AN action group is being set up in a move to solve the county's litter problems.

The county council's environment and heritage scrutiny committee plans to act because of links between rubbish, anti-social behaviour and run-down communities.

Neil Dodson, principal corporate policy officer, said in a report to the committee that a research group being set up was likely to include representatives of district councils, trade organisations dealing with fast food and supermarkets, Railtrack, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the police, Chamber of Commerce, Environment Agency and Encans, the Keep Britain Tidy organisation.

He said its aim would be to scrutinise the way litter is managed and how it can be improving it.

"The cleanliness of the environment has a significant influence on communities' sense of well-being," he said. "Reducing litter will contribute to achieving safe, healthy and sustainable communities and cleaning our streets."

Areas highlighted include roads and footpaths, public and private land, railways, coastlines, canals and waterways, and business premises.