LITTER louts in Newport could face on-the-spot fines of £25 as the council gets tough with those who drop rubbish in the town centre.

The fines are the latest attempt to reduce the cost of keeping the town's streets free of litter, which currently claims nearly £100,000 of taxpayers' money.

And today the Argus and Newport council launch a joint campaign to encourage people to keep their town centre tidy.

Steve Davidson, head of public protection and environmental services at Newport council, said: "Some of the architecture in Newport town centre is as good as I have seen.

"I think it is a lovely place and we want to encourage people to take more pride in their home town.

"And of course, a clean town will help any bid for city status." The fixed-penalty notices will be issued to anyone seen dropping litter by town centre rangers.

Councillor Bob Bright, Cabinet member for community safety, said: "We are not going to be fining everybody straightaway, every time a piece of litter is dropped.

"But people must be educated about the penalties they could face if they drop litter." People who do not pay the fines could find themselves being prosecuted.

The council spends nearly £100,000 each year on cleaning up street waste, collecting 3,473 tonnes from litter bins, off the streets and in dumped rubbish. To keep the town centre litter free, the council employs a team of 13 operatives working various shifts seven days a week.

The shifts start at 6am, with the mechanical sweeper clearing away litter from the night before.

Between 7.30am and 11am the instant response team are brought in to clear away waste from the streets.

Mr Davidson added: "We feel that there are enough bins around the town centre for people to dispose of their rubbish.

"And we feel that some businesses who generate litter could help by advertising on bins to reduce some of the costs.

"But the message we want to get across is that people of Newport have to take pride in their tow