LIKE so many local authorities, Caerphilly is trying to come up with yet another deterrent to try to stop anti-social behaviour.

The council is to increase fines for littering and dog fouling, in response to public concern.

From the outset, let us say the council is to be commended for listening to the public who raised concern about this matter.

But we have to say we have seen councils raise fines before by considerable percentages and all to no avail.

Setting a steep fine is supposed to act as a deterrent, in order to change the behaviour of those individuals who drop their litter or do not pick up the mess left behind by their dogs.

But unfortunately, relying on fines will only work if those committing the offences have a real fear of getting caught.

And unfortunately, as is so often the case around the country, these are very difficult areas to police .

Last year, the authority issued 239 fixed-penalty notices.

That is all well and good and those who were caught deserve to be fined.

We fail to understand why people cannot get the simple message not to drop litter or to pick up after their dogs.

But across a borough the size of Caerphilly, we doubt that the numbers caught has made much of an impact on the behaviour of others.

Increasing the fines will only work if the number of people caught also rises.