Agenda item - Dogs on Public Spaces

Key Decision

Portfolio Holder: Deputy Leader of the Council (Outward Focus), Councillor Helen-Ann Smith

a) that following investigations into the potential for a ban on all dogs from Council owned football and sports pitches, Cabinet discontinues the proposal due to the limitations and costs of implementing such a restriction.

b) that Cabinet endorses the continuation of existing methods to help prevent and enforce against dog fouling within the District including the work seeking to establish free dog waste bags in conjunction with a private sector provider.

REASON FOR DECISIONS

To report on the outcome of officers’ investigations and to clarify the current regulations and powers of the Council in relation to the issues raised by the motions submitted at the meetings of Council of 26 July and 11 October 2018 by the Conservative Group and by the question asked by the Butlers Hill Project Community Group at the meeting of Council of 29 November 2018.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REASONS FOR REJECTION

The alternative option of moving forward with a new Public Space Protection Order to potentially restrict dogs from all sports pitches was not recommended as it would not be feasible to do so as all pitches would need to be enclosed to prevent animal access which was not financially viable.

The Interim Director of Place and Communities submitted a report to Cabinet on the outcomes of officers’ investigations, and to clarify the current regulations and powers of the Council in relation to the issues raised by the motions submitted at the meetings of Council of 26 July and 11 October 2018 by the Conservative Group, and by the question asked by the Butlers Hill Project Community Group at the meeting of Council of 29 November 2018 with regards to dogs on public open spaces.

It was noted that the issue had arisen due to complaints from the public regarding dog fouling on football pitches, which teams had had to clean up before they could play, and it had been proposed that this problem could be dealt with by means of a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) prohibiting dogs from all sports pitches. The report noted that PSPO’s had been established under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and enabled the Council to introduce measures to curb anti-social behaviour specific to locations in order to help deal with the problems faced in local communities. PSPO’s however could only be introduced once evidence has been gathered to substantiate the need for one along with a public consultation.

The report provided information on the current PSPO which was in force that currently enabled the Council to maintain effective dog control in public areas in that it provided for:

· Action against owners who permit dog fouling;

· Action against owners who do not carry a receptacle for cleaning up their dogs’ faeces;

· Dogs on leads by direction;

· Specified maximum number of dogs: 6;

· Dogs excluded from specific areas, for example enclosed play areas, enclosed sports facilities on parks (e.g. courts and bowling greens);

· Dogs on leads in specific areas, e.g. public highway and verges, churchyards and cemeteries.

After analysis by officers it had been concluded that the existing PSPO provided sufficient means to deal with dog fouling on both open spaces and pitches. It was also noted that as well as a robust application of existing measures; from January 2019, the Council’s Community Protection Officers would be undertaking targeted patrols in known hot spot areas for littering and dog fouling and would enforce by means of Fixed Penalty Notices where necessary.

It was also noted that the Council, in partnership with a private sector provider, would aim to provide free dog bag units in each park for residents to make use of and that these bags would be sited in convenient locations for dog walkers. The Leader thanked Michael Biggs and former Councillor Gail Turner for their work in investigating private sector support in supplying dog bags and invited former Councillor Gail Turner to address the meeting on this work.