The fine for dropping litter has doubled but councillors say the punishment is “not enough”.

Gravesham council has increased its maximum charge for littering from £75 to £150.

However, many councillors claim the penalty will be “ineffective” as a deterrent due to fewer people being around to catch them.

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Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox (Lab) said: “I welcome the increase of fines to £150, however, they are only effective as a deterrent if they are used.

“It seems the only way to get a fine is for one of the wardens focussed on the town centre to report someone but they are busy people out there helping residents.”

He admitted those who drop litter are “a minority who assume the council will just pick up after them”.

Most residents, he said, are “law-abiding citizens who care for our borough and play their part in looking after it”.

He also expressed his gratitude to the “hardworking” staff who do their best to try and keep the streets clean.

One suggestion to catch people was from Cllr Lee Croxton (Lab), who called for more cameras to be installed as there have been incidents of waste being dumped at night without witnesses.

He said: “The only people you can blame are the lazy people who chuck stuff every day and how we can combat that I don’t know.

“We have to acknowledge people who do this at night when they don’t think people are going to catch them.”

Cllr Brian Sangha (Lab) urged the council to launch a campaign to educate residents and businesses on how “litter is anti-social and it’s an eyesore for all of us, making all our other good work wasted as services are stretched to clear litter on a daily basis”.

Last week we reported how the town’s three Safer Place Officers have issued 15 fines for littering since they started work eight months ago.

The team are the only people who can enforce the rules.