FLYTIPPERS are to be hit hard by new Government plans to make them pay for their crimes.

Recent data shows flytipping is costing councils across London nearly £1m a month to clear up.

Now authorities and the Environment Agency have the power to recover these costs from offenders thanks to the Government's latest raft of measures.

Environment minister Ben Bradshaw made the announcement at Brockley Grove Depot last week, where bags of rubbish, TVs and old tyres were piled high.

The site was chosen as the backdrop to unveil the new measures because of Lewisham Council's success in tackling enviro-crime thanks to a scheme using mobile phone technology.

The Love Lewisham project allows anyone living in the borough to take a photo of flytipping or graffiti with their camera phone and send it to the council's website.

The new measures within the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act give councils and the Environment Agency increased powers to catch flytippers and the ability to remove abandoned cars from the street.

Cabinet member for the environment Councillor Andrew Brown said: "We really welcome these measures as they will act as a disincentive for people using our streets as a dumping ground.

"We already prosecute 100 people a year for environmental crime and 400 fixed-penalty notices were given out last year."

He added: "Our mobile scheme has allowed us to deal with the problem of flytipping much more quickly."

Mr Bradshaw said: "What you can see behind me shows just one tenth of what one London borough has to deal with at the council tax payer's expense.

"Residents don't want this outside their front door, spoiling their streets. These flytippers are cowardly."

He added: "The new powers will allow the authorities, police and Environment Agency to recover costs from offenders and make the whole process of prosecuting people in court much easier.

"Maximum fines have increased from £20,000 to £50,000 and flytipping is now an arrestable offence."