN ARKINSTALL
Newcastle Councillor Jenny Barrie will raise a motion at tonight's council meeting to propose a joint effort between council and local business owners and residents to clean up the graffiti around the city.
The proposal will suggest sending letters to residents and business owners in the Hunter Mall precinct, urging them to address graffiti on their buildings and to keep the foot path clean outside their property.
Cr Barrie said the current state of the CDB reflects a lack of civic pride among its residents.
Under the proposal, property owners will be footing the bill to clean up the graffiti so owners will either have to remove it themselves or pay someone else to do it.
Council does offer free clean up of offensive graffiti within two days of reporting which can be done on the City of Newcastle website.
"It's a beautiful city and we just need to make sure that crime doesn't take over," said Cr Barrie.
Cr Barrie is urging people to report graffiti or acts of vandalism when they see them.
