CONTROVERSIAL advertising using "clean graffiti" faces being outlawed in Edinburgh as complaints continue to roll in about a Government campaign.
The city's environment leader, Robert Aldridge, has said they are unlikely to allow the technique to be used on pavements again.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) jet-washed messages on to grimy pavements on 30 streets as part of a crackdo
wn on benefit fraud, but several people complained as they were confronted with the messages outside their houses.
The city council has now arranged to clean the offending graffiti from three streets, and said it only agreed to the campaign on condition that it was not placed outside people's homes.
Councillor Aldridge said they would think twice before giving permission for a similar advertising campaign again.
He said: "I personally think it's not a very effective way of dealing with benefit fraud. I do have some concerns it sends out a mixed message. We're quite clear graffiti is unacceptable. We would be quite happy to talk with the DWP about other ways we can assist in dealing with benefit fraud."
Carrie Duffy, 28, a make-up artist from Inverleith Row, said she was "upset" by two messages outside her front door.
She said: "I didn't feel I was being targeted, but I did have some comments as I took my pram out the front door. I just don't think it's appropriate in a residential area."
Peter Brook, manager of the Maltings Alehouse, also complained about messages outside his pub on Montague Street.
He said: "They didn't just put one – there were three in a row. It looked awful. A lot of customers were asking us about it. I felt I was being victimised."
Andrea McHugh, head of environment at the city council, said they would be reporting people's concerns to the DWP.
She said: "We support this campaign because it sends out an important message about benefit fraud.
"Our agreement to it taking place in Edinburgh was subject to a number of conditions and we received assurances from the DWP that adverts would not be placed outside residential property."
A spokeswoman for the DWP said: "No adverts should be placed directly outside private residences and we are sorry for any offence and inconvenience caused.
"This is the latest version of our ongoing campaign to target benefit thieves. We hope people will use the opportunity to use the hotline number to report suspicions of fraud for us to investigate."
The full article contains 420 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
