A GREEN candidate has called for more effective action against fly-tippers and litter louts in York.

Denise Craghill, the party’s lead candidate for Guildhall at next month's elections, said bottles, old trainers and torn bags had been lying in an alleyway in The Groves since she first reported the problem to City of York Council last July.

She said this gave residents the impression the area wasn't cared for, and she had written to Sally Burns, director of communities and neighbourhoods, to ask her to investigate the lack of action.

She said the rubbish was in a narrow alleyway off Groves Lane as it ran alongside Monk Bar car park, which had been gated at both ends with padlocks.

She said she appreciated most council staff were doing the very best they could in difficult circumstances following Coalition funding cuts, but this was just one example of how far there was to go in dealing effectively with problems.

The alleyway appeared to be unadopted and not council land, but there had been no enforcement action.

"Once a problem has been reported it should be down to the council, not the resident, to quickly work out which part of the council is responsible for solving it."

A council spokeswoman said the area was privately owned and the responsibility for litter sat with the landowner.

She said the council worked with community groups across the city and would wish to work with this landowner too, adding: "The council has been working with local residents for some time in the Groves Lane area (which this lane runs off) where residents are undertaking litter picking and reporting issues to us."