Frankston City Council is exploring a new approach to tackle the ongoing issue of graffiti, which is costing the municipality more than $500,000 annually in clean-up and maintenance costs.

RPP FM reports that Councillor Nathan Butler has proposed a trial initiative aimed at reducing graffiti damage across council, state-owned, and private properties. The initiative would see the introduction of a public bounty system designed to identify prolific taggers, alongside the distribution of clean-up kits to residents willing to assist with graffiti removal.

“Trying something novel and what we’re looking to do is engage our community in taking in some of the responsibility of community policing,”

Cr Butler said.

“You know, seeing if we can identify who these tags belong to and lead to a conviction. I think getting a conviction for graffiti would be a very good deterrent.”

Cr Butler raised the proposal during the most recent council meeting, asking that council officers investigate the feasibility and implications of the concept, and report back to councillors by August.

The proposed system would potentially reward residents who provide verifiable information leading to the identification of taggers. At the same time, residents interested in voluntary clean-up efforts could be issued individual kits containing materials and instructions to safely remove graffiti from affected sites.

Council officers will now assess the legal, financial, and operational considerations involved in implementing such a scheme, and present their findings in the coming months.

Frankston Council spends an estimated $500,000 each year on graffiti removal, with public infrastructure, state assets such as rail corridors, and privately-owned buildings all frequently targeted by vandals.

If endorsed, the bounty and clean-up pack scheme could form part of a broader strategy to engage the community and reduce the visual and financial burden of graffiti across the region.

Do you think this is a good idea? Should locals play a bigger role in tackling graffiti? Let us know your thoughts.