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Council invests millions of dollars annually in street cleaning, graffiti removal and general improvements to amenity in our city. Annual surveying, however, highlighted dissatisfaction with the maintenance and cleaning of Footscray Central Business District (CBD). We are currently looking at ways to improve the general amenity of the CBD and we would like to hear comments and suggestions from the community.
We are putting this survey to regular visitors to the CBD (shoppers, service users and workers) as well as local traders and property owners. We are also going to ask the broader community what improvements might encourage more visitors to the CBD.
Council invests millions of dollars annually in street cleaning, graffiti removal and general improvements to amenity in our city. Annual surveying, however, highlighted dissatisfaction with the maintenance and cleaning of Footscray Central Business District (CBD). We are currently looking at ways to improve the general amenity of the CBD and we would like to hear comments and suggestions from the community.
We are putting this survey to regular visitors to the CBD (shoppers, service users and workers) as well as local traders and property owners. We are also going to ask the broader community what improvements might encourage more visitors to the CBD.
A: Council has a
number of strategies to combat and respond to illegal graffiti. Firstly we recognise that ugly tagging is
less likely to occur in places that have been specifically allocated for legal
street art. There are a number of
locations around the Footscray CBD that Council has funded specifically for
this purpose. Council also employs a
Graffiti Ranger who regularly consults with local traders to identify areas
that need cleaning.
Our City Business team have recently begun working with
traders on the Leeds street improvement plan that offers free graffiti removal
along with shop front upgrades. Council offers free graffiti removal kits
to households.
Council will shortly be introducing a proactive service approach which involves regular monitoring and cleaning of graffiti in key locations within the Footscray business district.
Q: Can Council
force businesses fix up their shop fronts?
A: Council has no
power to force businesses to alter their shop fronts unless they are
unsafe. However, we have undertaken
street improvement programs that offer the free service of shop front
beatification. In Leeds Street the offer
was made to approximately 50 traders and fifteen traders have so far agreed to
participate in this program.
Q: How often does
Council collect the rubbish in the FBD and is this often enough?
A: Council
collects waste on a weekly basis and recycling on a fortnightly basis and
provides a limited number of collection bins per property. Council provides a residential service that
has been extended to small businesses.
Council does not collect commercial quantities of waste from businesses. A number
of properties use private contractors due to the quantities of waste produced
and almost a third choose to have not service at all, as they run businesses
that produce very little waste.
Q: What is Council
doing about cleaning up rubbish in the street?
A: Council
employs 20 staff in our cleansing team and our total operational budget for cleansing is $2.3 million per year. Street sweeping is carried out nightly in the Footscray CBD. Council responds to requests to pick up illegally dumped rubbish. We respond to approximately 2,600 customer service requests per year.
Q: As a trader why should I have
to pay for rubbish bins? Is Council making money by charging us?
A: Traders get
one waste and one recycling bin at no extra charge as these are covered by
rates payments. Traders can elect to pay
a fee for up to two additional waste and recycling bins. Council
charges $300 per additional standard waste bin per annum for up to two
additional bins. The real cost to
council to provide this service, however, is measured by weight and estimated
to be in the order of $500 per bin as the contents of commercial bins are
larger and heavier than residential bins.
