GRAFFITI is no longer "cool", Croydon's environment chief claimed this week.

Councillor Phil Thomas was speaking after figures, obtained by the Advertiser, revealed that call-outs to clean up after the town's spray-can vandals had dropped by a third over the past financial year.

Mr Thomas, Croydon Council's cabinet member for environment and highways, said the town had been "absolutely covered" with graffiti six or seven years ago.

"It was seen as one of those things where it was 'cool' to graffiti and tag everywhere, but I don't think it is anymore," he said.

"The main thing is we mustn't be complacent just because the number of incidents has dropped."

The council – which has vowed to take a tough stance on those caught – was called out to clean up after vandals 1,304 times during the last financial year – 683 fewer occasions than the previous 12 months.

It cost taxpayers £43,319 to clean up – an average of £33.22 per removal.

This makes for a considerable saving from the £83,835 it cost over the 2009/2010 financial year.

Despite the drop in call-outs, residents and businesses we spoke to in problem areas had not noticed a marked improvement.

Sivadasan Pankajkshy, 65, owner of DAS Electrical Supplies in Whitehorse Road – the most graffitied road in the borough – said: "It's vandalism and there's a lot of it in this area. The graffiti is a real problem.

"A lot of it isn't visible when shops are open but if they pull down the shutters then you can see more."

Tony Leeson, 47, from Thornton Heath, added: "It's just kids who don't know what they are doing and it's a shame because it brings down the area.

"The council is doing a fairly good job as there is not much around but it is difficult for them to keep up with the little bits here and there."

But Lloyd Davis, 78, a Whitehorse Road resident since 1962, said: "There are some little bits but it's not much really.

"It's no better or worse than it has been before."

Of the 30 incidents of graffiti removed from Whitehorse Road, 16 were raised on the same day – with all but three of those cleared within 48 hours.

If graffiti is rude or racist the council aims to take it down within 24 hours. It sets out to remove all other reported scrawls within a maximum of 14 days.