GRAFFITI will meet its match in York next month, as the third phase of the city's Neighbourhood Pride campaign gets under way.

If you live or work in Clifton, Fishergate or the city centre, you will see teams of council cleaners blitzing the walls and streets throughout January.

City of York Council has designated the first month of 2007 anti-graffiti month, with extra resources channelled into scrubbing away unsightly paint.

The authority's Neighbourhood Pride team works on graffiti-hit areas throughout the year, aiming to remove obscene and offensive graffiti on council-owned property within two working days.

As reported in The Press earlier this month, Marygate tunnel, Clifton Primary School and walls in Kingsway North have already been cleaned up. But the graffiti cleaning will begin in earnest in January, and run throughout the month.

Zoe Burns, head of the Neighbourhood Pride team, said: "Graffiti is a year-round problem, but we hope that by really blitzing the affected areas over the next month, we can make a real difference.

"Evidence suggests that graffiti encourages other forms of anti-social behaviour, so it's really important that we tackle problem areas as quickly as possible."

Coun Andrew Waller, City of York executive member for neighbourhoods, said: "It is a battle to keep on top of graffiti, but since the Lib Dems took control in 2003, the council has had targets on removing graffiti on council-owned land.

"I am pleased that we are achieving these, and this latest phase of York Neighbourhood Pride builds on the work that has been done over the last three years. People want to feel proud about the city, and so I hope residents will engage with this campaign."

The council has also asked residents to notify them of areas that need particular cleaning, by clicking on the image of a Christmas card on the Clean For Christmas campaign site on the council's website, www.york.gov.uk, phoning 01904 551551 or sending a card to Liz Levett at 9 St Leonard's Place, York, YO1 7ET.

Opposition Labour councillors have derided the move as a "publicity stunt".