NEWPORT had the highest number of unclean streets in Wales in 2011/12, a report published today reveals.

Figures released by Keep Wales Tidy show the city had the lowest percentage of streets deemed at a high standard of cleanliness.

Out of the 22 Welsh authorities, Newport had the lowest percentage of streets awarded grade B or above, which is the standard of cleanliness normally acceptable to a member of the public.

The data was released in an All Wales Local Environmental Audit and Management System Report 2011-12.

The surveys covered eight per cent of randomly selected streets in each council area and despite being the lowest-ranked council, 91.9 per cent of the streets surveyed in Newport were grade B or above.

Top of the list in Gwent was Monmouthshire with 97 per cent, followed by Torfaen with 96.1 per cent. Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent achieve 95.3 per cent and 95.1 per cent respectively.

The Welsh average was 96.75 per cent.

The scores were based on two surveys undertaken by Keep Wales Tidy between April 2011 and March 2012.

Blaenau Gwent was bottom in Wales in the Cleanliness Index, which is calculated using the Keep Wales Tidy survey.

Blaenau Gwent scored the same as in 2010-11, 65.9, but due to other councils improving, it finished bottom. Monmouthshire, with a score of 69.9, finished joint sixth.

Newport scored 67, putting it 14th, up from 64.9 last year, while Torfaen was 12th with 67.6, up from 66.5.

Caerphilly dropped from 66.4 in 2010 - 11 to 66.2.

During the surveys, four types of litter were recorded; smoking-related, drinks-related, confectionary and fast food.

In Caerphilly, 96.4 per cent of the streets surveryed had smoking-related litter on them - the highest in Wales. The lowest of the Gwent authorities was Newport, with 87.9 per cent.

Caerphilly also had the highest percentage of both drinks related litter, joint with Torfaen scoring 43.8 per cent, and sweets and crisp wrappers scoring 76.6 per cent out of the Gwent authorities.

While Newport achieved the lowest percentage in drinks-related litter in Gwent, it has the highest in Wales for fast food litter on 28.9 per cent of the streets. The lowest in this category out of the Gwent Authorities was Torfaen.

Newport council was unavailable for comment.