Gravesham Council has increased the fines for littering to £150.

The council made the decision in Momday's cabinet meeting and the higher penalty is due to come into force from August 1.

At the moment the council spends more than £1 million each year on street cleaning activities including the cleaning of the streets, litter-picking, and the removal of fly tipping.

Councillor Alan Ridgers, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: "It is not just the council's responsibility to keep Gravesham clean - it is everyone's who lives, works or visits here.

"But unfortunately not all people are respecting the area and carelessly drop litter. Some people see it as the council's job to clean up their mess. It isn't. And fines are one way we are going to tackle offenders - and tackle them hard.

"Littering is bad behaviour and we need everyone to help keep Gravesham clean."

The increased fines come along as part of a new campaign - No More Litter, which aims to increase awareness of the littering problem and how it is not just the council's responsibility.

Councillor Ridgers added: "Often people post on social media about messy streets and ask why the council isn't doing more. This campaign is us doing more - by tackling the cause. If we keep cleaning the streets, people keep dropping litter. This now has to stop. People need to take responsibility.

"If we didn't have to put so much money into cleaning up the streets we could spend it on planting more flower beds or increase grass cutting - things that people do want. But we cannot do these other things as the litter problem keeps growing."

Everyone can support the No More Litter campaign by going to the website www.gravesham.gov.uk/nomore and signing up to the pledge to Keep Gravesham Clean.