A zero-tolerance war is to be launched on litter louts and anti-social behaviour in Colchester

Colchester Council already leads the nation in the number of fixed-penalty tickets dished out to litter bugs.

Under new proposals set to come into force later this year the cost of the £25 penalty tickets is set to double in price to £50.

Tim Young, council portfolio holder for health, community safety and housing, said: "Leaving litter about and other forms of antI-social behaviour need to be treated with zero tolerance."

"It would have my full support. This type of anti-social behaviour has to be stamped out."

Colin Daines, environmental control manager at the council, said 12 fixed penalty tickets had already been given out since the start of the year.

And he warned litter louts that when the new street warden system takes effect that number was likely to increase because there will be six monitors rather than just one.

Last year, Colchester accounted for about ten per cent of the total number of tickets given out in the UK.

Published Tuesday, March 26, 2002