A think-tank has called for a ‘revitalised' litter strategy, including tripling the level of fines and ranking councils on enforcement of anti-littering laws.

Policy Exchange's new report said a ‘significantly more aggressive approach' was needed to tackling littering and fly-tipping, which together cost the UK £1bn.

The think-tank argued that on-the-spot fines should be increased from £65 to £195 and maximum fines from £150 to £450.

Policy Exchange also proposed the creation of a Government league table, aimed at ranking councils on how actively they use their powers to tackle litter.

It argued a league table would incentivise councils to develop litter strategies, enable residents to hold councils to account, and instil a competitive spirit across regions and between metro-mayors.

In the foreword to the report, former local government secretary Lord Pickles said: ‘This paper makes a timely contribution to this important issue, where too many local authorities are not enforcing the law.

‘Addressing litter and the physical environment gives the clearest signal that a local authority respects its residents.

'Significant intervention on this issue is long overdue.'