Official Information Request - Graffiti Removal

I refer to your email of 15 April requesting the following information:

1. The number of times council property was tagged each year for the past three years.
2. How much tagging cost the council each year.
3. The amount council spent removing tags each year.
4. A brief summary of other costs associated with tagging.

Council does not have a specific line item for graffiti removal. Some graffiti removal is dealt with in the general maintenance budgets across the organisation or within contract specifications. This makes it very difficult to extract exact details of the number and cost for graffiti removal.

I can advise that Rotorua Contracting Ltd and other contractors responded to approximately 425 graffiti related requests for service since July 2015 (345 in 2015 and 79 to date in 2016). The number of requests for service for graffiti removal were not recorded prior to July 2015.

I can also confirm that Council paid the following amounts to Rotorua Contracting Ltd and other contractors for graffiti removal for the last three years:
2013 - $71,433
2014 - $82,365
2015 - $71,543

However, as mentioned above, there could be additional graffiti removal jobs and expenses that cannot be itemised as they would be included in general maintenance budgets or included within a contract.

Under legislation we are obliged to advise that if you have any concerns with the adequacy of our response you may contact the Ombudsman by writing to:

The Office of the Ombudsman
P O Box 10 152
WELLINGTON 6143

Or alternatively by email to complaint@ombudsmen.parliament.nz

Regards

Jean-Paul Gaston Group Manager, Strategy and Partnerships
P: 07 351 8302 | M: 0276554415
E: Jean-Paul.Gaston@rotorualc.nz | W: rotorualakescouncil.nz
A: 1061 Haupapa St, Private Bag 3029, Rotorua Mail Centre, Rotorua 3046, New Zealand