Banksy murals safe from Bristol City Council in their new green plans

Popular Banksy graffiti is likely to be safe, as Bristol City Council’s new green plans will protect popular murals.

In a move by the council to make Bristol the UK’s greenest city by December 2012,  new plans are being unveiled that will hike recycling targets and improve the local environment.

One way of keeping the city green and clean will be to remove offensive and unsightly graffiti.

The council will produce a new street art policy which will let people inform them which murals or artworks have a positive effect within local communities and where property owners have not made a complaint.

The council’s controversial removal of Banksy murals without permission or consultation in the past has sparked criticism and outrage from communities and property owners.

Under new rules these ‘accidents’ are unlikely to be repeated.

Improving the level of household recycling by offering incentives will be introduced and the number of plastic recycling banks increased.

South Bristol has been marked as a priority for a new household waste-recycling centre.

Clubbers, groups or low budget local events will suffer as guerilla advertisers will be targeted.

Posters and placards will be removed from trees, lamp posts and other examples of street furniture cluttering busy narrow pavements.

Council tax payers are being reassured that these moves will benefit their pocket in the long term.

Reductions on future council taxes due to the costs saved by the council with the cheaper and greener moves  have not been mentioned.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safe, Councillor Gary Hopkins said: “We know that reaching these ambitions will not only be good for the environment of Bristol but also for the wallets of council tax payers since reducing waste reduces the cost of disposal and using land fill sites incurs hefty tariffs.”

The plans will be considered by Bristol City Council on September 15.