YORK’S walls are being defaced by a wave of graffiti, with tags being sprayed recently on buildings including York Barbican, a club, a hotel and York Cemetery.

Latest statistics show a rise in the number of cases of offensive graffiti reported to City of York Council, from 25 in 2017/2018 to 41 in the first three quarters of 2018/2019.

The average number of days taken for such graffiti to be removed also jumped from a day and a half in 2016 to more than a week at one point last year.

One of the areas being targeted is the Foss Basin, where local resident Lynette Mills says she has been trying for months to get a growing amount of graffiti removed near a towpath alongside the River Foss.

She said the graffiti problem had only arisen in the past couple of years and claimed it sent a ‘message of urban decay, vandalism, territory marking and gang activity.’

She suggested a designated spot should be created, where graffiti on an artistic scale was allowed, with pictures of it put on a calendar, with proceeds going to fund youth projects.

David Fraser, chief executive of York Civic Trust, said such anti-social behaviour was probably not the highest priority for police and council but all would like it to cease, ‘because of the expense of cleaning and the general effect it has in creating an un-cared-for city.’

He said: “The best defence is concerned citizens who challenge it as it’s happening.”

The council’s new deputy leader, Andy D’Agorne, said he wanted a better policy on securing removal of graffiti from privately owned surfaces in public areas.

Jane Mowat, head of community safety, said graffiti was criminal damage which spoiled the environment, adding: “We are grateful to all who report sights of graffiti to us so that we can remove it as soon as possible.” She urged anyone spotting graffiti to report it online at www.york.gov.uk/Graffiti or call 01904 551550.