TORIES OPPOSE CRACK DOWN ON LITTER, GRAFFITI AND NUISANCE NOISE

4.57.05pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 11th Jan 2005

Conservative MPs last night voted against giving local councils additional powers to tackle fly-tipping, litter, graffiti, fly-posting, dog fouling, nuisance noise and abandoned cars.

David Rendel MP supported the measures, contained in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill, which are also supported by the National Farmers Union.

Commenting after the vote, Mr Rendel said:

"Once again the Tories have made a ludicrous decision by rejecting these proposals, which will give much stronger protection to our countryside, towns and villages. They clearly care little about farmers whose land is repeatedly used by fly-tippers.

"All the evidence that we have seen suggests that the penalties are not strong enough to deal with problems such as fly-tipping, graffiti and rubbish on our streets. I voted to give local councils more powers to deal with these problems. The Tories seem happy to ignore these nuisances."

ENDS