DROPPING chewing gum or cigarette ends will be an offence carrying an on the spot fine under new legislation which has just come into effect.

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environmental Act, which became law this month, gives Craven District Council and other local authorities greater powers to tackle fly tipping, graffiti and litter.

Fly tipping is now an arrestable offence, with the most serious cases incurring a maximum £50,000 fine and a potential five years' imprisonment.

In addition, people spitting chewing gum on the floor, or dropping cigarette ends, will also be liable to pay an on the spot fine if they are seen doing it by an official.

Craven District Council will also be able to designate an area - like the High Street - as an alarm notification area.

This means any key holders for premises with security alarms would have to register with the council. The act also gives local authorities the power to enter a building, although not by force, to silence an alarm after 20 minutes.

Stray dogs will now become the responsibility of the council and local authorities and parish councils will be able to designate dog free areas, as well as creating areas where it will be an offence to let a dog off the lead.

However, it will be April 2006 before most of the regulations actually come into force.

The council is currently setting up a task group to co-ordinate services as the new legislation covers a number of existing departments.

It is also looking at the financial implications of having to enforce the new legislation and what can be done with existing resources.

Tim Bassett, environmental protection manager, in a report prepared for the council, said: "It has been clear for some time that some legislative changes were required to clarify responsibilities between agencies and to help councils deal with environmental crime more effectively."

Mr Bassett said that the act aimed to provide quicker and more effective enforcement to deter offenders and demonstrate that a clean, safe and green local environment is as much a priority for councils and local authorities as it was for residents.

However Craven, like most other authorities, does not yet have any clear plans about how to enforce the act, which may require the employment of special wardens.

o Last month Pendle Borough Council caused a storm of protest from parents when it sent officials round the West Craven High School and fined pupils who were caught dropping litter. The pupils were breaking local by-laws.