MORE than 50 people have been fined for dropping litter in York since penalty charge notices (PCNs) were introduced two years ago.

City of York Council has revealed that its workers have handed out £50 fines frequently since 2004.

The figures were revealed as the authority prepares to crack down further on people who foul city streets in its new Neighbourhood Pride initiative.

As The Press reported recently, the Government has also introduced new legislation which will allow councils to issue on-the-spot fines for a range of environmental offences such as fly-tipping and fly-posting.

Additional fines may also be introduced as part of the new street cleaning service, part of Neighbourhood Pride, which will be launched in December.

A spokeswoman revealed that while the authority hoped the new campaign would bring "real improvements" in the cleanliness of the city's streets, this would only be successful with the co-operation of local residents and visitors.

Members of York's Labour group said they were pleased the city council had taken advice and steps to address the "failure" of the previous York Pride initiative.

Coun Ruth Potter, the Labour group's deputy leader, handed in a dossier to council chiefs including a number of photographs detailing "the real state of York's streets".

She claims the group has been telling officers that work needed to be done to clean up York's streets for years, but only now was the Liberal Democrat-run council acting. "The Lib Dems have been told for years that York Pride was failing and now it appears they are admitting as much themselves," said Coun Potter.

"I hope that the people of York will see this for what it really is; a very conveniently timed series of publicly funded publicity stunts on the Lib Dems' flagship initiative in the run-up to an election next May.

"Improving the quality of our local neighbourhoods is something the council should be doing day to day rather than waiting until an election drew near before suddenly springing into action."

Coun Andrew Waller, the council's neighbourhoods chief, said: "All objective measures show the city's streets are getting cleaner. York Neighbourhood Pride will involve the community more in the improvement of their areas and both private and public land."

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "The council has been able to issue fines to people dropping litter since 2004.

"More than 50 £50 PCNs have been issued by the council's Street Environment team since then. The team has also been working with schools to educate children and young people about litter management."