IT must be nearly 10 years ago that I wrote a piece pointing out how Worcester was becoming blighted by litter and graffiti. Our newsdesk decided to follow up the article with a survey of the situation across the Faithful City - but actually didn't get that far. The city council and their officials successfully managed to talk it out, the inquiry lost momentum... and that was that.

Much has changed since then. In 1996 the perceived wisdom was that anti-social acts were a symptom of a disadvantaged society expressing itself in the only way it could. This was a turn-a-blind-eye and "make allowances society" - a precursor to political correctness.

Back then, centrist and left-of-centre politicians were completely disinterested in such petty criminality. Litter and graffiti were Tory obsessions, typical of a breed that could or would not understand the actions of Britain's rapidly growing underclass.

What a difference now. New Labour politicians fall over themselves to prove their anti-yobbishness credentials, talking as if they had been on board all along. And actually, I'm glad - there is nothing wrong with conversion on the road to Damascus.

New laws that crack down on flytipping, littering and discarded household waste come into effect on Saturday, April 1. These will streamline the process of issuing fixed penalty notices for the first two crimes and introduce new powers to punish those who dump household waste. The measures appear to have the full backing of the police.

I would just say this. The long overdue action to combat the menace of those who have no regard for our environment has come about through the tireless efforts of a handful - and that's what it is - of councillors backed by the Worcester News.

I would single out Derek Prodger and Mike Layland as being prime movers right from the beginning. The rest have been either slow or reluctant to join the campaign - and a few have had to be dragged screaming to their senses. Still, better late than never.