Environmental inspections are being extended east and west of the city centre, in response to public demand, and inspectors will be handing out 12 month litter control notices to the worst offenders. The notices can lead to a court appearance and £2,500 fine.

The Scores on the Floors initiative aims to encourage businesses to take responsibility for cleaning up discarded cigarette ends and other litter from outside their premises.

Launched in October last year, the campaign includes regular spot checks by CityClean enforcement officers who then draw up a league table for the best and worst offenders.

Good news from the most recent inspections showed the Pavilion Tavern, Thistle Hotel and Brighton Unemployment Centre were among the cleanest premises along with council buildings Kings House and Bartholomew House. All received an A rating.

However, other premises, rated C, are letting the city down. They are due to receive warning letters from the council and could ultimately face fines of up to £2,500 if they fail to clean up their act. They include:

• Brighton Magistrates Court
• The Bulldog Tavern in St James Street and
• Victoria Road Housing Office

Chairman of the Environment Committee Geoffrey Theobald said, “The results show that, since Scores on the Floors was launched, many business are now taking their responsibility seriously.

“We were particularly pleased to see our own Bartholomew House, which scored a C in the first spot check, now boasts a clean and tidy A rating.

“However, there are still far too many businesses who are clearly shirking their responsibilities and continuing to litter our city streets. Therefore I am delighted that the Cityclean crackdown is being extended so we can continue to tackle the problem head-on, while ensuring that responsible businesses are congratulated.”

He added that the council aims to see all its premises on the A list, and will be working hard to ensure those receiving B’s put in extra measures to reach this standards.

Pat Flavin, Cityclean Operations Manager, said that although inspectors found there had been a decrease in the amount of smoking related littering, particularly in the city centre, there was still a significant problem to be addressed.

“Residents are voicing their concerns to us on a daily basis, and are becoming impatient with what they perceive as “in-action” on the part of the city’s businesses in addressing this issue,” he said.

“They look to the city council for reassurance that this issue is being prioritised and we are happy to provide that reassurance.

“These inspections are here to stay.”