On-the-spot £50 fines for people dropping cigarette ends and chewing gum in streets are to be considered by Brighton and Hove City Council.

Lib Dem councillors have tabled a motion to be discussed by the full council on September 25 calling for a study of similar schemes countrywide.

Councillor Paul Elgood, Lib Dem group leader, said: "The success of on-the-spot fines in areas such as Darlington is clear, with hundreds of people having to pay fines for minor littering issues.

"With rubbish and litter problems paramount in the city it is time we had a zero-tolerance policy to get our streets cleaned once and for all.

"The streets are a mess and direct action is needed to stamp out the culture of littering which has developed here. It is unacceptable and the council should be seeking new ways of dealing with it.

"The success of the decriminalisation of parking proves that when the council takes matters into its own hands then action can follow.

"The council also needs to take a detailed look at the issue of community wardens. If we have an active team of "spotters" out in the community then a whole range of problems could be dealt with."

Coun Elgood said 600 people in Darlington received on-the-spot fines between November last year and last month.

They were issued by community wardens and the council's environment response team.

He said: "A further number of prosecutions have been made of persistent offenders through court action and a "naming and shaming" strategy.

"The scheme has also been praised for enlisting the support of residents, traders, businesses and media organisations."