Issue - meetings

Members gave consideration to the District Wide Dog Fouling Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

In June 2020 the Council designated its “Dog Fouling Public Space Protection Order”, which was in place until the 5th of June 2023. This PSPO focused on dog fouling and disposal and applied across the whole district. It also included a provision for individuals to carry and have available a means to remove dog fouling.

The impact of dog fouling on both the natural environment and on public health was well known. It was essential for the Council to promote responsible dog ownership and to ensure that where this is not the case there was provision, in law, for addressing it. Members learned that part of the PSPO prior to this report required a consultation period, which had resulted in a wide array of support for an extension of the Order.

The PSPO gave the Authority the power to issue fixed penalty notices and the report proposed that the existing PSPO be extended for an additional three years, with a general acceptance to carry on with ongoing action.

Debate ensued, and Members were appreciative of retaining the existing PSPO. In response to a set of queries on replacing the signage as a deterrent, officers explained that the Authority was happy to provide those replacements. Members also expressed desire for greater collaboration between the Authority and Parish Councils on this matter.

With no further discussion, having been proposed and seconded, upon taking the vote, it was unanimously

RESOLVED that the Dog Fouling PSPO be extended for a three-year period from 6^th June 2023 to 5^th June 2026.