Calls to create legal street art to brighten Swan Street have been made policy as it was passed by cabinet councillors – but only just.
South Holland district councillors have for a number of months been preparing a policy to create the art in approved locations in the district.
But at a meeting of its Executive last week, made up of the councillors that oversee different departments, the votes were split on whether to take it to the Full Council who will have the final say.
Deputy leader and meeting chairman Coun Nick Worth voted it through with the casting vote.
The first proposed locations for the displays that would be approved by the council are over-looking Westlode Street car park and on former toilets at the Castle Sports Complex.
Coun Roger Gambba-Jones called for another location near Scooby Doo’s on Swan Street which he said would “be a much more prominent location to show the talents and skills of our artists”.
“At the moment it’s an embarrassment and a blight on Spalding,” he said. “We’ve been a bit shy on the locations. It’s understandable but unfortunate it could be counter productive.”
But some councillors were worried the policy would encourage illegal graffiti with Coun Christine Lawton saying: “It’s very difficult to control once the genie is out of the bottle.”
Coun Bryan Alcock also raised concerns that private owners will still be enforced against if their property was targeted. It was argued this is already the case with Coun Gambba-Jones highlighting it was something they were continually have to contact Network Rail about over Stepping Stones Bridge.
Coun Gary Taylor said: “We are responsive to the public mood and it’s time to allow these artists to express themselves in a positive manner.
“The policy includes measures to tackle illegal graffiti. In South Holland we will not tolerate filthy, offensive, racist graffiti and we will remove that. But we will embrace the opportunity for artists to show their skills with images of a positive and uplifting nature that showcases the best of South Holland.
“It’s a balance and we should monitor that carefully.”
