Council to consider gum tax call

Liverpool City Council says it costs 10p to remove gum from the street

Councillors in Liverpool are to vote on whether to officially call for a national tax on chewing gum.

The city council will meet at Liverpool Town Hall on Wednesday to discuss the campaign for a penny-a-packet levy.

Councillor Mike Storey, the council leader, said the money raised would help local authorities to pay for the cost of removing dropped gum.

He said the levy would have to be agreed nationally and that there had already been support from other cities.

'Inconsiderate actions'

Mr Storey said: "Liverpool is being transformed, confidence is growing and more business is coming to the city.

"We are not prepared to stand by and allow it to become disfigured and damaged because of the inconsiderate actions of a minority."

Liverpool City Council, which already operates an on-the-spot fine system for "litter louts", says the average piece of gum costs 3p to buy but 10p to remove from the street if it is dropped.

It says its aim is to educate gum chewers to dispose of gum in an environmentally-responsible way.