Broadstone 'safe' despite graffiti problem

Cllr Vikki Slade, for Broadstone, said the area was safe and police had bigger issues to deal with in Dorset.

It comes after complaints were made about graffiti blighting Springdale Road, but Cllr Slade said it was not the council’s or the police’s responsibility to clean it.

She said: “Graffiti is a problem that’s been on and off for a few months. I have spoken to police about graffiti and they get regular information from the community.

“They have to have information of a high enough quality to get a prosecution.

“The police can’t patrol roads because there is somebody with a spray gun, it’s not realistic. Is it a good use of police time?

“Graffiti is clearly antisocial behaviour but the police have much bigger crimes they have to prioritise, if they could spend time investigating somebody tagging a fence that would indicate they we have no other crime.”

Cllr Slade said there was a suggestion the council should clean everyone’s fence as a “goodwill gesture".

She said it wasn’t the council’s responsibility to fix private property when there has been damage.

“We live in an incredibly safe area,” she continued.

“We have very few burglaries, hardly any violent crime, we have some graffiti and that’s the extent of the criminal situation in Broadstone.

“What do I want the police to do? I want them to make sure it is safe for children to walk the street at night and women to walk the street unmolested.

“If the price I have to pay is police don’t spend their time sitting behind a screen or going door to door asking for Ring doorbell footage, I am prepared to pay that price.”

Cllr Slade urged people to send police clear evidence, directly to their website or 101, saying officers cannot take evidence from Facebook.

“You have got to go on the website or 101 and provide evidence then it is up to the police to decide if it is strong enough,” she said.