It follows tagging at Lincoln’s Te Whāriki playground on the corner of Vernon and Southfield Dr earlier this month.
So far this year, the council has received 69 graffiti reports through the Snap Send Solve app. Excluding the Te Whāriki incident, it has spent about $29,000 on clean-up work.
Cr Denise Carrick wants cameras installed in playgrounds and other public spaces as a deterrent.
“We’ve reached a point in population where we should have cameras around playgrounds and town centres,” she said.
But in an email to councillors, council infrastructure and property executive director Tim Mason raised a range of concerns about CCTV use in playgrounds.
“Cameras in playgrounds raise genuine and complex concerns around privacy, parental expectations, and governance (who monitors footage, retention, access, enforcement, etc.
“These concerns are particularly sensitive when children are involved.”
He also pointed to cost implications, including installation, monitoring, data storage and ongoing maintenance, which are not currently budgeted.
“Once one playground has cameras, we can expect strong pressure for installations at many other locations,” he told councillors.
Despite the pushback, Carrick said she intends to continue advocating for CCTV, likely through the 2027–37 Long Term Plan.
“I have had quite a few residents say to me cameras are the answer.”
Mason said graffiti removal was also becoming increasingly difficult using traditional methods.
“The type of paint used is difficult to lift with standard products and is leaving a visible outline on the concrete substrate.
“The team is currently exploring alternative removal options, which may require more intensive remediation such as sandblasting or even concrete grinding.”
He said the council was also considering other prevention measures, including anti-graffiti coatings, surface treatments, and materials designed to make tagging more difficult or easier to remove.
”This approach reduces harm, avoids privacy concerns, and scales more consistently across the district without creating policy or funding pressures.”
