A PETITION to ban single-use plastics from public events will be debated tomorrow.

A meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council at Brighton Town Hall will hear from campaigners who want the council to withhold events licences from any organisers who do not propose an SUP-free event.

Single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled.

These items are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles and most food packaging.

Lead petitioner Nicki O’Neill wrote to the council: “We the undersigned petition Brighton and Hove Council to insist that all the events held in the city are free from single-use plastics and if not, the council will not issue licences to the event organisers.

“Following the agreement at the environment, transport and sustainability committee at 4pm on November 28, 2017, to report on the potential for a ban on the purchase of single-use plastics in all council buildings and agencies.

“We urge the council to go further to protect our coastline to insist that all city events are free from single-use plastics and if not event licenses will not be issued to the event organisers. We would also like the promised report to be published by June 2018.”

More than 1,400 have signed the petition.

In her briefing to the council, Ms O’Neill added: “As a group of all year round sea swimmers, we see first hand the effects single-use plastics have on our beaches and coastlines.

“Following the recent Brighton Half Marathon, we saw and collected discarded single-use bottles given out at the event from the beaches and promenade.

“We love Brighton and Hove and are not in principle against the many great events that we hold in our vibrant city.

“Many of us are also keen runners and participate in city events.

“But we are concerned about the levels of marine litter that we encounter throughout the year.”

Moves to limit the city’s use of plastics, especially single-use plastics, have been growing over the last year, driven in part by the Plastic Free Pledge organisation.

The Plastic Free Pledge encourages organisations and individuals to reduce waste by using less plastic that can only be used once, such as plastic straws, takeaway food containers and coffee cups.

Many traders and catering companies have backed the scheme, with more than 55 venues across Brighton and Hove signing up with the aim of limiting or removing these types of plastics from their businesses.

In November the environment committee came a step closer to reducing the use and misuse of plastic when it commissioned a report into banning the purchase of SUPs in council buildings.

Under the council’s petition scheme, if a petition contains more than 1,250 signatures it will be debated by the full council.

The city council’s officers have recommended the full council hears the petition tomorrow but does not take immediate action, instead referring it to the tourism development and culture committee for its June meeting.