CITY grime fighters have stepped up their battle against the free leaflets which carpet some city streets.

Oxford City Council’s new leafleting zone came into force on Thursday night, with businesses now required to pay for a licence to hand out flyers.

The Town Hall has said it wants to toughen up on nightclubs, restaurants and shops with the threat of £80 fines for anyone who does not ask for permission.

It comes after the Oxford Mail last year pounded the streets with the council’s street cleaning team to see how they tackled the mountain of rubbish each morning.

The council is left with £1m bill each year to pick up litter.

The new leafleting zone covers the city centre, Cowley Road and Headington areas.

City Council public health team leader Graham Eagle, has said it is time to get tough on anyone ignoring the new rules.

Mr Eagle said: “We have identified areas of the city that are regularly defaced by leaflets such as the city centre, up High Street, Headington Hill and Cowley Road.”

A team went out to enforce the new law on Thursday, last night and was planning to go out on Saturday.

He added: “Freshers’ week can be particularly bad. So we will also be paying particular attention at the end of September to Headington Hill when the students come back.

“The first action will always be to warn people handing out leaflets without consent that they should not be doing it. If they continue to offend we will issue them with a fine. We will also have the power to seize the material being distributed.”

Fines will be cut to £55 if paid within ten days.

Mr Eagle said: “Any contraventions of the conditions may result in badges being revoked, with a ban from applying for further consents for a year.”

So far, the companies which have applied for licences are Yo! Sushi, Sightseeing in Oxford, Footprint Tours, Lava and Ignite, Canterbury European Fashion Wear, Camera bar and the Bridge nightclub.

The council has said free printed material includes leaflets, printed balloons, printed stickers and printed carrier bags.

There are a few exemptions to the legislation, which include charities or companies employed on behalf of charities to distribute free printed matter for charitable purposes.

Free printed matter distributed for religious or political purposes will also be exempt.

John Tanner, board member for a Cleaner, Greener Oxford, said: “We want to stop that handful of shops, nightclubs and promoters that continue to hand out flyers which just end up littering the street.

“One badly organised commercial leaflet promotion can cost Oxford City Council hundreds of pounds to clean up.

“The consent scheme will give the council more control over leafleting, save the taxpayer money and will mean cleaner city centre streets.”

It costs £400 a year or £100 to get permission to leaflet in the city.

l To get a consent badge you need to visit Oxford City Council’s website oxford.gov.uk/freeprintedmaterial