A proper ‘Jeremy Hunt’: Mayor Perry breaks graffiti promises

KEN LEE reports from Thornton Heath on a piece of social messaging that just won’t go away Paint job: Mayor Jason Perry is quick to take credit for graffiti ‘blitzes’. But the reality is far different ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/insidecroydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-16-39-03-Croydons-Mayor-takes-action-to-tackle-graffiti-in-Thornton-Heath-Develop-Croydon.png?fit=300%2C176&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/insidecroydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-16-39-03-Croydons-Mayor-takes-action-to-tackle-graffiti-in-Thornton-Heath-Develop-Croydon.png?fit=640%2C375&ssl=1″ tabindex=”0″ role=”button” class=” wp-image-179091″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/insidecroydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-16-39-03-Croydons-Mayor-takes-action-to-tackle-graffiti-in-Thornton-Heath-Develop-Croydon.png?resize=385%2C226&ssl=1″ alt width=”385″ height=”226″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/insidecroydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-16-39-03-Croydons-Mayor-takes-action-to-tackle-graffiti-in-Thornton-Heath-Develop-Croydon.png?w=750&ssl=1 750w, https://i0.wp.com/insidecroydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-16-39-03-Croydons-Mayor-takes-action-to-tackle-graffiti-in-Thornton-Heath-Develop-Croydon.png?resize=300%2C176&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/insidecroydon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-25-at-16-39-03-Croydons-Mayor-takes-action-to-tackle-graffiti-in-Thornton-Heath-Develop-Croydon.png?resize=150%2C88&ssl=1 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 385px) 100vw, 385px” data-recalc-dims=”1″> Paint job: Mayor Jason Perry is quick to take credit for graffiti ‘blitzes’. But the reality on the streets is far different Offensive graffiti on two council signs on Blakemore Road in Thornton Heath that include the “C” word, and which dozens of primary aged children have to walk past on their way to and from school each day, has been left uncleaned by Croydon Council despite being reported multiple times by residents and ward councillors over the course of almost two months. Jason Perry, Croydon’s Tory Mayor, had promised that offensive graffiti, especially if found on sensitive sites (such as close to a primary school), would be removed within just 48 hours. Perry’s special contractors, FM Conway, have had at least one attempt at removing the wording in question, but have so far failed in their task, managing just to smudge...