South Lanarkshire Council have announced plans to fine children caught dropping litter on the street.

Fines will be issued to any litterbugs under the age of 16 to try and clamp down on the litter problem prevalent in South Lanarkshire. Children will be fined £50 if police catch them littering the street.

The Council previously conducted a 6 month pilot programme earlier in 2011 in which no fines were issued but 168 warnings were given.

A spokeswoman for the Council said "Until recently young people in South Lanarkshire, under the age of 16 years, had been excluded from fines for littering as it was felt that the council's intensive programme of awareness-raising campaigns to combat littering was the way forward.

"To gauge how effective the pilot was the opinion of residents in the areas were sought and also information was given by the cleaning operatives both during the patrols and immediately after.

"In most instances a noticeable reduction in the amount of litter present was confirmed and everyone was keen that the initiative should continue beyond the pilot."

The issue seems to have provoked a varying response in residents of South Lanarkshire. What do you think?