TOUGHER penalties for litter louts and environment pests could be on the way, after new council powers were announced.
New Government legislation - the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 - has now come into effect, which gives councils more scope to deal with nuisance litter and noise pollution.
A City of York Council spokeswoman said dropping cigarette butts, cigars and chewing gum in the open air would now be classed as litter - something that had been unclear in previous legislation.
York council had specifically asked Government officials for this definition to be tightened when it was consulted on the new laws.
As previously revealed in the Evening Press, the council has the power to give out on the spot £50 fixed penalty notices to anyone spotted dropping litter, including chewing gum or cigarette ends.
The spokeswoman said the newly-tightened rules meant it would be easier for courts to prosecute and fine litter louts who had not paid their penalties.
Council environment chief Coun Andrew Waller said the new rules meant the council could now get tough on anyone dropping litter on any open land such as shop forecourts or football grounds - and not just council-owned areas.
"Now the legislation has been tightened up we can enforce litter dropping anywhere," he said.
He said the council would start enforcing any of the new powers which were already within its policy straight away.
Powers that are not already the council's policy will be debated by city chiefs over the course of the year.
Coun Waller said the council would also be investigating tighter controls over nuisance property alarms - under wider powers contained within the new act.
He said the rules meant the council could act more quickly in dealing with cases where environmental health officers were forced to tackle ringing alarms - easing noise misery for hundreds of residents.
Other new rules in the act include:
Powers to tackle nuisance parking, such as businesses which sell and repair cars on the road
Powers to take action against land-owners whose property is blighted by fly posting
Fines for fly tipping more than doubled from £20,000 to £50,000
Updated: 08:05 Thursday, July 07, 2005
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article